WO2016198992A1 - Machine de fermeture de bouteilles en plastique - Google Patents

Machine de fermeture de bouteilles en plastique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2016198992A1
WO2016198992A1 PCT/IB2016/053225 IB2016053225W WO2016198992A1 WO 2016198992 A1 WO2016198992 A1 WO 2016198992A1 IB 2016053225 W IB2016053225 W IB 2016053225W WO 2016198992 A1 WO2016198992 A1 WO 2016198992A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
bottles
machine according
previous
closing
line
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2016/053225
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Cristiano FRANCIONI
Original Assignee
F.C. Di Francioni Cristiano & C. - S.R.L.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by F.C. Di Francioni Cristiano & C. - S.R.L. filed Critical F.C. Di Francioni Cristiano & C. - S.R.L.
Priority to EP16788201.8A priority Critical patent/EP3307636A1/fr
Publication of WO2016198992A1 publication Critical patent/WO2016198992A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B65B7/161—Sealing filled ampoules
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
    • B65B51/14—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
    • B65B51/142—Closing bottle necks or tubes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of filling plants for filling plastic bottles, especially, but without limitation, disposable bottles.
  • the object of the present invention is a machine for closing plastic bottles.
  • bottles of this type are vials made of glass, a material allowing optimal inertness with the product contained therein.
  • these bottles are produced in the following way: the bottles are molded with an open end, then they are loaded in a filling line where, arrange don a moving line, they move towards a filling station and then a closing station where the open end is closed.
  • the closing step is a critical step in this process. Namely, it should be as sterile as possible, to prevent impurities from entering the bottle.
  • the bottle closing step may provide for a step of heating the open end of the bottles and the subsequent closing by means of jaws holding the opposite parts of the open end of the bottles.
  • open flames are used to fuse he glass and to seal the top part of the vial. Open flames cannot be used for plastic vials/bottles, as they would burn the plastic, generating toxic and carcinogenic substances.
  • sealing plates are used, fusing and modelling the opening of the bottle from opposite sides; then, two cold jaws give the shape and seal. This is possible only if the bottle plastic is sufficiently soft, as the bottles deform under the pressure of the hot pliers and the whole surface adheres to the pliers hot surface.
  • the bottles are made of rigid plastic, this system cannot be used as the rigid plastic does not deform and, therefore, it does not come into contact with the hot surface, and therefore the heat is not distributed on the whole part to be sealed; moreover, if the pressure of the hot plates is increased, the bottle could break.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a machine for closing plastic bottles, that overcomes the drawbacks described above.
  • an important object of the present invention is to provide a machine for closing bottles made of particularly rigid plastic.
  • a further important object of the present invention is to provide a machine for closing plastic bottles, allowing a high sterility degree.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for closing plastic bottles, allowing a more economical production.
  • a machine for closing plastic bottles comprising a moving line for moving open bottles, heating means being provided along said line for heating the open ends of said bottles, and, downstream of said heating means, sealing means for closing said open ends of said bottles, characterized in that said heating means comprise at least one infrared heater arranged along said moving line.
  • the machine is particularly useful for disposable bottles, i.e. single-dose bottles, but it could be also advantageously used for multi-dose bottles.
  • the heaters can be mainly made of glass or ceramic, that are highly sterile.
  • the heating method it is possible to heat the bottle in a decreasing manner from the side of the sealing-closing towards the bottle body.
  • the plastic is deformed gradually; the sealing are therefore visually more pleasant with respect to the sealing made by means of plates, that have the disadvantage of heating a very specific and delimited part of the bottle, that (in closing-molding) does not close/form in a homogenous way. This causes visible cracks, or even holes below the sealing.
  • a further advantage is the simple start-up and the simple change of format. By decreasing the parts to be replaced, and therefore the parts to be set, the machine is significantly simpler to be managed by the operator.
  • the startup times are significantly reduced. As there are no plates and bodies to be heated, it is not necessary, for the production, to heat them.
  • the lamps are switched on in a couple of seconds, while the heating of the traditional plates varies according to the model, from ten to forty minutes,
  • the red-hot plates may cool, as the power to the plates shall be shut off (as required by law). This result in more time to heat the plates again.
  • the machine for closing multi-dose or single-dose plastic bottles through infrared heaters also has a sustainability and maintenance coefficient different than that of the traditional system.
  • the infrared heaters are extremely economical, simple and fast to be replaced.
  • said at least one infrared heater comprises at least an infrared lamp or at least an infrared radiant strip or panel.
  • the at least an infrared lamp or at least an infrared radiant strip or panel comprise a radiant surfaces made of one of the following: glass, preferably quartz glass, ceramic.
  • the machine comprises a plurality of heating stations arranged in sequence and provided with said infrared heaters.
  • the machine comprises at least one said infrared heater, arranged above on a side of said line, near said bottles, and suitable to heat a plurality of said bottles on said line.
  • the machine comprises at least a pair of said infrared heaters, arranged on opposite sides of said line, near said bottles, and facing each other, and suitable to heat, from opposite sides, a same plurality of said bottles aligned on said line.
  • the machine comprises at least one said infrared heater, arranged above sdaid line, near said bottles, and suitable to heat a plurality of said bottles on said line.
  • the machine comprises at least one said infrared heater, arranged above said line, so as to surround one or more of said bottles.
  • the machine comprises a filling station for filling said bottles arranged upstream of said bottle heating means.
  • the sealing means for closing said open ends of said bottles comprise two opposite jaws, heated if necessary, suitable to be pushed against each other when the open end of at least one said bottle is between them, the open end being plastically deformed, thus closing the bottle opening.
  • the sealing means for closing said open ends of said bottles comprise a concave closing body suitable to be pushed, with its concavity facing said open end of the bottle, onto said open end, deforming it plastically and thus closing it.
  • the bottles are axially-symmetrical.
  • the machine comprises a rotation deice for rotating each bottle around its axis so as to allow a homogenous heating of the open end by means of the adjacent heating means.
  • the bottles being processed are vials comprising a base cylindrical body, from which a tapered portion extends, ending in said open end that shall be sealed.
  • the bottles are disposable.
  • the bottles have the following dimensions: width comprised between 0.5 cm and 2 cm, depth comprised between 0.5 cm and 2 cm, height comprised between 1 and 10 cm.
  • figure 1 is the layout of a machine according to a first embodiment of the invention
  • figure 2 is the layout of a machine according to a second embodiment of the invention.
  • figure 3 is the layout of a machine according to a third embodiment of the invention.
  • figure 4 is a schematic view of a row of bottles during the processing by means of the machine according to the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a first example of portion of heating station of a machine according to the invention, wherein the bottles are vials, and there is only one infrared lamp;
  • figure 6 is a schematic view of a second example of portion of heating station of a machine according to the invention, wherein the bottles are vials, and there are two opposite infrared lamps;
  • figure 7 is a schematic view of a plastic vial heated by means of a toroidal infrared heater surrounding almost the whole opening of the vial, in a machine according to the invention
  • figure 8 is a schematic view of a plastic vial heated by means above which there is a concave closing body suitable to close the open and heated end of the vial, in a machine according to the invention
  • figure 9 shows the closing body of figure 7, with the indication of the inner shape
  • figure 10 shows a linear infrared lamp usable in a machine according to the invention
  • FIGS. 11 and 12 show two infrared heaters so shaped as to surround partially the sides of the bottles, in a machine according to the invention
  • FIGS. 13 and 14 show a schematic view of a plastic vial associated with means for the rotation thereof around its main axis, in a machine according to the invention.
  • This machine 10 comprises a moving line 11 for the open bottles F, along which several processing stations are arranged, among which, in series, a bottle loading station 12, a filling station 13 for filling the bottles with the product, for example a liquid, a plurality of heating stations 14 (that can also be intended as a single heating station comprising more substations equal to one another and arranged in series), a bottle closing station 15, that can give the final shape to the bottles.
  • Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of a machine according to the invention, with a different layout that that of figure 1.
  • the machine is provided with two parallel moving lines 11 for the bottles, arranged like a U, two loading stations 12, two filling stations 13, two plurality of heating stations 14 and two closing stations 15.
  • Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of a machine according to the invention, with a different layout that that of figure 1 and figure 2.
  • the machine provides for a circular moving line 11 for the bottles; more in particular, the line is defined by a rotating table or carousel 11A), on which the supports for the bottles are provided, the bottles thus rotating from a station to the other, a loading station 12, a filling station 13, a plurality of heating stations 14, a closing station 15. An unloading station 121.
  • the bottles F are small disposable bottles joined to one another in strips S that shall be filled with a solution, for instance a drug.
  • FIG. 4 schematically show the different processing steps
  • the strips S pass through three heating stations, where a pair of infrared lamps 14A are arranged on opposite sides of the line 11 , facing each other, near the strip of bottles, suitable to heat the bottle strip from opposite sides;
  • the heating means allowing to fuse, at least partially, the plastic of the open end of the bottles, are infrared heaters 14A, like, for instance, infrared lamps.
  • Figure 10 shows, for instance, a linear infrared lamp, like those schematized in figure 3.
  • Panels 14B may be associated to the infrared lamps, reflecting the heating on the side of the lamp opposite to that where there are the bottles, so as to increase the thermal yield (panels of this type, for instance curved panels, are shown in figure 4 on a side of the line; the panels corresponding to the opposite lamps have been omitted, for the sake of simple drawing, but they are intended to be present).
  • Figure 11 and 12 show two infrared heaters 14 in the form of heating panels, adequately shaped so as to surround the bottles in series along the line.
  • the infrared heaters may be arranged only on a side of the moving line (i.e. on only one side of the bottles) or on both the sides of the line, or above the line (i.e. above the opening of the bottles).
  • bottles are shown in the form of plastic vials (the vials are preferably axially-symmetrical bottles, comprising a base cylindrical body from which a tapered portion extends, ending in said open end that shall be sealed).
  • the infrared heater in this case a linear infrared lamp
  • Figure 6 show an example wherein the heaters are arranged on opposite sides of the vials F.
  • Figure 7 shows an infrared heater so arranged as to surround substantially completely (notwithstanding a small segment) the open end 14B of the bottle (for instance an approximately circular infrared lamp).
  • the infrared heater prefferably driven into rotation around the open end 14b of the bottle, so as to heat the end in a homogeneous manner.
  • FIG 13 shows a template 16 for transporting the vial associated with rotating means (not shown) for the rotation around the central axis X.
  • a vial F is shown, rotating around its axis X by means of rotating rollers 17.
  • a closing body 18 In order to close the open end 14B of a vial, instead of two jaws it is possible to use a closing body 18 (see figures 8 and 9), heated if necessary, concave, suitable to be pushed with its concavity facing said open end 14B, against the same end 14B, thus plastically deforming it and closing it (in figure 8, the end of the vial is closed).
  • the closing body 18 wherein the closing body 18 is not heated (the fusing heat is only given by the infrared heaters), it may be cooled, so as to increase the production rate.
  • the bottles preferably have the following dimensions: width comprised between 0.5 cm and 2 cm, depth comprised between 0.5 cm and 2 cm, height comprised between 1 and 10 cm.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closing Of Containers (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une machine de fermeture de bouteilles en plastique, comprenant une ligne de déplacement destinée à déplacer les bouteilles ouvertes, des moyens de chauffage situés le long de ladite ligne pour chauffer les extrémités ouvertes desdites bouteilles et, en aval desdits moyens de chauffage, des moyens d'étanchéité destinés à fermer lesdites extrémités ouvertes desdites bouteilles, l'invention étant caractérisée en ce que lesdits moyens de chauffage comprennent au moins un élément chauffant à infrarouge disposé le long de ladite ligne de déplacement.
PCT/IB2016/053225 2015-06-09 2016-06-01 Machine de fermeture de bouteilles en plastique WO2016198992A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP16788201.8A EP3307636A1 (fr) 2015-06-09 2016-06-01 Machine de fermeture de bouteilles en plastique

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITUB20155317 2015-06-09
ITUB2015U045317 2015-06-09

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2016198992A1 true WO2016198992A1 (fr) 2016-12-15

Family

ID=57209638

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2016/053225 WO2016198992A1 (fr) 2015-06-09 2016-06-01 Machine de fermeture de bouteilles en plastique

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3307636A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2016198992A1 (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1059969A (en) * 1963-02-13 1967-02-22 Fr Des Lab Labaz Soc Method for the continuous production of containers of thermoplastic material containing a pharmaceutical product and means for the execution of said method
US3313921A (en) * 1962-11-16 1967-04-11 Heraeus Schott Quarzschmelze Infrared heater
FR1560594A (fr) * 1968-02-07 1969-03-21
US3457694A (en) * 1966-08-25 1969-07-29 Hideo Tatibana Method of and apparatus for fusion sealing the opening of flexible plastic bottle-like containers

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3313921A (en) * 1962-11-16 1967-04-11 Heraeus Schott Quarzschmelze Infrared heater
GB1059969A (en) * 1963-02-13 1967-02-22 Fr Des Lab Labaz Soc Method for the continuous production of containers of thermoplastic material containing a pharmaceutical product and means for the execution of said method
US3457694A (en) * 1966-08-25 1969-07-29 Hideo Tatibana Method of and apparatus for fusion sealing the opening of flexible plastic bottle-like containers
FR1560594A (fr) * 1968-02-07 1969-03-21

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP3307636A1 (fr) 2018-04-18

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