TWI494249B - Head for the application of threaded caps on containers - Google Patents

Description

a head member for applying a threaded cap to a container

The invention relates to a head for applying a threaded cap to a container. More specifically, the present invention relates to a head including a hollow support, a member for holding the cap, and a magnetic clutch disposed between the support and the member for holding the cap.

This type of head is used in an automated machine to close the container. The support is fixed to the bottom end of the mandrel having a rotational motion and a translational movement such that, in use, the component for applying the cap has a rotational motion.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a head for applying a cap that would be economically advantageous over a known type of head.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a head for applying a cap having the features forming the subject matter of claim 1 of the patent application.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 denotes a head for applying a threaded cap to a container. The head 10 includes a hollow support body 12 having a threaded bore 14 through which the hollow support body 12 is directly secured to the bottom end of the mandrel 16. The mandrel 16 is formed for applying a threaded cap to the container Part of the automatic machine. In operation, the mandrel 16 has a rotational movement about the longitudinal axis 18 and a translational movement along the same longitudinal axis 18. The rotational motion and the translational motion are coordinated to obtain a helical motion of the mandrel 16. The manner in which the rotational-translational motion of the mandrel 16 is produced is conventional and is outside the scope of the present invention.

The hollow support body 12 has a cavity 20 in which a rotary bushing 22 is housed. The rotary bushing 22 is supported by the hollow support 12 by a rolling bearing 24 and is free to rotate about the longitudinal axis 18. The rotary bushing 22 is axially fixed with respect to the hollow support body 12. The rotary bushing 22 has a prismatic guide aligned with the longitudinal axis 18. In the illustrated example, the prismatic guide is formed by a cylindrical cavity 26 having a bushing 22 of a channel profile 28.

The head 10 includes a magnetic clutch 30 that includes two magnetic ring members 32, 34 that are disposed to face each other and are coaxial with respect to each other. The first magnetic ring member 32 is secured to the adjustment ring nut 36 that engages the external threads 38 of the hollow support body 12. The second magnetic ring member 34 is directly fixed to the rotary bushing 22. In the illustrated example, the second magnetic ring member 34 is secured to the radial flange 40 of the rotary bushing 22 by screws 42. The adjustment ring nut 36 is movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis 18 when it is rotated relative to the hollow support 12.

Movement in the axial direction of the adjustment ring nut 36 makes it possible to adjust the axial width of the air gap 44 between the two magnetic ring members 32, 34. This adjustment makes it possible to adjust the slip torque of the magnetic clutch 30. The adjustment ring nut 36 is fixed at an adjustment position selected by the radial screw 46 It is fixed to the hollow support body 12.

The head 10 also includes a component 50 for gripping the cap that engages the prismatic guide of the rotating bushing 22. The component 50 for clamping the cap includes a shaft 52 that is elongated along the longitudinal axis 18. The shaft 52 includes a bottom portion 54 and a top portion 56 that are secured to each other by respective threaded extensions 57. It is contemplated that the axial screw 58 provides a safety mechanism that prevents rotation between the portion 54 and the portion 56.

The top portion 56 has a channel profile that slidably engages the channel profile 28 of the rotary bushing 22 in the longitudinal direction. The shaft 52 is rotationally fixed relative to the rotary bushing 22 and is movable in the axial direction. The head 60 is secured to the top end of the portion 56 to prevent the shaft 52 from separating downwardly from the rotating bushing 22.

The coil spring 62 is disposed coaxially with respect to the shaft 52 and tends to push the shaft 52 downward. The first end of the spring 62 abuts against the bottom front end of the rotary bushing 22. The opposite ends of the spring 62 rest against the radial shoulders of the shaft 52. The shaft 52 is displaceable relative to the rotating bushing 22 against the action of the spring 62.

The applicator member 64 is secured to the bottom end of the shaft 52 having a base 66 that is designed to receive and retain a cap member to be applied to a container (not shown). The applicator member 64 supports an elastic ring 68 that urges the retaining balls 70 radially inwardly to press against the outer surface of the cap member (not shown) received in the base 66. The applicator member 64 includes an extractor 72 that engages the axial groove 74 of the applicator member 64 in a freely sliding manner. The extractor 72 has a portion 76 that is designed to In order to drain from the base 66, the cap may not be applied to the container due to the lack of the container.

In operation, the head 10 is secured to the bottom end of the mandrel 16 which will impart a helical motion along the axis 18 to the head 10. In a first step, the head 10 performs picking up of the cap and inserts the cap into the base 66 of the applicator member 64 with a slight force. The cap member is restrained in the base 66 by the retaining balls 70 with slight interference. When the cap is present in the base 76, the extractor 72 is displaced upward.

In a subsequent step, the cap held in the base 66 rests against the threaded neck of the container (such as, for example, a bottle, etc.). The helical movement of the head 10 screws the cap onto the container. The magnetic clutch 30 determines the maximum helical torque. The magnetic ring members 32, 34 are rotationally fixed relative to each other until the torque applied to the shaft 52 is less than the calibrated torque of the magnetic clutch 30. If the torque on the shaft 52 exceeds the calibration value, the magnetic ring members 32, 34 slide relative to each other, thereby preventing the torque transmitted to the shaft 52 from being higher than the set value. During application of the cap, the shaft 52 is movable upward relative to the rotating bushing 22, thereby compressing the spring 62. During the swirling motion, the spring 62 exerts an axial force on the cap.

The shaft 52 is sufficiently long to allow axial movement of the length L of the shaft 52 relative to the flange 78. The flange 78 has a forked base 80 through which the shaft 52 extends. The extractor 72 of the applicator member 64 engages the bottom surface of the flange 78 to discharge the cap member. The flange 78 is fixed relative to the rotating conveyor supporting the mandrel and has a base 80 for each head 10.

The cap remains in the applicator member 64 in the absence of the container Inside the base 66. Any cap that may remain in the base 66 is removed by the extractor element 76 that is pushed down by the flange 78. This solution is simple and reliable, and it is known that the automatic removal of any cap that may have been retained in the applicator member 64 prevents the need to inspect the applicator member 64 for the absence of a cap.

Figure 3 illustrates a variation of the head 10 in accordance with the present invention. Elements corresponding to some of the above elements are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this variation, the shaft 52 is formed from a single piece rather than two portions that are axially fixed to each other as described above. A threaded extension 84 is formed on the shaft 52 to which the ring nut 86 is engaged, and a ring nut 86 serves as a seat for the bottom end of the spring 62. The ring nut can be axially displaced relative to the shaft 52 to change the preload of the spring 62. A radial screw 88 can be provided to prevent the ring nut 86 from shifting. In this variation, the top end of the spring 62 rests on a support member 90 that is applied to the bottom end of the bushing 22.

The head 10 according to the present invention is more compact and less expensive than a head having a magnetic clutch of a known type. In particular, the fact that the rotary bushing 22 and the shaft 52 that is rotationally fixed and axially movable relative to the bushing 22 are envisaged makes it possible to reduce the radial dimension of the hollow support body 12.

The details of the constructions and embodiments may be varied widely with respect to the contents described and illustrated herein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims. The scope.

10‧‧‧ head

12‧‧‧ hollow support

14‧‧‧Threaded holes

16‧‧‧ mandrel

18‧‧‧ longitudinal axis

20‧‧‧ cavity

22‧‧‧Rotating bushing

24‧‧‧ rolling bearings

26‧‧‧ cylindrical cavity

28‧‧‧ trough profile

30‧‧‧Magnetic clutch

32‧‧‧First magnetic ring

34‧‧‧Second magnetic ring

36‧‧‧Adjustment ring nut

38‧‧‧External thread

40‧‧‧radial flange

42‧‧‧ screws

44‧‧‧ Air gap

46‧‧‧radial screws

50‧‧‧ Parts

52‧‧‧Axis

54‧‧‧ bottom part

56‧‧‧Top part

58‧‧‧Axial screw

60‧‧‧ head

62‧‧‧Helical spring

64‧‧‧Applicator components

66, 80‧‧‧ base

68‧‧‧Flexible ring

70‧‧‧ Keep the ball

72‧‧‧ extractor

74‧‧‧Axial groove

76‧‧‧Parts

78‧‧‧Flange

84‧‧‧Threaded extension

86‧‧‧ring nut

88‧‧‧radial screws

The features and advantages of the heads in accordance with the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, and the detailed description is provided only by way of non-limiting example of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. Side view of the portion; Fig. 2 is an axial section of the head of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an axial section of the head variant according to the present invention.

10‧‧‧ head

12‧‧‧ hollow support

16‧‧‧ mandrel

18‧‧‧ longitudinal axis

22‧‧‧Rotating bushing

36‧‧‧Adjustment ring nut

46‧‧‧radial screws

50‧‧‧ Parts

52‧‧‧Axis

54‧‧‧ bottom part

62‧‧‧Helical spring

64‧‧‧Applicator components

68‧‧‧Flexible ring

72‧‧‧ extractor

74‧‧‧Axial groove

Claims (8)

A head for applying a threaded cap to a container, comprising a hollow support body (12); a member (50) for holding the cap member; and a hollow support body (12) And a magnetic clutch (30) between the member (50) for holding the cap member, wherein the magnetic clutch (30) includes a first magnetic ring member (32) and a second magnetic ring member (34) The ring members (32, 34) are rotatable relative to each other about a longitudinal axis (18), the first ring member (32) being rotationally fixed relative to the hollow support body, and the second ring The member (34) is rotationally fixed relative to the member (50) for holding the cap member, characterized in that the head portion includes a rotatably mounted on the hollow support about the longitudinal axis (18) a rotary bushing (22) in the body (12) and axially fixed relative to the hollow support body (12), wherein the second magnetic ring member (34) is fixed to the rotary bushing (22) The rotating bushing (22) has a prismatic guide aligned with the longitudinal axis (18), and wherein the member (50) for clamping the cap includes a longitudinal axis ( 18) Long and engaging said prismatic guide shaft (52) member, said shaft (52) relative to the rotary bushing (22) is rotationally fixed and axially movable. The head according to claim 1, wherein the head includes a coil spring (62) in a compressed state, the spiral A spring (62) is disposed coaxially with respect to the shaft (52) and is disposed between the rotating bushing (22) and the shaft (52). A head according to claim 1, wherein the shaft (52) supports at its bottom end an applicator member (64) having a base (66) for holding the cap member. The applicator member (64) is provided with an axially movable extractor (72). The head of claim 3, wherein the shaft (52) is axially movable in a base (80) of an axially fixed flange (78), the extracting The device (72) cooperates with a bottom edge of the flange (78). The head according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic ring member (32) is fixed to an adjusting ring nut (36) and is rotated relative to the hollow bearing body (12). The adjusting ring nut (36) is movable when moving. The head of claim 2, wherein the shaft (52) includes a top portion (56) and a bottom portion that are secured to each other by a threaded connection (57, 58) ( 54) The top portion (56) is engaged with the prismatic guide and the bottom portion (54) has a shoulder for supporting the bottom end of the spring (62). The head of claim 2, wherein the shaft (52) has a threaded extension (84), and a ring nut (86) is applied to the threaded extension (84). The bottom end of the spring (62) is supported on the ring nut (86), and the ring nut (86) is movable relative to the shaft (52) to adjust the preload of the spring (62). The head according to claim 1, wherein the rotary bushing (22) has a cylindrical cavity (26) having a grooved profile (26) 28).