WO2008104938A1

WO2008104938A1 - Rotary seamer

Info

Publication number: WO2008104938A1
Application number: PCT/IB2008/050700
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Catelli; Bartolomeo Valente
Original assignee: CFT PACKAGING SpA
Current assignee: CFT PACKAGING SpA
Priority date: 2007-03-01
Filing date: 2008-02-27
Publication date: 2008-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-01
Also published as: WO2008104938B1; ITPR20070011A1

Abstract

A rotary seamer (1) comprises a rotating carrousel (3) at least partially contained in a machine body (2), means for actuating the carrousel, a seaming station (5,6) pivotally associated with the carrousel to se in rotation a container (8) to be seamed around its own axis (7), said axis in turn rotating integrally with the carrousel, and means for actuating the seaming station comprising a first belt (11) mounted on pulleys (12, 13) positioned externally to the machine body and cinematically connected to the means for actuating the carrousel. A seaming method is provided, and a method for varying the number of seaming turns in a rotary seamer, acting externally to the machine body, in a simple, fast manner. In known seamers, to vary the number of seaming turns, it is necessary to act on systems of gears positioned within the machine body, with consequent expense in terms of time and materials.

Description

ROTARY SEAMER

TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND ART. The present invention relates to a rotary seamer. A seamer is a machine that enables to apply a lid to a container to close it hermetically, connecting the edge of the lid to the edge of the container by folding them one onto the other.

Such containers have cylindrical geometry, e.g. they are constituted by cans. In practice, seaming is achieved by setting the container in rotation around its own axis, in a seaming station in which the container interacts with an appropriately shaped idle pivot, i.e. shaped such as to cause said folding of the edges of the container and of the corresponding lid. The seaming station is plvotally associated to a seaming turret, also called carrousel, because it rotates around its own axis.

In particular, the present invention relates to rotary seamers, i.e. seamers in which to the processed containers is imparted a motion of rotation around their own axis and a motion of revolution around the axis of rotation of the carrousel. In this light, it should be noted that the rate of revolution of the container around the axis of the carrousel is linked to the rate of the production line, i.e. to the hourly production of containers processed by the seamer. Instead, the rate of rotation of the container around its own axis is linked to the finishing of the process of seaming the container itself (i.e. of the corresponding lid onto the container). The term "number of seaming turns" means the number of rotations the container completes relative to its own axis during the lid seaming operations.

The evolution of the materials of containers and lids requires ever more advanced machinery to have better seaming results; in this light, one of the factors that most influence the finishing of the operations of the seaming process is in fact the number of seaming turns. To enhance the versatility of the seamer in treating containers and lids of materials with different mechanical characteristics, it is necessary to be able rapidly to vary the number of seaming turns.

Currently, no manufacturer of seamers has provided for a rapid change in the number of seaming turns; in fact, while in known seamers there are provisions for changing the number of seaming turns, such change entails costly interventions in terms of time and materials. In known solutions, varying the number of seaming turns requires replacing a series of gears situated within the machine body; said gears serve the function of transferring motion from a motorization to the seaming site, or to the container during the seaming operation. Said replacement of the gear is disadvantageous, because it is slow and complicated, as it requires and operator to access the interior of the machine body. It should be noted that, in known solutions, said gears are positioned within the machine body due to technical design requirements, linked e.g. to reasons of size, lubrication, access, convenience. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION. An object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks and to make available a rotary seamer in which the number of seaming turns can be varied in a simple, fast manner, with no need to access the interior of the machine body. Said object is fully achieved by the seamer of the present invention, which is characterised by the content of the appended claims and in particular in that the means for actuating the seaming station comprise a first belt mounted on pulleys positioned externally to the machine body and cinematically connected to the means for actuating the carrousel. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the means for actuating the caiTousel comprise a second belt positioned externally to the machine body. Said second belt is preferably connected directly to a motorization. Moreover, said motorization is preferably positioned with vertical axis externally to the machine body, more preferably in position of non interference relative to a work area adjacent to the seamer.

Another object of the present invention is to make available methods for seaming containers and for varying the number of the seaming turns in a rotary seamer. Said methods are characterised in particular in that they comprise the following steps:

- providing, outside a machine body, a belt mounted on pulleys to actuate a seaming station rotating internally to the machine body;

- replacing the pulleys and possibly the belt to define a different transmission ratio with the actuating means. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS . These and other characteristics shall become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated purely by way of non limiting example in the accompanying drawing tables, in which: - figure 1 shows a partially sectioned front view of a seamer according to the present invention;

- figure 2 shows a top view of the seamer of figure 1. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION. In the figures, the reference number 1 designates a seamer according to the present invention.

The seamer comprises a machine body 2 that serves as a frame. Within the machine body is positioned a carrousel 3 (also called seaming turret), such that it can rotate around its own axis 4. Note that the axis 4 of rotation of the carrousel is preferably vertical and a portion of the carrousel 3 is in sight externally to the machine body 2. The carrousel 3 can also rotate externally to the machine body 2. However, in the illustrated embodiment, the machine body 2 defines a load-bearing structure in which is housed the rotating carrousel 3, which is partially contained within the machine body 2 itself. The reference number 5 designates a pan and the number 6 designates a mandrel, associated to the carrousel 3 such that they rotate, relative to the carrousel 3 itself, around a seaming axis 7.

The pan 5 and the mandrel 6 are movable to approach / distance each other, to hold between them a container 8 to seam and they define a seaming station for the container 8. The reference number 9 designates means for positioning a Hd in the seaming station, in particular between the container 8 and the mandrel 6.

The seaming station is movable by rotation around the seaming axis 7 and by revolution around the axis 4 of rotation of the carrousel 3. The container 8 to be seamed is movable in the same way, integrally with the seaming station, because it is held between the mandrel 6 and the pan 5.

The seamer 1 further comprises a motorization 10, to actuate the carrousel 3 and the seaming station.

Note that the machine body 2 defines one or more load-bearing structures which constitute containers for those motion transmission means (from the motorization 10 to the carrousel 3 and to the seaming station) which need to be lubricated or, more in general, to be contained in a controlled environment (such as gears or chains).

Said motorization 10, constituted e.g. by an electric motor, is originally positioned externally relative to the machine body 2. Preferably, the motorization 10 is positioned such as not to interfere with a work area defined around the seamer, as shown in figure 2.

The carrousel 3 and the seaming station are cinematically connected to the motorization 10 in the manners described hereafter. The seamer 1 comprises, originally, a first belt 11 mounted on pulleys 12 and 13, said belt 11 and said pulleys 12 and 13 being positioned externally to the machine body 2.

The pulley 12, in the illustrated preferred embodiment, is keyed on a shaft 14 rotating around the axis of rotation 4 of the carrousel 3. The rotary motion of the seaming station relative to its own axis 7 is transmitted to the seaming station by the shaft 14 by means of a first system of gears 15.

The pulley 13 is preferably keyed on a service shaft 16, which is set in rotation by a second belt 17, preferably directly connected to the motorization 10 and mounted on a pulley 18 keyed on the service shaft

16.

Moreover, the second belt 17 is originally positioned externally to the machine body 2.

The service shaft 16 is cinematically connected to the carrousel 3 by means of a second system of gears 19.

Note that said first and second system of gears 15 and 19 are positioned within the machine body 2, in a lubricated environment, hence not directly accessible from the exterior.

Otherwise, the first belt 11 with related pulleys 12 and 13 and the second belt 17 with related pulley 18 are directly accessible from the exterior of the machine body 2, hence they are easily and rapidly replaceable.

Therefore, the first pulley 11 with related pulleys 12 and 13, the first system of gears 15 and the second belt 17 with related pulley 18 constitute means for actuating the seaming station. Similarly, the second pulley 17 with related pulley 18 and the second system of gears 19 constitute means for actuating the carrousel 3.

Note that the actuating means of the seaming station are cinematically connected to the actuating means of the carrousel 3.

In this light, note that a replacement of the pulleys 12 and 13 and possibly of the first belt 11 entails a change in the velocity of rotation of the seaming station relative to its axis 7, without any change to the velocity of rotation of the carrousel 3 around its own axis 4. Therefore, said replacement of the pulleys 12 and 13 and possibly of the first belt 11 originally enables to change the velocity of rotation of the seaming station for equal velocity of rotation of the carrousel 3.

Moreover, a replacement of the pulley 18 and possibly of the second belt 17 entails a change in the velocity of rotation of the carrousel 3 relative to the axis 4 and a corresponding a proportional change in the velocity of rotation of the seaming station around its own axis 7. Therefore, said replacement of the pulley 18 and possibly of the second belt 17 originally enables to change the velocity of rotation of the carrousel 3 and also of the seaming station, maintaining constant the ratio between said velocities of rotation. Note that the term "number of seaming turns" means the number of rotations the container 8 completes relative to its own axis(i.e. the axis 7 of rotation of the seaming station) during the lid seaming operations. In this light, the seamer 1 enables, originally, to vary the number of seaming turns, also independently from the velocity of the carrousel 3, by replacing the pulleys 12 or 13 (and possibly the first belt 11), said replacement taking place, advantageously, in particularly short times and at a particularly low cost of material.

Another advantage of the present invention is given by the placement of the motorization 10 in a position outside the areas of access to the seamer 1 by the operators, in such a way as to further simplify the operations for replacing the pulleys in addition to those of normal use of the seamer.

Therefore, the present invention also makes available a method for seaming containers 8, with the possibility of varying the number of seaming turns without varying the velocity of rotation of the carrousel, or to vary the number of seaming turns proportionately to the velocity of rotation of the carrousel.

Moreover, the present invention also makes available a method for varying the number of seaming turns in a rotary seamer, in the manners described above.

Claims

1. A rotary seamer ( 1 ) comprising :

- a rotating carrousel (3);

- means for actuating the carrousel (3); - a seaming station (5, 6) pivotally associated to the carrousel (3) to set in rotation a container (8) to be seamed around its own axis (7), said axis being in turn able to rotate integrally with the carrousel (3);

- means for actuating the seaming station, characterised in that said means for actuating the seaming station comprise a first belt (11) mounted on pulleys (12, 13) positioned externally to the machine body (2) and cinematically connected to the means for actuating the carrousel (3).

2. Seamer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating the carrousel (3) comprise a second belt (17) positioned externally to the machine body (2).

3. Seamer as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second belt (17) is mounted on a pulley (18) that is coaxial relative to one of the pulleys (13) whereon is mounted said first belt (11).

4. Seamer as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the two pulleys (12) whereon said first belt (11) is mounted is coaxial relative to the axis of rotation (4) of the carrousel (3).

5. Seamer as claimed in claim 1, comprising a motorization (10) positioned with vertical axis externally to the machine body (2).

6. Seamer as claimed in claim 5, wherein said motorization (10) is placed in a position of non interference relative to a work area adjacent to the seamer.

7. Seamer as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said means for actuating the carrousel (3) comprise a second belt (17) positioned externally to the machine body (2) and connected directly to said

5 motorization (10).

8. Seamer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotating carrousel (3) is at least partially contained internally to the machine body (2).

9. Method for changing the number of seaming turns in a rotary seamer (1), o characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

- providing, outside a machine body (2), a belt (11) mounted on pulleys (12, 13) to actuate a seaming station (5,6);

- replacing the pulleys (12, 13) and possibly the belt (11) to define a different transmission ratio with the actuating means. s

10. Method for seaming containers (8), comprising the following steps:

- rotating a carrousel (3) around its own axis (4);

- rotating, relative to the carrousel (3), a seaming station (5,6) interacting with the container (8) to seam it, 0 characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

- providing, outside a machine body (2), a belt (11) mounted on pulleys (12,13) to actuate the seaming station;

- replacing the pulleys (12,13) and possibly the belt (11) to define a different transmission ratio with means for actuating the seamings station.

11. Method as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

- providing, outside the machine body (2), a second belt (17) mounted on its own pulley (18) to actuate the carrousel (3);

- replacing said second belt (17) and the related pulley (18) to define a different transmission ratio with means for actuating the carrousel (3).