Container capping control device and method and associated machine

Abstract

A container capping control device for a machine may include at least one capping head adapted to place a closure member on a container. The capping head may include a driving motor. The device may include a calculation unit, a graphical man-machine interface and a plurality of capping programs adapted to be parameterized by means of the interface. A capping program may be adapted to control the capping head in accordance with at least one phase of rotation of the closure member when the capping program is executed by the calculation unit.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of control of electric motors. More particularly, the present invention relates to the control of electric motors in container capping machines. The present invention may be applied in fields in which an electric motor must apply torque to an object in a precise manner, for example in the field of screwing threaded closure caps, and in the field of applying snap-fastening closure caps. 2. Description of Related Art Document EP 0 524 196 discloses a screwing device comprising a capping cone, a motor for driving rotation of the capping cone, a switching device, and a power supply. A control system comprises a torque sensor adapted to measure an instantaneous drive torque, a comparator for comparing the instantaneous torque with a closure torque of predetermined value, and a sensor for the angle of rotation of the cap receiving member adapted to be activated only when the instantaneous torque reaches th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

In certain embodiments, a method of controlling capping of containers may include using a machine with at least one capping head adapted to place a closure member on a container. The capping head may include a motor for driving the cap and the machine may include a calculation unit. An operator may parameterize at least one capping program via a graphical man-machine interface. A capping program may be adapted to control the capping head in accordance with at least one phase of rotation of the closure member when the capping program is executed by the calculation unit. An operator may start the execution of a capping program from among a plurality of capping programs. Thus, the operator may easily make a choice between the various capping programs. If the capping programs are already parameterized appropriately, the chosen capping program may be executed directly. On the other hand, if the capping program chosen necessitates further parameterization, then the operator may effect the parameterization before starting the execution of the capping program. In one embodiment, the operator parameterizes a single capping program and then starts the execution of the parameterized capping program.

Advantages of the capping machine and the container capping control device include, but are not limited to, having a multipurpose device that is easy to use, simple, flexible and has operating parameters that may be modified in a simple manner on the basis of limited basic knowledge. A universal capping machine may be easy to parameterize and may be able to handle varied containers, closure members and capping modes, within limits imposed naturally by mechanical and electrical components of the capping machine. For example, the same capping machine could process 0.5 liter, 1 liter or 1.5 liter synthetic water bottles with a basic cap or a nozzle cap with no particular difficulty.

Problems solved by technology

The presence of a torque sensor and an angular sensor, however, leads to some complication of the device without guaranteeing highly reliable and convenient closure of containers by the caps.

Conventionally, such changes require a visit by qualified data processing specialists to reprogram the machine and a relatively long stoppage.

For machines having a throughput that may exceed 50,000 containers per hour, the cost of stopping production is very high.

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