Closure device and filling machine

Abstract

Closure device (1) for a filling device for filling packaging materials, in particular buckets (E), cups or the like, and for closing the filled packaging materials (E) with lids (D), wherein the lids can be snapped onto the rim of the packaging material (E) and wherein the filling device has a transport device for transporting the packaging material (E) over a transport path during the filling and closing process, comprising: - a handling device (2) for lids (D) which is designed to separate the lid (D) from a supply of packaging materials and to position it in relation to the packaging material (E) transported by the transport device, - a pressing device (3) for completely closing the lid (D) by pressing at least a section of the lid (D) onto the packaging material (E), so that the lid (D) snaps onto the edge of the packaging material (E), characterized in that a common positioning device (5) is provided for jointly positioning and simultaneously moving the handling device (2) and the pressing device (3) relative to the packaging material (E) transported on the transport route.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a closure device for a filling device for filling packaging materials, in particular cups or buckets, and for closing the filled packaging materials with lids according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as a filling machine according to the preamble of claim 11.

[0002] So-called closure devices for filling equipment are known from the prior art. The packaging material is moved along the transport line and guided from station to station. Typically, the lid is placed on the packaging material or partially attached to it, with a subsequent pressing device pressing down the remaining unpressed parts of the lid in a later process step, allowing any gas / air still present in the packaging material to escape.

[0003] Furthermore, a device for treating unit loads moved by a continuous conveyor is known in the prior art from CH 603 457 A5, which uses a barrier element controlled by a position sensor and a holding device for the treatment process in the rest position. Apparatus for attaching lids to cups or containers is also known from US 5 890 349 A and WO 2013 / 109 174 A1.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a closure device that can enable cost savings in a corresponding filling machine.

[0005] The problem is solved, starting from a closure device of the type mentioned above and from a filling machine of the type mentioned above, by the characterizing features of claim 1 and claim 11 respectively.

[0006] The dimensions specified in the dependent claims allow for advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention.

[0007] The closure device according to the invention initially comprises a handling device for lids. Typically, the lids are stored in stock, i.e., stacked on top of each other, and are individually removed and placed or positioned on the packaging materials. Thus, as a package material travels along the transport route, it is fitted with a lid at a specific point by the handling device.

[0008] Packaging materials can include cups or buckets, as well as cardboard boxes or other types of packaging. These special containers are filled using a filling machine. The goods being filled can be liquids or soft substances, such as dairy products like yogurt or quark, or bulk goods, such as pasta. These machines are primarily used in the food and food processing industries.

[0009] In this case, the filling process can generally take place in a linear filling machine; however, it can also be carried out particularly advantageously in a rotary machine. With a rotary machine, space is saved because the transport path in a specific section runs along a circular arc, usually with a rotation of more than 270°.

[0010] The transport device first moves the lower part of the packaging material, for example, the cup or bucket that is open at the top. The packaging materials can be separated from a supply beforehand. In the case of cups or buckets, these are usually stacked inside each other and are pulled individually from these stacks during the separation process.

[0011] The transport device can be designed in various ways. For example, a rotary conveyor may have a rotating disc on which the packaging materials stand or in which they hang, such as buckets arranged in holes of appropriate size on the rotating disc.

[0012] The closure device according to the invention now comprises a pressing device for completely closing the lid by pressing at least a section of the lid onto the packaging material, so that the lid snaps onto the edge of the packaging material. From a process engineering perspective, it is generally difficult or disadvantageous to place a lid onto a packaging material and press it down in such a way that the edge can snap into place simultaneously across its entire circumference. When the lid rests loosely on the packaging material, the volume between the packaging material and the lid is somewhat larger than when the lid is snapped into place. This excess gas volume must first be displaced; otherwise, the lid would bulge upwards, or the packaging material would bulge out accordingly, depending on the gas volume. However, if the lid is not pressed down and snapped into place simultaneously across its entire circumference, the gas volume has the opportunity to escape from the space at the corresponding point.

[0013] Accordingly, the closure device according to the invention is characterized in that a common positioning device is provided for jointly positioning and simultaneously moving the handling device and the pushing devices relative to the packaging material transported from the transport route.

[0014] This offers the significant advantage of allowing the lid to be attached to the packaging material at a single station or point. Furthermore, the closure mechanism can be more compact and requires less space, thus reducing the overall size of the transport device and the transport path. Finally, a single positioning device, which typically requires only one drive, can be manufactured more cost-effectively than two stations with two separate drives.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, for example, a servo motor can be provided as the drive for the positioning device, which simultaneously moves the handling device and the pushing device. Servo motors are generally particularly easy to control and their rotational speed and acceleration can be monitored.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the handling device can, in particular, comprise a suction device. To separate the lids from the stock and handle them in general, the lid can be gripped mechanically. Furthermore, this prevents the lid from having any particular pressure marks after a vacuum is created between the handling device and the lid by the suction device, which would be more difficult to achieve with a mechanical gripper. The lid then adheres to the handling device and can be moved with it.

[0017] To achieve the most space-saving design of a filling machine, the lids in the storage area can be stacked with their actual top side facing downwards. The lid can then be gripped from below by the handling device, for example, using the suction device, and rotated into the correct position over the packaging material. In this case, a 180° rotation is particularly necessary. If, according to the invention, the handling devices and the pushing devices are moved simultaneously towards the packaging material, the handling device can be pivoted by 180° during this movement, so that the lid is subsequently in the correct position over the packaging material.This allows the supply of lids to be kept as small and compact as possible in relation to the transport device and the paths that the tools and the closure device have to travel, so that overall little space is required on the transport route.

[0018] In principle, it is conceivable that the handling device simply places the lid onto the packaging material during positioning. However, the lid can usually be snapped into place with the packaging material, so that during positioning, the handling device presses at least a first section of the lid onto the bucket until this section snaps into place on the edge of the packaging material. While it is theoretically possible to use a separate pressing device for this purpose, this would increase material and cost requirements. Therefore, the initial pressing of the bucket in the area of ​​the first section is performed by the positioning device, specifically by the servo motor in this particular embodiment. This setting can be programmed by specifying the position and height of the packaging material.In particular, to ensure effective locking, the positioning device can usually extend a few millimeters beyond the actual locking point, so that the lid is pressed down with pressure.

[0019] To ensure particularly reliable pressure on the first section of the lid, the handling device can have a pressure surface that covers this section and presses it onto the bucket. Without a pressure surface that provides counterforce against the resistance of the packaging material, the lid might not lock into place completely. This helps prevent filling errors.

[0020] Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, the pressing device can also have a pressing surface designed to press down a second section of the lid until the second section engages on the rim of the bucket. To achieve a particularly reliable, complete closure of the lid across its entire rim, the first and second sections together can cover the entire rim during positioning or pressing.

[0021] In order for the pressing device to exert pressure quickly and as evenly as possible on the remaining edge surface to be sealed (second sub-area), the pressing device can have at least one pneumatic cylinder for actuating the pressing surface.

[0022] As described above, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the handling device and the pressing device are integrated into a single unit, so that the positioning of the lid by the handling device and the final pressing of the lid relative to the bucket can take place at the same position on the transport path. This allows the transport path to be shorter, saving not only space but also costs. Examples of implementation:

[0023] An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and is explained in more detail below, including specific details and advantages.

[0024] In detail: Fig. 1 a locking device according to the invention. Fig. 2 Fig. 3

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 shows a locking device 1 according to the invention with a handling device 2 and a pushing device 3. The handling device 2 is in Fig. 1 turned upwards. It in turn has a suction device 4. The closure device 1 enables the sealing of a package material with a lid in the following manner: The unsealed packaging material, in particular, for example, a bucket E, is brought along the transport path of a filling machine, for example, a rotary machine, to the area below the station designed as a closure device 1. Above the closure device 1 is a supply of lids D, with the top of each lid D facing downwards. The lid D is suctioned onto and held by its top surface via the suction device 4 of the handling device 2. Subsequently, the handling device 2, together with the pushing device 3, is moved downwards. During this movement, the handling device 2 rotates 180°. This rotational movement is coupled via a corresponding thread to the linear movement performed by the positioning device 5, driven by a servo motor, during the downward movement.

[0026] As it moves downwards, the lid D is rotated so that it can click into place on the bucket E. The rim 6 of the handling device 2 is designed such that the first section of the lid D's rim is pressed onto the bucket. To achieve this, the positioning device 5 moves the handling device 2 downwards by a sufficient distance for the lid D to click into place on the rim of the bucket E, typically a few millimeters below the point where the lid D makes contact with the bucket E. However, since the pressing surface 6 of the handling device 2 does not cover the entire rim of the lid, a second section 8 of the lid D remains open. This section is closed in a subsequent step by the pressing device 3. The pressing device 3 therefore has a pressing surface 10.

[0027] The pressing device 3 initially moves downwards towards bucket E via the movement initiated by the positioning device 5. Once the lid D has reached its position via the handling device 2 and the first section 7 has engaged with the edge of bucket E, the pressing device 3, which is moved by two pneumatic cylinders 9, then fully presses down the second section 8. Any air remaining between the lid D and bucket E can thus escape more easily when pressing down the second section 8 than if the lid D were pressed down simultaneously across its entire edge. Advantageously, this also prevents the lid D and bucket E from bulging.

[0028] Advantageously, these two process steps, performed by the handling device 2 and the pushing device 3, can thus be carried out at a single point on the transport path. Furthermore, only one station is required overall. This allows the transport path to be shortened because both processes take place at the same location, rather than at two separate points. Cost savings can also be achieved because less material is needed and the transport path can be shorter. Moreover, only one servo motor is required to move the pushing device and the handling device downwards, which also results in cost advantages.

[0029] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the bucket E, which is still unlocked, rests on a transport rail TL. The transport rail TL is mounted on a turntable, serving as a transport device. At the time of this schematic representation, the handling device 2, together with the pushing device 3, has been lowered and is positioned directly above the bucket E. The lid D is still fully held by the suction device 4. The movement caused by the servo motor 5, which moves both the handling device 2 and the pushing device 3, has not yet been fully completed.

[0030] As in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, the lid D has already been pressed onto the bucket E by the handling device 2 in the first section 7, snapping into place. The second section 8 is still open (in Fig.(3 exaggerated representation) and is then pressed down by the pressing device 3 until this part of the rim also clicks into place and the lid D completely closes the bucket E. As arrow 11 shows, only a limited area above the bucket E remains open, allowing air to escape slightly through this area when the pressing device 3 continues to apply pressure. Reference symbol list: 1 locking device 2 Handling device 3 Push-in device 4 Suction device 5 servo motor 6 pressure surface 7 first sub-area 8 second sub-area 9 pneumatic cylinders 10 Pressing surface of the repressing device 11 outgoing air D lid E bucket TL Transport strips

Claims

[1] Closure device (1) for a filling device for filling packaging materials, in particular buckets (E), cups or the like, and for closing the filled packaging materials (E) with lids (D), wherein the lids can be snapped onto the rim of the packaging material (E) and wherein the filling device has a transport device for transporting the packaging material (E) over a transport path during the filling and closing process, comprising: - a handling device (2) for lids (D) which is designed to separate the lid (D) from a supply of packaging materials and to position it in relation to the packaging material (E) transported by the transport device, - a pressing device (3) for completely closing the lid (D) by pressing at least a section of the lid (D) onto the packaging material (E), so that the lid (D) snaps onto the edge of the packaging material (E), characterized by, that a common positioning device (5) is provided for jointly positioning and simultaneously moving the handling device (2) and the pushing device (3) relative to the packaging material (E) transported on the transport route. [2] Locking device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the positioning device (5) has a servomotor for moving the handling device (2) and the pushing device (3). [3] Locking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the handling device (2) comprises a suction device (4) for holding the lid (D) by means of a vacuum and for separating the lids (D) from the supply of lids. [4] Locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the positioning device (5) is designed to pivot the suction device (4) and / or the handling device (2) during simultaneous movement of the handling device (2) and the pushing device (3), in particular by 180°. [5] Locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the handling device (2) during positioning presses at least a first partial area (7) of the lid (D) onto the packaging material (E) until the first partial area (7) snaps into place on the edge of the packaging material (E). [6] Locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the positioning device (5) is designed to press the first part (7) of the lid (D) onto the packaging material (E) by means of the handling device (2). [7] Locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the handling device (2) has a pressure surface (6) which covers the first part (7) of the lid (D) in order to be able to press it onto the packaging material (E). [8] Locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the pressing device (3) has a pressing surface (10) which is designed to press down a second partial area (8) of the lid (D) until the second partial area (8) snaps onto the edge of the bucket (E), wherein in particular the first and second partial areas (7, 8) are selected such that the first and the second partial areas (7, 8) together cover the entire lid edge when positioning and / or pressing down. [9] Locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the pressing device (3) has at least one pneumatic cylinder (9) for actuating the pressing surface (10) of the pressing device (3) and for pressing the lid (D) onto the edge of the packaging material (E). [10] Locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the handling device (2) and the pressing device (3) are integrated in one assembly, so that on the transport route the positioning of the lid (D) by the handling device (2) and the final pressing of the lid (D) relative to the packaging material (E), thereby closing the packaging material (E), can take place at the same position on the transport route. [11] Filling machine for filling buckets in a filling machine, in particular in a rotary filling machine, with a transport device for transporting the buckets to be filled over a transport route, so that the buckets can be filled and / or further processed on the transport route, characterized by , that a closure device (1) is provided for closing the filled buckets with lids according to one of the preceding claims.

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