Crimping apparatus and can product manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a crimping apparatus and a can product manufacturing apparatus that are capable of suppressing color fading around the peripheral region of the front surface of a can product when a transparent film, a mount sheet and a front member are crimped together in a state where the ink has not yet dried.SOLUTION: In the crimping apparatus of a can product manufacturing apparatus, an upper die M0 comprises an inner upper die M0a, an outer upper die M0b, and a convex member M0d. The outer upper die M0b surrounds the inner upper die M0a. The inner upper die M0a has a lower surface M0a1 perpendicular to the vertical direction, a tapered surface M0a2 surrounding the lower surface M0a1, and a through-hole M0a3 extending along the central axis. Within a region including the central portion in plan view of the lower surface M0a1, the convex member M0d is disposed. The convex member M0d has an annular shape surrounding the through-hole M0a3 in plan view and is flat when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. A lower end of the convex member M0d is positioned below a lower end of the lower surface M0a1. During crimping, the convex member M0d alleviates uneven pressure distribution of the force pressing the film against the mount sheet on the lower surface M0a1 of the inner upper die M0a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a crimping device and a can product manufacturing device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a can product manufacturing device that faces the printed surface of a transparent film on which an image is printed to the surface of a front member, coats the surface of the front member with the transparent film, and then bonds a back member to the front member so that the peripheral portion of the transparent film that extends beyond the peripheral portion of the front member is sandwiched between the front and back members to manufacture a can product. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-136210 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If a transparent film is applied to a surface before the ink on the printed surface has dried, the ink is prone to bleeding. Waiting for the ink to dry causes the pigments in the ink to diffuse due to Brownian motion, resulting in a blending of adjacent colors and a change in texture. Furthermore, because the surface of the surface is directly coated with a transparent film, the metallic luster of the surface may show through depending on the image density. To address these issues, sandwiching a porous backing between the transparent film and the surface to absorb the wet ink can prevent changes in texture and the sheerness of the metallic luster. However, when the transparent film and backing are crimped to the surface before the ink has dried, a new problem arises: the ink transfers to the backing, resulting in a faded color, in areas where the pressure on the film is high, such as where the crimping device comes into direct contact with the transparent film, particularly around the front of the can product.

[0005] The object of the present disclosure is to prevent the color from fading around the periphery of the front of a can product when a transparent film, a backing sheet, and a surface member are crimped together in a crimping device and a can product manufacturing device while the ink is still wet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A crimping device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a lower mold having a positioning portion where a surface member can be positioned, and an upper mold that is movable up and down relative to the lower mold, wherein the upper mold can crimp the surface member, a backing sheet positioned on the surface member, and a film positioned on the backing sheet and having an image printed on a printing surface facing the backing sheet between the lower mold and the upper mold, and has a lower surface facing the positioning portion and a convex member positioned in a range including a central portion of the lower surface, and the lower end of the convex member is positioned lower than the lower end of the lower surface.

[0007] With the above-described configuration, by using the protruding member to apply pressure to areas of the film that are not in contact with the upper mold, it is possible to prevent the color from fading around the periphery of the front surface of the can product.

[0008] (2) The protruding member may have lower rigidity than the upper mold.

[0009] (3) The convex member may be made of foamed resin.

[0010] (4) The thickness of the convex member may be greater than the distance between the upper mold and the lower mold during crimping, and the difference from the distance may be less than 1 mm.

[0011] (5) The outer edge of the convex member may be smaller than the outer edge of the lower surface, and the difference between the outer edge of the lower surface and the outer edge of the lower surface may be less than 3 mm.

[0012] (6) A can product manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a crimping device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a printing device that prints on a film and supplies the printed film and backing paper, and a conveying device that conveys the film and backing paper supplied by the printing device to the crimping device.

[0013] (7) The time from when the printing device supplies the film to when the film, the mount, and the front member are crimped together may be shorter than the time it takes for the ink on the film to completely dry.

[0014] (8) The film and the backing have a first portion to be crimped to the surface member and a remaining portion other than the first portion, and the crimping device has a peeling arm that peels the first portion from the film and the backing, and the peeling arm may have an opposing surface that faces the first portion when the first portion is peeled off, and a second convex member provided on the opposing surface and protruding beyond the opposing surface.

[0015] (9) The second convex member may have a through hole in the center. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present disclosure, when the transparent film, backing sheet, and surface member are crimped together while the ink is still wet, color fading around the periphery of the front of the can product is suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of an apparatus 100 for producing can products. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 with the exterior body 101 removed. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a top view of the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 with the exterior body 101 removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the controller 11 of the can product making apparatus 100. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a can product. [Figure 6] 6A is a plan view of the film F, and FIG. 6B is a plan view of the white mount W. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the transport device 3. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the appearance of the peeling device 4. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] Figure 9(A) is a side view of the peeling arm 45 in the home position as viewed from the direction of the connecting shaft 44, Figure 9(B) is a side view showing the state in which the head main body part 47b of the remaining part pressing head 47 is in contact with the first lower die M1, and Figure 9(C) is a side view showing the state in which it is pressed down and fixed by the peeling head 48. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view of the crimping device 6. As shown in FIG. [Figure 11] Figure 11(A) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper mold M0 and the first lower mold M1 before crimping, Figure 11(B) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper mold M0 and the first lower mold M1 after crimping, Figure 11(C) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper mold M0 and the second lower mold M2 before crimping, and Figure 11(D) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper mold M0 and the second lower mold M2 after crimping. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the upper mold M0. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the stripping head 48. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The can product manufacturing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below. Note that the following embodiment is merely an example of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that the embodiment can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0019] [Schematic configuration of can product manufacturing apparatus 100] 1 to 3, a vertical direction Dz is defined based on the state in which the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 is installed for use. A front-rear direction Dx is defined with the side where the conveying device 3 is provided as the front side. A left-right direction Dy is defined when the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 is viewed from the front side.

[0020] 1 to 4, the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 is placed on a printing apparatus 1. The can product manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a first loading device 2, a conveying device 3, a peeling device 4, a guiding device 5, a crimping device 6, a second loading device 7, a removal device 8, and a controller 11.

[0021] [Outline of canned products] As shown in FIG. 5 , the can product in this embodiment has a structure in which four materials, a backing member BE, a front member SE, a white backing W, and a film F, are stacked in this order. In this embodiment, a transparent film is used as the film F. A mirror image of a predetermined image is printed on the surface of the film F facing the white backing W (rear surface), and the normal image is displayed on the front side of the can product 200. Note that the film F is not limited to a transparent film. The size of the film F and the white backing W may be, for example, an L size (89 mm × 127 mm) or another size. In this embodiment, the can product is removed by magnetic attraction, as described below, so a magnetic material such as a tin-plated steel sheet is used as the material for the front member SE.

[0022] [Operation of the can product manufacturing apparatus 100] When the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 receives a signal instructing the manufacturing of the can product 200 from the external device 12, the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 manufactures the can product 200 as follows.

[0023] The first loading device 2 loads a face member SE into a first loading mold (hereinafter referred to as the "first lower mold") M1 located at a material loading position (hereinafter referred to as the "loading position") P1. At this time, at a connection position (hereinafter simply referred to as the "connecting position") P2 where the materials of the can product 200 are connected by crimping, a second loading mold (hereinafter referred to as the "second lower mold") M2 is disposed below the connection mold (hereinafter referred to as the "upper mold") M0. The upper mold M0, the first lower mold M1, and the second lower mold M2 are all circular in top view.

[0024] When the first loading device 2 has completed loading the front member SE, the controller 11 inputs a signal to that effect to the external device 12. The external device 12 inputs a signal to the printing device 1 to supply a white backing sheet W. The printing device 1 supplies the white backing sheet W to the conveying device 3. The conveying device 3 conveys the white backing sheet W onto the front member SE loaded in the first lower mold M1. The peeling device 4 uses the peeling head 48 to press and fix the connected portion Wb of the white backing sheet W on the front member SE (Figure 9).

[0025] While the peeling device 4 presses and fixes the connected portion Wb of the white mount W, the conveying device 3 conveys the white mount W toward the collection box 9 (Figure 7). This causes the connecting portion Wc and the linear weak portion Wd of the white mount W to break. The connected portion Wb is peeled off and remains on the front member SE. The remaining portion Wa is discarded in the collection box 9. Thereafter, when the peeling device 4 releases the pressure on the connected portion Wb, the controller 11 inputs a signal to that effect to the external device 12. The external device 12 inputs a signal to the printing device 1 to supply the film F.

[0026] The printing device 1 can print a predetermined image on the back surface of the connection portion Fb of the film F and supply it to the conveying device 3. The conveying device 3 conveys the film F onto the connection portion Wb of the white mount W. When the peeling device 4 presses and fixes the connection portion Fb of the film F and the connection portion Wb of the white mount W (FIG. 8), the conveying device 3 peels the connection portion Fb from the film F and discards the remaining portion Fa in a collection box 9. The peeling device 4 then releases the pressure.

[0027] The guide device 5 guides the first lower mold M1, which is loaded with the connection portion Fb of the film F, the connection portion Wb of the white mount W, and the front member SE, from the loading position P1 to the connection position P2. The crimping device 6 is provided so that the upper mold M0 can be raised and lowered relative to the first lower mold M1 and the second lower mold M2. At the connection position P2, the crimping device 6 presses the upper mold M0 against the first lower mold M1 to connect the connection portion Fb of the film F, the connection portion Wb of the white mount W, and the front member SE by crimping. The connected connection portion Fb of the film F, the connection portion Wb of the white mount W, and the front member SE are held by the upper mold M0. The crimping device 6 then returns the upper mold M0 upward.

[0028] The second loading device 7 loads the backing member BE into the second lower mold M2, which is located at the loading position P1. The guiding device 5 guides the second lower mold M2, with the loaded backing member BE, from the loading position P1 to the connecting position P2. The crimping device 6 presses the upper mold M0 against the second lower mold M2 to crimp the connected portion Fb of the film F, the connected portion Wb of the white mount W, the front member SE, and the backing member BE together to form a can product 200. When the upper mold M0 rises, the can product 200 remains on the second lower mold M2. The guiding device 5 guides the second lower mold M2 from the connecting position P2 to the loading position P1. The removal device 8 removes the can product 200 from the second lower mold M2 and stores it in a can product container 10.

[0029] [Film F and white backing paper W] As shown in FIG. 6(A), the film F has a remaining portion Fa, a connected portion Fb (corresponding to the first portion in the present disclosure), a connecting portion Fc, and a linear weak portion Fd.

[0030] The remaining portion Fa is a selvage portion along which the conveying device 3 conveys the film F. An image is printed on the printing surface of the connected portion Fb by the printing device 1. The connected portion Fb is supplied to the crimping device 6 as material for the can product 200. The connected portion Fb has a shape that matches the front member SE, such as a circular shape in a plan view. The connected portion Fb is unevenly distributed toward the leading edge of the film F in the conveying direction when the film F is conveyed onto the first lower mold M1. The connected portion Fb is surrounded by the remaining portion Fa. The connecting portion Fc is the boundary between the remaining portion Fa and the connected portion Fb. The linear weak portion Fd is a straight line portion that connects the leading edge Fe1 in the conveying direction Dc1 and the connecting portion Fc over the shortest distance when the film F is conveyed toward the first lower mold M1.

[0031] The connecting portions Fc and linear weak portions Fd are weaker than the remaining portions Fa and the connected portions Fb and are therefore more susceptible to breakage. The connecting portions Fc and linear weak portions Fd may be, for example, depressions thinner than the remaining portions Fa and the connected portions Fb. The connecting portions Fc and linear weak portions Fd may have the same thickness as the remaining portions Fa and the connected portions Fb, but may be formed by perforations that partially cut the connecting portions Fc and linear weak portions Fd. When the conveying device 3 attempts to convey the film F while the peeling device 4 is pressing and fixing the connected portions Fb of the film F, the connecting portions Fc and linear weak portions Fd break, and the connected portions Fb are peeled off from the film F. The conveying device 3 conveys only the remaining portions Fa to the collection box 9. As shown in Fig. 6(B), the structure of the white mount W is basically the same as the structure of the film F. The white mount W is made of a porous material such as paper.

[0032] [Controller 11 configuration] As shown in FIG. 4 , the controller 11 includes a control device 110, a first drive circuit 114, a second drive circuit 115, a third drive circuit 116, a fourth drive circuit 117, a fifth drive circuit 118, a sixth drive circuit 119, and a seventh drive circuit 120. The control device 110 includes a calculation unit 111, a storage unit 112, and an interface 113. The storage unit 112 is, for example, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a flash ROM, or a hard disk drive (HDD). The storage unit 112 stores firmware and parameters. The parameters include output values ​​and drive amounts for operating the can product manufacturing apparatus 100. The calculation unit 111 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The calculation unit 111 executes the firmware to control each component of the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 in accordance with the parameters and automatically adjust the parameters. The interface 113 connects the control device 110 and the external device 12. The external device 12 may be, for example, a personal computer or a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. The external device 12 is equipped with an application program for operating the can product manufacturing apparatus 100. The external device 12 may use a GUI (Graphical User Interface) to accept user operations and display information related to the can product manufacturing apparatus 100.

[0033] A first drive circuit 114 connects the first loading device 2 to the control device 110. A second drive circuit 115 connects the conveying device 3 to the control device 110. A third drive circuit 116 connects the peeling device 4 to the control device 110. A fourth drive circuit 117 connects the guiding device 5 to the control device 110. A fifth drive circuit 118 connects the crimping device 6 to the control device 110. A sixth drive circuit 119 connects the second loading device 7 to the control device 110. A seventh drive circuit 120 connects the removal device 8 to the control device 110.

[0034] [Printing device 1] The printing device 1 supplies the film F and white backing paper W, on which a predetermined image has been printed, to the conveying device 3 as materials for the can product 200. In this embodiment, the printing device 1 is an inkjet printer. The printing device 1 is equipped with a sheet holder (not shown) that stores the film F and white backing paper W. As shown in FIG. 7, the printing device 1 is equipped with a paper feed roller 102, a platen 103, a discharge head 104, and a paper discharge roller 105. The paper feed roller 102 feeds the film F or white backing paper W from the sheet holder onto the platen 103. The discharge head 104 forms an image on the connected portion Fb of the film F by discharging ink according to image data. The printing device 1 does not form an image on the white backing paper W. The paper discharge roller 105 discharges the film F and white backing paper W toward the receiving opening of the conveying device 3.

[0035] The inkjet printer used as the printing device 1 may have a serial head or a line head type ejection head for ejecting ink. The printing device 1 may also be an inkjet printer, or a printer other than an inkjet printer, such as a laser printer or a thermal printer. An application program installed on the external device 12 may send image data to the printing device 1. The printing device 1 may also acquire image data from an imaging device such as a camera that captures an image and generates image data, a reading device that reads an image from a document and generates image data, a storage medium that stores image data, or a computer having a storage device that stores image data. The printing device 1 may also acquire image data from a remote device via a communication network and print a predetermined image on film F using the acquired image data.

[0036] [Configuration of conveying device 3] The conveying device 3 is disposed in front of the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 at a position where the printing device 1 supplies the film F and the white liner W. FIG. 7 is a side view of the conveying device 3. As shown in FIG. 7, the conveying device 3 includes a first conveying sensor 31, a second conveying sensor 32, a third conveying sensor 33, a conveying motor 35, conveying rollers Ro1 to Ro12, a conveying guide 36, a first conveying guide piece 37, a second conveying guide piece 38, a support plate 39, and a conveying stopper S. The first conveying sensor 31 detects the film F and the white liner W at an inlet that receives the film F and the white liner W from the printing device 1. The second conveying sensor 32 detects the film F and the white liner W at a position where the first conveying guide piece 37 changes the conveying direction of the film F and the white liner W. The third conveying sensor 33 detects the film F and the white liner W between the conveying rollers Ro9 and Ro10 and the conveying rollers Ro11 and Ro12. The transport stopper S is provided in upright contact with the rotation shaft 54b of the rotary support table 54 of the guide device 5. The transport stopper S also serves as a support for the connection support plate 68 of the crimping device 6.

[0037] A conveying motor 35 drives and rotates the conveying rollers Ro1 to Ro12. The rotation of the conveying motor 35 is transmitted to the conveying rollers Ro1 to Ro12 via a drive transmission mechanism such as gears and belts. The conveying rollers Ro1 to Ro12 convey the film F and the white backing W. A conveying guide 36, a first conveying guide piece 37, and a second conveying guide piece 38 guide the film F and the white backing W. The conveying guide 36 has a pair of conveying guide plates 36a and 36b. A support plate 39 supports the first conveying sensor 31, the second conveying sensor 32, the third conveying sensor 33, the conveying motor 35, the conveying rollers Ro1 to Ro12, the conveying guide 36, the first conveying guide piece 37, and the second conveying guide piece 38. A conveying stopper S restricts the conveyance of the film F and the white backing W beyond the first lower mold M1.

[0038] [Operation of transport device 3] The printing device 1 supplies the film F or white backing W to the conveying device 3. When the first conveying sensor 31 detects the supplied film F or white backing W, it outputs a detection signal to the second drive circuit 115. When the controller 11 receives the detection signal from the first conveying sensor 31, it drives the conveying motor 35 to rotate and cause the conveying rollers Ro1 to Ro12 to convey the film F or white backing W. The conveying guide 36 changes the traveling direction of the film F or white backing W, which is output from rear to front in the front-rear direction Dx, to from bottom to top in the up-down direction Dz. Because the stiffness of the film F and the white backing W differs depending on the material and environmental conditions, they do not always travel the same path. To account for variations in the passing path, the gap between the pair of conveying guide plates 36a, 36b is set sufficiently wide relative to the thickness of the film F or white backing W. The transport rollers Ro1 to Ro10 transport the film F and the white mount W to the first lower mold M1 along the transport guide 36 and the first transport guide piece 37. The first transport guide piece 37 curves the transport path of the film F and the white mount W.

[0039] The second conveyance sensor 32 detects the film F and the white backing sheet W at the curved portion of the conveyance path. The conveyance motor 35 has a rotary encoder. The rotary encoder of the conveyance motor 35 outputs a pulse signal each time the conveyance motor 35 rotates a predetermined rotation angle. By counting these pulse signals, the controller 11 detects the drive amount of the conveyance motor 35. The drive amount of the conveyance motor 35 is proportional to the conveyance distance between the film F and the white backing sheet W. When the drive amount of the conveyance motor 35 reaches a predetermined drive amount, the controller 11 stops the rotation of the conveyance motor 35. This predetermined drive amount corresponds to the conveyance distance from the detection position of the first conveyance sensor 31 to the first lower mold M1. After that, when the peeling device 4 presses and fixes the film F or the white backing sheet W, the controller 11 reverses the rotation direction of the conveyance motor 35 and drives it to rotate. The conveyance rollers Ro9 to Ro12 convey the film F or the white backing sheet W along the second conveyance guide piece 38 to the collection box 9.

[0040] [Configuration of peeling device 4] The peeling device 4 is disposed to the left front of the loading position P1 so as to face the first loading device 2 across the loading position P1 (FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 8, 9(A), 9(B), and 9(C), the peeling device 4 has a support wall 40, a peeling home sensor 41, a peeling motor 42, a speed reduction mechanism 43, a connecting shaft 44, a peeling arm 45, a support block 46, a remaining portion pressing head 47, a peeling head 48, and a peeling light shielding piece 49.

[0041] The support wall 40 supports a peeling home sensor 41, a peeling motor 42, a speed reduction mechanism 43, a connecting shaft 44, a peeling arm 45, a support block 46, a residual portion pressing head 47, a peeling head 48, and a peeling light-shielding piece 49. The peeling home sensor 41 is an optical sensor. The peeling motor 42 is driven and controlled by the controller 11. The speed reduction mechanism 43 has a reduction gear and transmits the rotational driving force of the peeling motor 42 to the connecting shaft 44. The connecting shaft 44 is a rotation shaft of the peeling arm 45. When the connecting shaft 44 is rotated, the peeling arm 45 rotates in a rotation direction D4 between the standby position and the pressing and fixing position in accordance with the rotation of the connecting shaft 44. The standby position is the position of the peeling arm 45 shown in FIG. 9(A), and the pressing and fixing position is the position of the peeling arm 45 shown in FIG. 9(C).

[0042] A support block 46 is connected to the tip of the peeling arm 45. The support block 46 supports a peeling head 48. The remaining portion pressing head 47 has a support shaft 47a, a head main body 47b, and a spring 47c. The head main body 47b is connected to one end of the support shaft 47a. The other end of the support shaft 47a is connected to the spring 47c. When the peeling head 48 is in the pressing and fixing position, the support shaft 47a extends along the transport direction of the film F and the white backing paper W. The spring 47c biases the head main body 47b toward the remaining portion Fa of the film F and the remaining portion Wa of the white backing paper W. A peeling light shielding piece 49 is provided on the peeling arm 45. When the peeling arm 45 is in the home position, the peeling light shielding piece 49 blocks the detection light of the peeling home sensor 41. This allows the peeling home sensor 41 to detect that the peeling arm 45 is in the home position.

[0043] [Operation of peeling device 4] When the peeling light-shielding piece 49 blocks the detection light of the peeling home sensor 41, the peeling home sensor 41 outputs a detection signal to that effect to the third drive circuit 116. Upon receiving this detection signal, the controller 11 determines that the peeling arm 45 is at the home position (FIG. 9(A)). When the peeling arm 45 is at the home position, the peeling head 48 is at the standby position. When the controller 11 drives the peeling motor 42 to rotate, the peeling arm 45 rotates from the home position, and the peeling head 48 moves from the standby position toward the pressing and fixing position.

[0044] When the white mount W is transported onto the front member SE, the head main body 47b comes into contact with the remaining portion Wa of the white mount W, preventing the head main body 47b from moving. The peeling head 48 elastically deforms the spring 47c as it reaches the connected portion Wb of the white mount W at the pressing and fixing position, and presses and fixes it. In this way, the force with which the peeling head 48 collides with the white mount W and the front member SE can be reduced. After peeling of the connected portion Wb of the white mount W is complete, the controller 11 rotates the peeling motor 42 in the reverse direction to return the peeling arm 45 to the origin position.

[0045] When the film F is conveyed onto the front member SE and the white mount W, the head main body 47b comes into contact with the remaining portion Fa of the film F, preventing the movement of the head main body 47b. The peeling head 48 reaches the connected portion Fb of the film F at the pressing and fixing position while elastically deforming the spring 47c, and presses and fixes it. In this way, the force with which the peeling head 48 collides with the film F, the connected portion Wb of the white mount W, and the front member SE can be reduced. After peeling of the connected portion Fb of the film F is complete, the controller 11 rotates the peeling motor 42 in the reverse direction to return the peeling arm 45 to the origin position.

[0046] [Configuration of crimping device 6] As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 10, the crimping device 6 includes a connection home sensor 61, a connection motor 62, a first gear 63, a second gear 64, a third gear 65, a fourth gear 66, and a rotating cam 67. The crimping device 6 further includes a connection support plate 68, a plate member 68a, and an upper mold M0. The upper mold M0 has an inner upper mold M0a, an outer upper mold M0b, and a pressed member M0c. The connection support plate 68 is erected behind the rotary support table 54. The connection motor 62 is attached to the right of the connection support plate 68 (Figure 3).

[0047] The first gear 63 is attached to the rotary shaft of the connection motor 62. The second gear 64 meshes with the first gear 63. The third gear 65 is attached to the same rotary shaft as the second gear 64. The fourth gear 66 meshes with the third gear 65. A gear (not shown) is attached to the same rotary shaft as the fourth gear 66 and meshes with the rotary cam 67. This transmits the rotational driving force of the connection motor 62 to the rotary cam 67. The connection support plate 68 is provided with a plate member 68a. The plate member 68a extends from the connection support plate 68 in the front-rear direction Dx toward above the connection position P2. The plate member 68a supports the rotary shaft 67a of the rotary cam 67. The upper mold M0 is disposed below the plate member 68a. The connection support plate 68 has a first connection stopper and a second connection stopper (not shown) that define the rotatable range of the rotary cam 67.

[0048] Both the inner upper mold M0a and the outer upper mold M0b are circular in top view. The outer upper mold M0b is provided coaxially below the inner upper mold M0a. The inner diameter of the outer upper mold M0b is larger than the outer diameter of the inner upper mold M0a. A pair of pressed members M0c extending in the left-right direction Dy are attached to the inner upper mold M0a. A rotating cam 67 abuts against the pair of pressed members M0c from above. When the rotational driving force of the connection motor 62 is transmitted to the rotating cam 67, the rotating cam 67 presses the pair of pressed members M0c downward. As a result, the inner upper mold M0a slides relative to the outer upper mold M0b and descends to the first lower mold M1 or the second lower mold M2.

[0049] The inner upper die M0a is biased upward by a biasing member (not shown). When the connection motor 62 is rotated in the reverse direction to release the pressure applied to the pressed member M0c by the rotating cam 67, the inner upper die M0a is raised by the biasing member. A connection home sensor 61 is attached to the connection support plate 68. The connection home sensor 61 is an optical sensor. The rotating cam 67 has a light-blocking piece 67b. When the light-blocking piece 67b blocks the detection light of the connection home sensor 61, the connection home sensor 61 outputs a detection signal to the fifth drive circuit 118 indicating that the rotating cam 67 is in the home position. At this time, the upper die M0 is in the highest position.

[0050] [Operation of crimping device 6] The crimping device 6 causes the rotating cam 67 to start rotating from the origin position by the controller 11 providing a predetermined output to the connecting motor 62. The crimping device 6 converts this into the drive amount of the connecting motor 62, and when the rotating cam 67 reaches a predetermined deceleration start position, the crimping device 6 reduces the target value of the rotation speed of the connecting motor 62. Furthermore, when the rotating cam 67 reaches a distance for drive completion determination, which is converted into the drive amount of the connecting motor 62, the crimping device 6 determines that the connecting motor 62 is operating normally.

[0051] [Mold crimping operation] As shown in Figures 11(A) to 11(D), the upper mold M0 includes an inner upper mold M0a, an outer upper mold M0b, and a convex member M0d. The outer upper mold M0b surrounds the inner upper mold M0a. The inner upper mold M0a has a lower surface M0a1 perpendicular to the vertical direction, a tapered surface M0a2 surrounding the lower surface M0a1, and a through hole M0a3 along the central axis. The convex member M0d is disposed in an area including the central portion of the lower surface M0a1 as viewed from the vertical direction. The convex member M0d has an annular shape surrounding the through hole M0a3 as viewed from the vertical direction. The convex member M0d is a flat plate as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The lower end of the convex member M0d is located below the lower end of the lower surface M0a1.

[0052] The first lower mold M1 has a first inner lower mold M1a, a first outer lower mold M1b, and a first lower mold spring M1c. The first inner lower mold M1a and the first lower mold spring M1c are supported on a rotary support table 54. The first inner lower mold M1a faces the lower surface M0a1. The first outer lower mold M1b surrounds the first inner lower mold M1a. The first lower mold spring M1c supports the first outer lower mold M1b. The first inner lower mold M1a is a placement portion where the front member SE can be placed. A film F and a white backing sheet W are placed on the first outer lower mold M1b. The film F is placed on the white backing sheet W so that the printed surface faces the white backing sheet W. As a result, the film F is placed so that the printed surface faces the front member SE. The first lower mold M1 is then transported to a connection position P2 directly below the upper mold M0 (Figure 11(A)).

[0053] At the connection position P2, when the upper mold M0 descends toward the first lower mold M1, the outer upper mold M0b abuts against the first outer lower mold M1b and presses down. This elastically compresses the first lower mold spring M1c. Thereafter, when the connected portion Wb of the white mount W abuts against the front member SE, the outer upper mold M0b bends the connected portion Fb of the film F and the outer edge of the connected portion Wb of the white mount W downward. The tapered surface M0a2 of the upper mold M0 presses against the bent portions of the connected portion Fb of the film F and the connected portion Wb of the white mount W, performing the crimping process.

[0054] To explain a comparative example in which the protruding member M0d is not present, when the film F is pulled, particularly at its outer periphery, during the crimping process, the film F is pressed against the white backing W. As a result, when the ink on the film F is transferred to the white backing W, the color of the outer periphery becomes lighter than that of the central portion when viewed from the front side of the can product 200. In particular, the film F is pressed firmly against the outer edge of the front member SE, resulting in significant color transfer from the connected portion Fb of the film F to the connected portion Wb of the white backing W. On the other hand, because there is a clearance between the inner upper mold M0a and the first inner lower mold M1a, the central portion of the connected portion Fb of the film F is not subjected to pressure.

[0055] In contrast to the comparative example, in this embodiment, the convex member M0d contacts the upper surface of the connection portion Fb of the film F and is elastically compressed. Therefore, the elastic restoring force of the convex member M0d acts on the center of the connection portion Fb of the film F, pressing it against the connection portion Wb of the white backing W. Therefore, the bias in the pressure distribution pressing the connection portion Fb of the film F against the connection portion Wb of the white backing W is alleviated on the lower surface M0a1 of the inner upper mold M0a, thereby suppressing uneven color transfer from the connection portion Fb of the film F to the connection portion Wb of the white backing W. Therefore, when the connection portion Fb of the film F, the connection portion Wb of the white backing W, and the front member SE are crimped together while the ink is still wet, it is possible to suppress color fading around the periphery of the front of the can product 200. The phrase "wet ink state" refers to any state other than when the ink is completely dried. Therefore, "the ink is not dried" refers to the state from when the ink is still liquid and not completely dried to when it is just about to dry completely. For example, a semi-cured state in which only some of the ink has dried also falls under the category of "the ink is not dried."

[0056] The convex member M0d has a through hole in its center when viewed from above that communicates with the through hole M0a3. When performing the crimping process, air between the convex member M0d and the connected portion Fb of the film F is discharged through the through hole M0a3, allowing the convex member M0d and the connected portion Fb of the film F to be tightly attached to each other. Furthermore, while the upper mold M0 is made of a metal material, the convex member M0d is made of a material with lower rigidity than the upper mold M0. Rigidity refers to the resistance to dimensional change due to external forces. Because the convex member M0d has lower rigidity than the upper mold M0, the convex member M0d undergoes greater dimensional change and is elastically compressed than the upper mold M0 during crimping.

[0057] By the above-described crimping process, the film F, the white mount W, and the front member SE are connected to form the subassembly 200a (FIG. 11(B)). The subassembly 200a presses its outer periphery against the inner periphery of the outer upper mold M0b by its own elastic restoring force. Therefore, when the upper mold M0 is raised, the subassembly 200a separates from the first inner lower mold M1a and rises while being held by the outer upper mold M0b.

[0058] Next, the empty first lower mold M1 moves to the loading position P1, and the second lower mold M2 loaded with the backing member BE moves to the connecting position. The second lower mold M2 has a second inner lower mold M2a, a second outer lower mold M2b, and a second lower mold spring M2c. The second inner lower mold M2a and the second lower mold spring M2c are supported on a rotary support table 54. The second outer lower mold M2b has a tapered surface M2b1 surrounding the second inner lower mold M2a. The second lower mold spring M2c supports the second outer lower mold M2b. The backing member BE is loaded onto the second inner lower mold M2a (Figure 11(C)).

[0059] As the upper mold M0 descends toward the second lower mold M2, the outer upper mold M0b abuts against and presses down on the second outer lower mold M2b. This elastically compresses the second lower mold spring M2c. Thereafter, the inner upper mold M0a descends further. This releases the subassembly 200a from the hold by the outer upper mold M0b, and the outer edge portion of the subassembly 200a is guided by the tapered surface M2b1 and folded onto the outer edge portion of the backing member BE. This produces the can product 200 (FIG. 11(D)).

[0060] When the upper mold M0 rises, air flows through the through-holes M0a3 into the gap between the convex members M0d and the can product 200. As a result, the can product 200 is not attracted to the upper mold M0 by negative pressure and remains on the second lower mold M2. The convex members M0d are released from their pressed contact with the subassembly 200a and return to their original state from their elastically compressed state.

[0061] [Structure of convex member M0d] Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the upper mold M0. As shown in Fig. 12, the inner upper mold M0a has a through hole M0a3 and is ring-shaped when viewed from above. The central portion of the lower surface M0a1 surrounds the through hole M0a3. The lower surface M0a1 is a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction. A convex member M0d is provided on the lower surface M0a1, and the lower end of the convex member M0d is located below the lower end of the lower surface M0a1.

[0062] The thickness h0 of the convex member M0d is greater than the distance between the upper mold M0 and the first lower mold M1 during crimping, specifically, the distance between the lower surface M0a1 and the upper surface M1a1 of the first inner lower mold M1a at the position shown in FIG. 11(B), because it is necessary to press the connection portion Fb of the film F. In this embodiment, the thickness h0 of the convex member M0d is 1 mm. The distance between the upper mold M0 and the first lower mold M1 during crimping is less than 1 mm when the convex member M0d is removed. Furthermore, if the difference between the thickness of the convex member M0d and the distance between the upper mold M0 and the first lower mold M1 during crimping is 1 mm or more, the force with which the convex member M0d presses the connection portion Fb of the film F becomes too strong, causing the color of the printed image on the film F to fade. For this reason, it is desirable that the difference between the thickness of the convex member M0d and the distance between the upper mold M0 and the first lower mold M1 during crimping be less than 1 mm.

[0063] In this embodiment, the outer diameter r1 of the lower surface M0a1 in top view is 45 mm, while the outer diameter r0 of the convex member M0d is 43 mm, taking into account attachment errors. If the outer diameter r0 of the convex member M0d were the same as the outer diameter r1 of the lower surface M0a1, there would be a high possibility that the convex member M0d would run onto the tapered surface M0a2 due to attachment errors. If the convex member M0d runs onto the tapered surface M0a2, the force applied to the convex member M0d during the crimping process would increase, significantly reducing the durability of the convex member M0d. For this reason, it is desirable that the outer diameter r0 of the convex member M0d be smaller than the outer diameter r1 of the lower surface M0a1. Note that the "outer diameter" in the outer diameters r0 and r2 is a subordinate concept to "outer edge," as will be described in detail in the modified examples section.

[0064] During crimping, the pressure applied to the connection portion Fb of the film F differs between the area where the convex member M0d contacts and the area where the convex member M0d does not contact. If this pressure difference is large, marks will remain on the surface of the subassembly 200a and, ultimately, the surface of the can product 200 at the boundary between the area where the convex member M0d contacts and the area where it does not contact. At the outer edge of the lower surface M0a1, the connection portion Fb of the film F is pulled and pressure is applied, so the contribution of the pressure difference due to the presence or absence of the convex member M0d in contact is small, and marks are unlikely to remain. Meanwhile, closer to the center of the lower surface M0a1, the pressure applied to the connection portion Fb of the film F decreases, making the marks more likely to remain. Considering the visibility of such marks, it is desirable that the difference in outer diameter between the convex member M0d and the lower surface M0a1 be less than 3 mm.

[0065] The lower surface M0a1 has an annular shape surrounding the through-hole M0a3. The center of the lower surface M0a1 refers to the central position of the annular ring. The central portion of the lower surface M0a1, which is included in the area where the convex member M0d is arranged, is an annular region centered at the center of the lower surface M0a1, and is a region whose outer diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the lower surface M0a1 by a predetermined length. In this embodiment, this predetermined length is 3 mm as described above. However, whether or not a visible mark is left due to the pressure difference caused by the presence or absence of the convex member M0d may vary depending on the material and shape of the can product 200. Therefore, the predetermined length is not limited to 3 mm and should be determined depending on the material and shape of the can product 200. Needless to say, the central portion of the lower surface M0a1 is the region excluding the through-hole M0a3.

[0066] The convex member M0d is made of foamed resin. Foamed resin is an elastic material with lower rigidity than the metal material used for the upper mold M0. Examples of foamed resin include polyethylene foam and polyurethane foam. The physical properties are preferably in the range of 30 to 70 kPa for a compressive stress-strain of 25%, and in the range of 0.004 to 0.008 MPa for a 25% compressive load.

[0067] [Structure of peeling head 48] In the can product manufacturing apparatus 100, prior to crimping the connection portion Fb of the film F, where the ink on the printed surface has not yet dried, a peeling head 48 is used to press and fix the outer edge of the connection portion Fb of the film F onto the connection portion Wb of the front member SE and the white backing W, thereby peeling it off from the remaining portion Fa of the film F. This may result in a fading of the image color due to the same mechanism as during crimping. Countermeasures similar to those used with crimping devices can be taken to address this issue. Furthermore, by using a peeling arm 45 prior to crimping, the connection portion Fb of the film F, the connection portion Wb of the white backing W, and the front member SE can be brought into close contact with each other.

[0068] As shown in Figure 13, the peeling head 48 has a second protruding member 48a provided on the inside of a surface 48b facing the connection portion Fb of the film F. The second protruding member 48a protrudes further toward the connection portion Fb of the film F than the facing surface 48b. The inside of the facing surface 48b refers to an area that includes the central portion of the facing surface 48b and is narrower than the entire facing surface 48b. This reduces the bias in the pressure distribution applied to the connection portion Fb of the film F, and therefore prevents the color from fading around the periphery of the front of the can product 200 when the connection portion Fb of the film F, the connection portion Wb of the white mount W, and the front member SE are crimped together while the ink is still wet.

[0069] The peeling head 48 has a through hole 48c in the center. A corresponding through hole is also provided in the second protruding member 48a. Similar to the through hole M0a3 of the inner upper mold M0a, the through hole 48c prevents the connection portion Fb of the film F from adhering to the opposing surface 48b of the peeling head 48 due to negative pressure. In other words, when the peeling head 48 is moved away from the connection portion Fb of the film F, air passes through the through hole 48c and flows into the gap between the opposing surface 48b and the connection portion Fb of the film F, preventing adsorption due to negative pressure.

[0070] [Effects of the embodiment] In the conventional configuration that does not use the convex member M0d and the second convex member 48a, in the areas of the connected portion Fb of the film F where a large pressure is concentrated, a large amount of ink is transferred from the printed surface to the white backing W, resulting in white spots. Specifically, since a large pressure is concentrated in the areas where the upper mold M0 presses against the film F during crimping and in the areas that are pulled by the pressure of the upper mold M0, white spots occur around the periphery of the can product 200.

[0071] To address this issue, the use of the convex member M0d and the second convex member 48a allows pressure to be applied during crimping to areas other than those where high pressure is concentrated as described above. This reduces the unevenness of the pressure distribution across the entire connected portion Fb of the film F, thereby reducing the pressure concentration in the above-described areas. This prevents white spots from occurring around the periphery of the can product 200.

[0072] [Variations] (1) In the above embodiment, the example was described in which foamed resin was used as the material for the convex member, but it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to this, and elastic materials other than foamed resin may also be used.

[0073] (2) The time from when the printing device 1 prints an image on the printing surface of the connected portion Fb of the film F to when the crimping process of the can product 200 using the connected portion Fb of the film F is completed is preferably shorter than the time it takes for the ink of the image printed on the connected portion Fb of the film F to finish drying. The can product manufacturing apparatus 100 according to the above embodiment can complete the crimping process in about 5 seconds from when the first conveying sensor 31 of the conveying device 3 detects that the printing device 1 has supplied the film F on which the image has been printed.

[0074] The breakdown of this time is approximately 2 seconds from when the first transport sensor 31 detects the film F to when it is loaded into the first lower mold M1, approximately 1 second from when the peeling arm 45 presses and fixes the connected portion Fb of the film F to when it transports the remaining portion Fa of the film F to the collection box 9, and approximately 2 seconds from when the rotary support table 54 is rotated to when the crimping process of the subassembly 200a is completed. In contrast, it takes approximately 2 minutes from when the printing device 1 prints an image on the connected portion Fb of the film F until the ink finishes drying.

[0075] However, the time it takes for the ink to dry completely varies depending on the type of ink, the amount of ink applied (duty) to the connected portion Fb of the film F, and environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity, and is therefore not necessarily approximately two minutes. When the ink is not dry, color mixing due to Brownian motion of the ink particles progresses. Therefore, regardless of the length of time it takes for the ink to dry completely, it is desirable to complete the crimping process before the ink has completely dried. Therefore, by using the can product manufacturing apparatus 100 according to the above embodiment, the can product 200 can be manufactured without whiteouts in the image, before color mixing occurs due to Brownian motion of ink particles of different colors.

[0076] (3) In the above embodiment, the lower surface M0a1 of the inner upper mold M0a has a circular ring shape in top view. However, the following may be used instead. The lower surface M0a1 may have a shape other than a circular ring shape, such as a triangle or a rectangle with a through hole. In this case, the convex member M0d may remain circular in top view, or may have a shape that matches the shape of the lower surface M0a1, such as a shape similar to the lower surface M0a1. Even if the lower surface M0a1 has a shape other than a circular ring shape, it is desirable that the difference between the outer edge of the convex member M0d and the outer edge of the lower surface M0a1 be less than 3 mm. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1...Printing device 2...First loading device 3. Conveyor device 4. Peeling device 5. Guiding device 6. Crimping device 7...Second loading device 8. Removal device 9. Collection box 10. Canned product container 11. Controller 12...External device 31 First transfer sensor 32 Second conveyance sensor 33 Third transport sensor 35. Transport motor 41 Peeling home sensor 42 Peeling motor 48 Peeling head 48a... Second convex member 48b: Opposing surface 48c...Through hole 61···Connected home sensor 62 Connected motor 100···Can product manufacturing equipment 110 Control device 200···Canned products BE···Backing material F···Film M0...upper mold M0a1...bottom surface M0a3...Through hole M0d...Convex member M1...First lower mold M2...Second lower mold SE...Front member W···White backing

Claims

1. a lower mold having an arrangement portion on which a front member can be arranged; an upper mold that is provided so as to be able to rise and fall relative to the lower mold, The upper mold is The front member, a mount located on the front member, and a film located on the mount and having an image printed on a printing surface facing the mount can be crimped between the lower mold, a lower surface facing the arrangement portion; a convex member disposed in a range including a central portion of the lower surface, A crimping device in which the lower end of the convex member is located lower than the lower end of the lower surface.

2. 2. The crimping device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding member has a lower rigidity than the upper die.

3. 3. The crimping device according to claim 2, wherein the convex member is made of foamed resin.

4. 2. The crimping device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the convex member is greater than the distance between the upper die and the lower die during crimping, and the difference between the thickness and the distance is less than 1 mm.

5. 2. The crimping device according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the convex member is smaller than the outer edge of the lower surface, and the difference between the outer edge of the lower surface and the outer edge of the lower surface is less than 3 mm.

6. The crimping device according to any one of claims 1 to 5; a printing device that can print on a film and supply the printed film and a backing sheet; a conveying device that conveys the film and the backing paper supplied by the printing device to the crimping device.

7. 7. The can product manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the time from when the printing device supplies the film to when the film, the backing sheet, and the surface member are crimped together is shorter than the time until the ink on the film has completely dried.

8. the film and the mount have a first portion to be crimped to the front member and a remaining portion other than the first portion, the crimping device has a peeling arm that peels the first portion from the film and the backing paper, The peeling arm is an opposing surface that faces the first portion when the first portion is peeled off; The can product manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a second protruding member provided on the opposing surface and protruding from the opposing surface.

9. 9. The apparatus for manufacturing a can product according to claim 8, wherein the second convex member has a through hole at the center.

Images