Capping device

Abstract

The present invention provides a capping head that can stably grip caps with oval or elliptical cross-sections without requiring directional restrictions. [Solution] The capping device 10 grips the outer surface of the cap C with a capping head 30 that is provided to be vertically movable and attaches it to the container V. The capping head 30 is provided with a pair of first gripping parts 36 and a pair of second gripping parts 38 that are provided to be openable and closable, and the first and second gripping parts 36 and 38 are each provided with an independent opening and closing mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a capping device including a capping head for gripping a cap.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in a pouch with a spout, a cap having an elliptical cross-section may be used (Patent Document 1). However, in a capping device, since the cap is gripped by the capping head and wound, when the cross-section of the gripping portion is not circular, it is necessary to align the orientation of the cap. On the other hand, as a chuck device for gripping a cap having an elliptical cross-section of the gripping portion, a device has been proposed in which four chuck bodies are provided so that the cap can be gripped by at least two chuck bodies regardless of the direction in which the cap faces (Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The first invention of the present invention is a capping device that attaches a cap to a container by gripping the outer surface of the cap with a capping head that is provided to be vertically movable, wherein the capping head is provided with at least two pairs of gripping parts that are provided to be openable and closable, and an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the pairs of gripping parts. Structure Furthermore, the opening and closing mechanism is characterized in that it is independently provided for each of the multiple sets of gripping parts.

[0007] The capping head, which is the second invention of the present invention, is characterized in that, in the first invention, the gripping portion comprises a gripping arm attached to a horizontal rotating shaft and a cam follower provided on the gripping arm, and the opening and closing mechanism is provided inside the capping head and comprises a cam that engages with the cam follower and a piston that raises and lowers the cam. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a capping device that can stably grip caps with oval or elliptical cross-sections without directional restrictions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of a capping device, which is one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the cap from above. [Figure 3] This is a schematic enlarged plan view centered on the cap supply wheel. [Figure 4] This is a partial longitudinal cross-section of the cap supply wheel. [Figure 5] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the capper and cap supply wheel at the cap transfer position. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the capping head. [Figure 7] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-section along the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion. [Figure 8] This is a plan view showing how the first and second gripping parts grip the upper body of a cap in various orientations. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of a capping device equipped with a capping head, which is one embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] The capping device 10 of this embodiment is a device that performs capping after filling a container V with its contents. The container V is, for example, a pouch container equipped with a spout Vs (see Figure 5) having a threaded portion on which a cap is wrapped, and is supplied by a container supply chute 12 with the groove portion of the spout Vs supported. The container V supplied from the container supply chute 12 is passed to a wheel-type filling machine 16 via a container supply wheel 14. In the filling machine 16, the container V filled with products such as beverages or jelly is passed to a capper 20 via an intermediate wheel 18. The cap C is supplied from a cap chute 22 and passed to the capper 20 via a cap supply wheel 24. In the capper 20, the cap C is wrapped around the spout Vs of the container V, and then passed to a discharge conveyor 28 via a discharge wheel 26 and discharged further downstream.

[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of cap C from above. Cap C consists of an upper body Cb and a lower end Cd. The upper body Cb has an oval or elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the lower end Cd has a circular cross-sectional shape. The diameter of the lower end Cd is equal to, or slightly longer than, the length of the major axis of the upper body Cb. The upper body Cb and the lower end Cd are integrally molded, and a screw hole is formed in the center of the upper body Cb, extending from the bottom surface along the central axis to engage with the male thread of the spout Vs of the container V. In addition, the outer circumferential surface of the upper body Cb is serrated, for example, on at least a portion thereof.

[0013] Figure 3 is a schematic enlarged plan view centered on the cap supply wheel 24, and Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cap supply wheel 24. The transport operation of the caps C in the cap supply wheel 24 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0014] The cap C is supplied to the cap chute 22 with its lower end Cd facing downwards, and as shown in Figure 3, the lower end Cd of the cap C is guided by guides 22A provided on both sides of the cap chute 22. Therefore, the upper body Cb is transported on the cap chute 22 with its orientation in various directions. re ru.

[0015] Pockets 24A for accommodating the lower end Cd of the caps C are formed at predetermined intervals on the outer circumference of the cap supply wheel 24. The downstream end of the cap chute 22 is adjacent to the outer circumference of the cap supply wheel 24 at the cap supply position P1, and the caps C are sequentially supplied to the pockets 24A at the cap supply position P1. The pockets 24A accommodate the lower end Cd of the caps C, and the caps are transported while contained within the pockets 24A of the cap supply wheel 24. The caps C can rotate freely within the pockets 24A.

[0016] In the cap supply wheel 24, in the section from the cap supply position P1 to the cap delivery position P2 where the cap C is delivered to the capping head 30 of the capper 20, arc-shaped guides 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D for guiding the cap C are provided along the outer periphery of the cap supply wheel 24. The guides 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D are attached to a fixed frame 27 provided around the rotation axis 24B of the cap supply wheel 24. The guides 25A and 25B are located outside the pocket 24A. The guide 25A is arranged at a height where it engages with the side surface of the lower end portion Cd of the cap C, and the guide 25B is arranged at a height where it can engage with the side surface of the upper main body Cb of the cap C. The guide 25C is arranged at a position slightly higher than the top surface of the upper main body Cb of the cap C to restrict the upward movement of the cap C. The guide 25D is located inside the pocket 24A and guides the upper main body Cb from the inside. Thereby, the cap C being conveyed is prevented from falling out of the pocket 24A. Only the guides 25B and 25D are shown in FIG. 3.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the capper 20 and the cap supply wheel 24 at the cap delivery position P2.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, at the cap delivery position P2, the cap supply wheel 24 and the capper 20 are adjacent to each other. Grippers 32 for gripping the base of the spout Vs of the container V are provided at predetermined intervals on the outer peripheral portion of the capper 20. The grippers 32 are opened and closed through a conventionally well-known cam mechanism 34 to grip the base of the spout Vs. The capper 20 and the cap supply wheel 24 are synchronously driven so that the pocket 24A and the gripper 32 overlap at the cap delivery position P2.

[0019] A capping head 30 is provided above each gripper 32. The capping head 30 is raised and lowered along a vertical axis by a lifting mechanism (not shown) using a cam mechanism or the like, provided on the capper 20. Furthermore, an opening and closing mechanism, described later, activates a cap gripping mechanism provided at its lower end, which, at the cap transfer position P2, grips the upper body Cb of the cap C housed in each pocket 24A of the cap supply wheel 24, lifts it up, and removes it from the pocket 24A.

[0020] Furthermore, the capping head 30 is rotatable by a motor (not shown) provided on the capper 20, and when the capping head 30 receives the cap C during transport of the container V and cap C, it is lowered onto the spout Vs and rotated to tightly wrap the cap C around the threaded portion formed on the spout Vs.

[0021] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the capping head 30 of this embodiment. The capping head 30 has two sets of gripping parts at its lower end: a pair of first gripping parts 36 facing each other, and a pair of second gripping parts 38 arranged perpendicular to the first gripping parts and facing each other. Figure 7(a) is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view along the first gripping parts 36, and Figure 7(b) is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view along the second gripping parts 38.

[0022] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the capping head 30 consists of a lower head portion 30A including the first and second gripping portions 36 and 38, and an upper head portion 30B that houses the opening and closing mechanisms of the first and second gripping portions 36 and 38. Inside the upper head portion 30B, there is a first cylinder 40 that drives the opening and closing mechanism of the first gripping portion 36, and a second cylinder 42 that drives the opening and closing mechanism of the second gripping portion 38.

[0023] In this embodiment, the first cylinder 40 is located below the second cylinder 42, and the first and second cylinders 40 and 42 house first and second pistons 44 and 46, respectively, which move up and down within the cylinders. Above the second cylinder 42 in the upper head portion 30B, an air passage 48 is provided along the central axis from the upper end. The air passage 48 is branched midway, with one branch passage 48A communicating with the upper space of the first piston 44 of the first cylinder 40, and the other branch passage 48B communicating with the upper space of the second piston 46 of the second cylinder 42. The air passage 48 is connected to an air supply source 50, which can supply pressurized air to the cylinders 40 and 42.

[0024] Below the first piston 44, a first cam 52 is provided, extending downward along the central axis of the capping head 30. A coil spring 54 is arranged around the first cam 52 to push up the first piston 44 within the first cylinder 40. A piston rod 56 extends along the central axis of the first cam 52 and passes through its center, with the upper end of the piston rod 56 connected to the second piston 46. The piston rod 56 is airtightly movable up and down relative to the first cam 52, and a second cam 58 is attached to the lower end of the piston rod 56. Within the second cylinder 42, a coil spring 60 is arranged around the piston rod 56 to push up the second piston 46 within the second cylinder 42.

[0025] The lower head portion 30A of the capping head 30 is provided with four extensions 62A, 62B, 62C, and 62D in that order, extending downward at 45-degree intervals from the lower outer circumference of the upper end of the head portion 30B. The spaces between extensions 62A and 62B, between extensions 62B and 62C, between extensions 62C and 62D, and between extensions 62D and 62A are formed in a slit shape with opposing surfaces parallel, and the center of extensions 62A, 62B, 62C, and 62D is a cavity from which the first cam 52, the second cam 58, etc. can move up and down.

[0026] The tips (lower ends) of the first and second gripping portions 36 and 38 are formed as first and second claw portions 36A and 38A, respectively, that protrude toward the central axis of the capping head 30, and the tips of the first and second claw portions 36A and 38A can engage with the side surface of the upper body Cb of the cap C. The base ends of the first and second gripping portions 36 and 38 are attached to the lower ends of the first and second gripping arms 64 and 66, respectively.

[0027] The first gripping arm 64 is positioned between extensions 62A and 62B and between extensions 62C and 62D, respectively, and is pivotally supported on a rotating shaft 64A that is horizontally provided between extensions 62A and 62B and between extensions 62C and 62D. On the other hand, the second gripping arm 66 is positioned between extensions 62B and 62C and between extensions 62D and 62A, respectively, and is pivotally supported on a rotating shaft 64A that is horizontally provided between extensions 62B and 62C and between extensions 62D and 62A. 66 It is pivotally supported at A.

[0028] Inside the first and second gripping portions 36 and 38, slightly above the first and second claw portions 36A and 38A, a contact block 68 is positioned to contact the top surface of the upper body Cb of the cap C being gripped. Inside the lower end of the first gripping arm 64, a spring 64B is interposed between it and the contact block 68 in a compressed state, and inside the lower end of the second gripping arm 66, a spring 66B is interposed between it and the contact block 68 in a compressed state. As a result, the first and second gripping arms 64 and 66 are rotationally biased around the rotation axes 64A and 66A in a direction in which their lower ends move apart, that is, in a direction in which their upper ends move together. In this embodiment, the spring 64B is positioned above the spring 66B.

[0029] The upper ends of the first and second gripping arms 64 and 66 are provided with first and second cam followers 64C and 66C, respectively. The first gripping arm 64 extends to a height where the first cam follower 64C engages with the first cam 52, and the second gripping arm 66 extends to a height where the second cam follower 66C engages with the second cam 58. The first and second cam followers 64C and 66C are pressed against the first and second cams 52 and 58, respectively, so as to sandwich them from both sides.

[0030] When air is supplied from the air supply source 50 to the first and second cylinders 40 and 42, and the pistons 44 and 46 are pushed down, the first and second cams 52 and 58 spread apart the first and second cam followers 64C and 66C respectively, and the first and second gripping parts 36 and 38 close toward the central axis of the capping head 30 against the biasing force of the springs 64B and 66B, respectively.

[0031] At this time, if one of the first or second gripping parts 36 or 38 is pressed against the side surface of the upper body Cb of the cap C, the downward movement of the piston that closes that gripping part stops. On the other hand, the downward movement of the piston that closes the gripping part that has not yet been pressed against the side surface of the upper body Cb of the cap C continues until that gripping part is pressed against the side surface of the upper body Cb. In other words, in this embodiment, the first and second gripping parts 36 and 38 are closed until all four of them grip the side surface of the upper body Cb of the cap C with a predetermined gripping force.

[0032] Figure 8 is a plan view showing how the first and second claws 36A and 38A of the first and second gripping parts 36 and 38 grip the upper body Cb of the cap C in various orientations. Figure 8(a) shows the state in which the sides of the upper body Cb, which has an oval cross-sectional shape, are gripped by the first and second claws 36A and 38A, with the long axis of the upper body Cb aligned with the direction of movement of the second gripping part 38. At this time, the first claw 36A grips two points on both flattened surfaces of the upper body Cb from both sides, and the second claw 38A grips two points on the vertices of each arc portion of the upper body Cb from both sides. That is, the first claw 36A is moved to a position closer to the center than the second claw 38A.

[0033] Figure 8(b) shows the cap C from Figure 8(a) rotated 45 degrees counterclockwise, with the side surface of the upper body Cb being gripped by the first and second claws 36A and 38A. At this time, the first and second claws 36A and 38A grip four points: the vertex of the elliptical arc, the flattened plane, and the arc surface in between. That is, the first and second claws 36A and 38A are all moved to the same position from the center.

[0034] Figure 8(c) shows the cap C in Figure 8(b) rotated slightly counterclockwise, with the sides of the upper body Cb being gripped by the first and second claws 36A and 38A. In this state, the first claw 36A grips a point slightly closer to the apex of the oval arc than in Figure 8(b), and the second claw 38A grips a point slightly closer to the flattened plane than in Figure 8(b). That is, the second claw 38A is moved to a position slightly closer to the center than the first claw 36A.

[0035] Figure 8(d) shows the upper body Cb, which has an oval cross-sectional shape, with its long axis aligned with the direction of movement of the first gripping part 36, and the sides of the upper body Cb are gripped by the first and second claws 36A and 38A (the cap C in the state of Figure 8(a) rotated 90 degrees). At this time, the second claw 38A grips two points on both flattened surfaces of the upper body Cb from both sides, and the first claw 36A grips two points on the vertices of each arc of the upper body Cb from both sides. In other words, the second claw 38A is moved to a position closer to the center than the first claw 36A.

[0036] When the sides of the upper body Cb of the cap C are held with appropriate gripping force from all four sides by the first and second gripping parts 36 and 38, the capping head 30 is lowered and rotated toward the spout Vs, and the cap C is screwed onto the spout Vs. Subsequently, the supply of air from the air supply source 50 to the capping head 30 is stopped, and air is discharged from the first and second cylinders 40 and 42, and the biasing force of the springs 64B and 66B moves the first and second cams 56 and 58, i.e., the first and second pistons 44 and 46 gaso Each is pushed upward. This causes the first and second gripping parts 36 and 38 to spread apart, releasing the cap C.

[0037] As described above, with the capping device equipped with the capping head of this embodiment, the first and second gripping parts open and close independently of each other. Therefore, regardless of the orientation of the cap, which has an oval or elliptical cross-section, the sides of the upper body are firmly gripped from four directions by the first and second claws. Thus, the cap can be gripped stably without having to align the orientation of the cap by restricting its direction.

[0038] In this embodiment, a pouch with a spout was used as an example container, but the same method can be applied to any container fitted with a cap of a similar shape. Furthermore, although the cross-sectional shape of the upper body in this embodiment was oval or elliptical, the method is not limited to this embodiment as long as the sides of the upper body can be gripped from all four sides by independently adjusting the opening and closing amount of each pair of gripping parts.In addition, although two sets of gripping parts are provided in this embodiment, the number of gripping parts and the opening and closing mechanism of the gripping parts are not limited to this embodiment as long as the opening and closing amount of each gripping part or each pair of gripping parts can be opened and closed independently so that the cap can be gripped with a constant gripping force. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0039] 10 Capping device 30 Capping Heads 36 1st grip part 38 Second grip part 44 First Piston 46. ​​Second piston 56 First Cam 58 Second Cam 64 First gripping arm 64C First cam follower 66. Second gripping arm 66C Second cam follower C Cap Cb Upper Body

Claims

1. In a capping device that grips the outer surface of a cap with a capping head that is provided to be able to move up and down and attach it to a container, The capping head is At least two pairs of gripping parts are provided that are designed to be openable and closable, The system includes an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the pair of gripping parts, The opening and closing mechanism is provided independently for each of the multiple sets of gripping parts. A capping device characterized by the following features.

2. The gripping portion comprises a gripping arm attached to a horizontal rotating shaft and a cam follower provided on the gripping arm. The opening and closing mechanism comprises a cam located inside the capping head and engaging with the cam follower, and a piston that raises and lowers the cam. The capping device according to feature 1.

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