Sealing device

Abstract

To prevent a lid placed on the top of a can from slipping, the contents of the can from scattering, the can from tipping over; to reduce misalignment of the rotation center of the can so as to prevent the can from being dented, damaged and so on due to contact between the body of the can and guide members on the side thereof; and to enhance the centering performance of the lid with the holding member.SOLUTION: A can placement unit 350 has a lifter plate 360, which is disposed on a lifter 370 moving vertically, and on which a can is placed. The lifter plate 360 is disposed rotatably with respect to the lifter 370, and rotation speed of the lifter 370 is equal to or less than rotation speed of a chuck 321.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a can-sealing device for filling aluminum cans, steel cans, or the like with beverages or the like, and relates to a can-sealing device having a characteristic structure of a can-mounting unit for mounting the cans therein. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a seaming device is known that includes a can mounting unit on which a can filled with a beverage or the like is mounted, a chuck unit provided opposite the can mounting unit, and a seaming unit that seams a lid onto the can. A known seaming device, as shown in Patent Document 1, for example, includes a seaming turret (1) that performs the seaming process of cans and lids, an input conveyor (supply conveyor 7) that supplies cans before seaming to the seaming turret, a lid transport turret (supply turret 3) of a lid supply unit that supplies lids, a discharge turret (discharge turret 5) that transports the cans from the seaming turret after seaming, and an output conveyor (discharge conveyor 8) that further transports the cans from the discharge turret to the outside.

[0003] The seaming turret, the discharge turret and the lid transport turret are each provided with pockets (fitting recesses 2, 4, 6) on the outer periphery for individually storing and transporting cans and lids. Each pocket of the seaming turret is provided with a can placement unit (lifter 17) on which a can is placed, a chuck unit (seaming chuck device 10) disposed opposite the can placement unit, and seaming rolls (18, 19) that wrap the lid around the can. In a seaming device configured in this manner, the speed and timing of each turret and conveyor are adjusted using gears, and the operation of the can loading units, chucks of the chuck units, and seaming rolls arranged in each pocket are linked to the rotation of the seaming turret using gears, cam mechanisms, etc., so that cans and lids transported at high speed can be continuously seamed while being passed on and off. In addition, in a known seaming device, as shown in Patent Document 2, for example, a table 2 rotates around a central axis 1, and a central tube 4 of the lower part of a lifter 3, which is arranged to move up and down by a lowering cam follower 7 and a raising cam follower 8, is arranged at equal angular intervals on the outer periphery of the table 2, which rotates around a central axis 1, so as to revolve and rotate on its own axis by means of bearings 5, and an outer gear 4a of the central tube 4 of this lifter 3 meshes with a sun gear 6 supported on the central axis 1. The lifter 3 revolves due to the rotation of the central shaft 1 and its table 2, and the lifter 3 rotates on its axis due to the meshing of the sun gear 6 with the gear 4a of the central tube 4. The rotation of the central tube 4 is transmitted to the spindle 10 via engagement parts 11 and 12, to the top spindle 13 via engagement parts 14 and 15, and is then transmitted to the lifter plate 16 via the through hole 13b of the upper flange 13a and the pin 29. The lifter plate 16 is also elastically supported by the elasticity of the spring 23 via the nut 22, screw 21, and bolt 20. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 62-244537 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-122801 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In such known seaming devices, can loading units (lifters) provided in each pocket of a seaming turret that rotates by engaging with a central axis consisting of a single center shaft extending in the vertical direction via splines, keys, etc., each rises and falls in conjunction with the rotation of the seaming turret. When a can is supplied to each pocket of the seaming turret, a can placement unit (lifter) is raised and the can and lid are clamped between the can and a chuck, which is a holding member, and the lid is seamed. Since the can loading unit (lifter) rotates on its axis, when it is brought in from the can transport unit in a non-rotating state, a sudden rotational force is applied, which may cause the lids placed on top of the cans to shift, the contents of the cans to fly out, or the cans to tip over. In particular, when the can is transferred to the lifter plate, which is rotating at high speed, the can is shaken, and the center of rotation is shifted, causing the body of the can to come into contact with the side guide members, etc., resulting in dents and scratches on the can. There was also a risk that the centering performance of the lid by the chuck, which serves as the holding member, would be reduced. Furthermore, if the can itself becomes miscentered, there is a risk that the can will buckle when the can placement unit (lifter) is raised and the can and lid are clamped between the chuck, which is a holding member.

[0006] The present invention is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a seaming device that can prevent the lid placed on the top of the can from shifting, the contents of the can from scattering, and the can from falling over, reduce the shift in the center of rotation of the can to prevent dents and scratches on the can due to contact between the body of the can and side guide members, etc., and also improve the centering performance of the lid by the holding member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The seaming device according to the present invention is a seaming device including a can placement unit on which a can is placed, a chuck unit provided opposite the can placement unit, a holding member provided on the chuck unit for positioning and rotating a lid placed on the top of the can, and a seaming unit for seaming the lid onto the can, wherein the can placement unit has a lifter that moves up and down and is driven to rotate, and a lifter plate provided on the lifter on which the can is placed, and the lifter plate is provided rotatably relative to the lifter. The lifter is configured to rotate at a different rotation speed from the lifter. By doing so, the above-mentioned problems are solved. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the seaming device of claim 1, the can placement unit has a lifter that moves up and down, and a lifter plate that is provided on the lifter and on which cans are placed, and the lifter plate is provided rotatably relative to the lifter. The lifter is configured to rotate at a different rotation speed from the lifter. By doing this, the can approaching without rotating is placed on the lifter plate, which rotates slowly, which prevents sudden rotational force from being applied to the can, preventing the lid placed on the top of the can from shifting, the contents of the can from scattering, and the can from tipping over. It also reduces the shift in the center of rotation of the can and suppresses can vibration, which prevents dents and scratches on the can due to contact between the body of the can and components such as side guides and pockets, and also makes it possible to improve the centering performance of the lid by the holding member. In addition, since the lifter plate can rotate freely, there is no twisting of the can due to the difference in rotation with the spindle during seaming.

[0009] According to the configuration described in claim 2, after the rotation speed increases due to friction between the lifter plate and the lifter, the chuck is pressed against the top of the can, causing the rotation speed to increase to that of the holding member.However, since the rotation speed of the lifter is lower than or equal to the rotation speed of the holding member, the can is prevented from being subjected to a sudden rotational force even after it is placed on the lifter plate. According to the configuration described in claim 3, by having a brake that slows down the rotation of the lifter plate, the rotation speed of the lifter plate when a can enters can be reliably slowed down, further preventing sudden rotational force from being applied to the can. According to the configuration described in claim 4, the lifter and the holding member are driven by different driving mechanisms, making it possible to change the rotation speed of the lifter independently, and thus to easily adjust the rotation speed to an optimum value in response to changes in operating conditions. According to the configuration of claim 5, the rotation speed of the holding member when the cans are transferred from the can transporting unit to the plate of the can mounting unit is 2800 rpm or less, which makes it possible to increase the rotation speed of the cans more smoothly. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a seaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of a seaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of a can mounting unit of a seaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The present invention will be described in detail below. As shown in FIG. 1, the seaming device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention includes a seaming turret 101 that performs the seaming process of the cans C and lids F, an input conveyor 102 that transports and supplies the cans C before seaming to the seaming turret 101 in a non-rotating state, a lid supply device 104 consisting of a lid separation unit 210 and a lid transport turret 250 that supply the lids F, a discharge turret 107 that transports the cans CM after seaming from the seaming turret 101, and an output conveyor 108 that further transports the cans CM from the discharge turret 107 to the outside. The seaming turret 101, the discharge turret 107 and the lid transport turret 250 each have pockets P on their outer periphery for individually storing and transporting cans C, cans CM and lids F, and the input conveyor 102 has attachments 103 for individually engaging with and transporting cans C. The rotational speeds of the seaming turret 101, the discharge turret 107 and the lid transport turret 250, the movement speed of the attachment 103 of the input conveyor 102, and the interlocking timing of each pocket P and attachment 103 are designed to be adjustable so that cans C, cans CM and lids F are transferred smoothly between each turret and conveyor.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the seaming turret 101, which performs the seaming process of the can C and the lid F, is equipped with a can placing unit 350 that places and rotates a can C in each pocket P, a chuck unit 320 that is arranged opposite the can placing unit 350 and has a chuck 321 that positions the lid F placed on the top of the can C and a knock-out pad 322 that is fitted into the chuck 321 so as to be able to move up and down to press the lid F placed on the top of the can C, and a seaming unit 410 that has seaming rolls 451, 452 that seam the lid F onto the can C.

[0013] The seaming turret 101 is rotatably disposed around a center shaft 109 with a central axis X extending in the vertical direction, and is rotationally driven by a drive mechanism 151 for the seaming turret 101 . The lid separation unit 210, the lid transport turret 250, and the carry-in conveyor 102 are mechanically driven by the drive mechanism 151 of the seaming turret 101 via a transmission mechanism.

[0014] The chuck units 320 are rotatably arranged around the center shaft 109 at equal angular intervals facing the can placement units with central axes X extending in the vertical direction, and an outer gear 323 of a rotating shaft supporting the chuck 321 at its lower end meshes with a sun gear 324 supported on the center shaft 109. The chuck unit 320 revolves with the rotation of the center shaft 109 and the center column, and the chuck 321 rotates on its axis due to the meshing of the sun gear 324 with the outer gear 323. The chuck 321 is fixedly disposed in the vertical direction but is rotatable. As shown to the right of the central axis X in FIG. 2, the can mounting unit 350 is raised to clamp the can C with the lid F placed on it between the knock-out pad 322 and the can mounting unit 350, while engaging the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the chuck 321, thereby centering the lid F. The seaming unit 410 performs double seaming by means of seaming rolls 451, 452 pivotally attached so as to rotate on both ends of a seaming lever 450 whose center portion is fixed to the lower end of the revolving roll swing shaft 132, respectively. In the double seaming process, the curled portion of the lid F is wrapped around the flange portion of the can C by the seaming roll 451 as a primary seaming process, and then the seaming roll 452 tightens the lid F to crimp and join it together, thereby performing a secondary seaming process to maintain the seal.

[0015] The basic operation of the thus configured seaming device 100 will be described. The cans C before the lids F are seamed are engaged with each attachment 103 of the carry-in conveyor 102 and conveyed toward the seaming turret 101 which is rotated by the drive mechanism 151 of the seaming turret 101 . On the other hand, the lids F are cut out one by one from the lid separation unit 210 and transferred to each pocket P of the lid transport turret 250, and are directed toward the seaming turret 101 by the rotation of the lid transport turret 250 (see FIG. 1). The speed and timing of the input conveyor 102 and the lid transport turret 250 are adjusted to match the speed and timing of the seaming turret 101 so that the centers of the can C and the lid F coincide at the junction G, and the can loading unit 350, whose rotation is controlled via appropriate gears, cam mechanisms, etc. by a drive mechanism 151 powered by a drive source not shown, is raised at the junction G to place the lid F on the can C placed on the lifter plate 360. The can loading unit 350 then rises further, and the knockout pad 322 in the chuck 321 presses down on the lid F. The chuck 321, whose rotation is controlled by the drive mechanism 151 via appropriate gears, cam mechanisms, etc., engages with the lid F to center the lid F, and the can C with the lid F placed on it is clamped between the lifter plate 360, the chuck 321, and the knockout pad 322 with a constant axial load required for seaming. Then, the seaming turret 101 rotates further, and before the clamped lid F and can C reach the seaming section E shown in FIG. 1, the lifter plate 360 ​​and the chuck 321 accelerate to the rotational speed required for seaming. While passing through the seaming section E, the seaming lever 450 fixed to the lower end of the roll swing shaft 132 of the seaming unit 410 is swung, and two seaming rolls 451, 452 for primary seaming and secondary seaming, which are pivotally mounted so as to rotate at both ends, are sequentially pressed from the side against the flanges of the can C and the lid F placed on top of it toward the chuck 321, thereby performing double seaming. After the seaming is completed, the can CM is transferred from the seaming turret 101 to the discharge turret 107, and then transferred from the discharge turret 107 to the discharge conveyor 108, and is transported to the next process such as inspection and packaging.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the can placement units 350 are rotatably arranged at equal angular intervals around a center shaft 109 driven by a drive mechanism 151 with a central axis X extending in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the can placement unit 350 also has a lifter 370 that is provided so as to be movable up and down by a lowering cam follower 357 and a lifting cam follower 358 . The lifters 370 are provided at equal angular intervals via bearings 355 so that a lifter central shaft 371 at the lower part of the lifter 370 rotates on the outer periphery of a lifter table 353 as an orbital part that rotates around the central axis X of the seaming turret 101 . Each lifter 370 is revolved by a lifter table 353 . An outer gear 354 is provided on the outer surface of the lifter central shaft 371 so as to be in sliding contact with the outer surface of the lifter central shaft 371 and be capable of moving up and down. The outer gear 354 meshes with a sun gear 356 supported by the center shaft 109, thereby enabling the outer gear 354 to rotate. A plunger 373 is fitted to the upper part of this lifter central shaft 371 so as to transmit a rotational force. A top spindle 361 is rotatably fitted onto the plunger 373, integrally with the lifter plate 360, via a bearing 362 such as a ball bearing. The rotational force of the lifter 370 is not transmitted except by friction of the bearings, etc. In this embodiment, the gear ratios of the outer gears 323, 354 and the sun gears 324, 356 are made different from each other, so that the rotational speed (rotational speed) of the lifter 370 is made lower than the rotational speed (rotational speed) of the chuck 321 in the chuck unit 320. As an example of the rotation speed, when the can C is transferred from the input conveyor 102 to the lifter plate 360, the rotation speed (rotation speed) of the chuck 321 of the chuck unit 320 is 2800 rpm, and at this time, the rotation speed (rotation speed) of the lifter 370 is 1800 rpm. In order to make the rotation speeds (autorotation speeds) of the lifter 370 and the chuck 321 different, for example, the center shaft 109 may be divided into upper and lower parts, and the lifter 370 and the chuck 321 may be driven by different drive sources.

[0017] The seaming device according to this embodiment is provided with a magnetic brake 365 that decelerates the rotation of the lifter plate 360. The magnetic brake 365 is provided in a position adjacent to the lifter plate 360 ​​associated with the can loading unit 350, which is located downstream of the point at which the can CM is discharged to the discharge turret 107 after seaming on the transport path of the can C by the seaming turret 101, and upstream of the point at which the can C is brought in from the input conveyor 102 (can-free section). The magnetic brake 365 has a function of slowing down or stopping the lifter plate 360 ​​which rotates at a speed equal to the rotational speed of the chuck 321 at the point where the can CM is carried out to the discharge turret 107.

[0018] The following describes the operation of the can placement unit 350. The lifter 370 revolves due to the rotation of the central axis X and its table 353, and the lifter 370 rotates on its axis due to the meshing of the sun gear 356 and the outer gear 354 of the lifter central axis 371. The rotation of this lifter central shaft 371 is transmitted to the plunger 373. On the other hand, the rotational force of the plunger 373 is hardly transmitted to the lifter plate 360 ​​by the bearing 362. However, when no external force is applied, lifter plate 360 ​​rotates at the same speed as lifter 370 due to friction of bearings, etc. When the can placing unit 350 rises and the knock-out pad 322 and chuck 321 come into contact with the lid F placed on the top of the can C, the rotation speed of the can C increases to the same speed as the rotation speed of the knock-out pad 322 and chuck 321 and the can C begins to rotate. After the lid F is seamed around the can C, the can placement unit 350 descends and the contact between the knock-out pad 322 and the chuck 321 is released. Lifter The rotation speed of the plate 360 ​​decreases toward the rotation speed of the lifter 370 due to friction of the bearings, etc., and the can C is discharged to the discharge turret 107 at the discharge point. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a magnet brake 365 is provided, which makes it possible to reduce the rotation speed of the lifter plate 360 ​​to a rotation speed equal to or lower than the rotation speed of the lifter 370. In this state, the can placement unit 350 again reaches the point where the can C is carried in from the carry-in conveyor 102. [Explanation of symbols]

[0019] 100 .... Sealing device 101 ··· Seaming turret 102 Intake conveyor 103 Attachment 104... Lid supply device 107 Discharge Turret 108 ··· Discharge conveyor 109 Center shaft 122 ... Vertical movement mechanism 132 Roll swing axis 133 ... Vertical movement mechanism 134 Up and down cam 135 ··· Vertical cam follower 151 Drive mechanism 210 Lid separation unit 250 ··· Lid transport turret 320 ··· Chuck unit 321 Chuck (holding member) 322 ··· Knockout pad 323 External gear 324 Sun gear 350 ··· Can placement unit 353 Lifter table 354 External gear 355 Bearing 356 Sun gear 357 Cam follower 358 Cam follower 360 ··· Lifter plate 361 ··· Top Spindle 362 Bearings 365 ··· Magnetic brake 370 Lifter 371 Lifter central axis 373 Plunger 410 ··· Seaming unit 450 ··· Seaming lever 451 ··· Seaming roll (primary seaming) 452 ··· Seaming roll (secondary seaming) C Can (before lid tightening) F... Lid CM ··· Can (after lid tightening) P... Pocket K spline E ··· Sealing section X... Central axis

Claims

1. A seaming device comprising a can placement unit for placing a can, a chuck unit provided opposite the can placement unit, a holding member provided in the chuck unit for positioning a lid placed on the top of the can and rotating the lid, and a seaming unit for seaming the lid onto the can, the can placement unit includes a lifter that moves up and down and is driven to rotate, and a lifter plate that is provided on the lifter and on which the cans are placed, A seaming device, characterized in that the lifter plate is rotatably mounted relative to the lifter and configured to rotate at a rotation speed different from that of the lifter.

2. 2. The seaming device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation speed of the lifter is equal to or lower than the rotation speed of the holding member.

3. 3. The seaming device according to claim 1, further comprising a brake for slowing down the rotation of the lifter plate.

4. 4. The seaming device according to claim 1, wherein the lifter and the holding member are driven by different driving mechanisms.

5. 5. The seaming device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed of the holding member when the cans are transferred from the can transport unit to the lifter plate of the can placement unit is 2800 rpm or less.

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