Automatic Low-Speed Positioning System and Method for a Can Necking Machine

Abstract

A system for subjecting a can body to a necking process includes a necker machine and a positioning system. The necker machine includes a frame, a processing mechanism having a number of components movable relative to the frame to perform the necking process on the can body, and a drive motor having a shaft operably coupled to the processing mechanism to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame. The positioning system includes an encoder associated with the drive motor to monitor rotational displacement of the shaft, and a controller in communication with the encoder and the drive motor. The controller receives input from a user, the input indicative of a desired movement of the processing mechanism relative to the frame. The controller is configured and programmed to operate the drive motor using feedback from the encoder such that the desired movement of the processing mechanism is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] It is disclosed that the concepts recited in the claims relate to a positioning system, and more particularly, to a positioning system for a can necking machine. It is also disclosed that the concepts recited in the claims relate to a can necking machine including such a system and a method of positioning a can necking machine.

Background Art

[0002] Can bodies are typically made by body manufacturers. That is, body manufacturers form blanks, such as but not limited to disks or cups, into elongated can bodies. A can body includes a base and an associated sidewall. The sidewall is open at an end opposite the base. Body manufacturers typically include a ram / punch that moves the blank through a plurality of dies to make the can body. The can body is discharged from the ram / punch for further processing, such as but not limited to trimming, washing, printing, flanging, and inspection, and placed on a pallet, which is then sent to a filling machine. At the filling machine, the cans are removed from the pallet, filled, have can ends placed thereon, and are typically repackaged in various quantities (e.g., 6-packs, 12-packs, or other multi-can cases, etc.) for sale to consumers.

[0003] Some can bodies formed by a body maker are further formed by a die necking machine (generally simply referred to as a necking machine). The necking machine is configured to reduce the cross-sectional area of a part of the side wall of the can body, that is, the open end of the side wall. That is, before the can end is coupled to (and filled into) the can body, the diameter / radius of the open end of the can body side wall is reduced relative to the diameter / radius of other parts of the can body side wall. The necking machine includes several processing and / or forming modules arranged in series. That is, the processing modules and / or forming modules are arranged adjacent to each other, and the conveying assembly moves the can body between adjacent processing modules and / or forming modules.

[0004] When performing maintenance on the necking machine, in most cases, it is required to position the machine in a specific way. Such positioning is usually achieved by some manual mechanism at the rear of the machine, and the manual mechanism enables the operator to manually adjust the machine. There are mainly two drawbacks to such manual adjustment of the machine. First, the manual adjustment mechanism is usually attached to the power train at the rear of the machine. This means that the operator manually adjusting the machine cannot see the arrangement of the machine and another operator is required to notify when the machine reaches the appropriate arrangement. Second, the manual adjustment of the machine is a laborious task and requires a significant amount of labor and time. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of the disclosed concept provide solutions to the above-mentioned problems, among other advantages over existing mechanisms. As one aspect of the disclosed concept, a system for performing a necking process on a can body is provided. The system includes a necking machine having a frame and a processing mechanism having a plurality of components movable relative to the frame, the processing mechanism being configured to perform a necking process on the can body, and a drive motor having a shaft operably coupled to the processing mechanism to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame, and a positioning system including an encoder associated with the drive motor to monitor rotational displacement of the shaft, and a controller in communication with the encoder and the drive motor, the controller being configured and programmed to receive an input from a user indicating a desired movement of the processing mechanism relative to the frame and to use feedback from the encoder to operate the drive motor to achieve the desired movement of the processing mechanism.

[0006] The controller may comprise a human-machine interface.

[0007] The positioning system may further comprise a human-machine interface configured to receive an input from a user, and the controller may comprise a motor controller in communication with the human-machine interface.

[0008] The desired movement of the processing mechanism may include the direction and magnitude of movement of the components of the processing mechanism relative to the frame.

[0009] The positioning system may further comprise a remote input device in communication with the controller, the remote input device being configured to receive an input from a user and provide the input to the controller.

[0010] The remote input device comprises a knob or dial configured to be rotationally displaced by a user from a stop position in either of two rotatable orientations, each rotatable orientation corresponding to a direction of movement of a part of the processing mechanism, and the rotational displacement in either direction may correspond to the speed of a part of the processing mechanism.

[0011] The controller may further be configured and programmed to operate the drive motor only while the knob or dial of the remote input device is being rotated by the user from the stop position.

[0012] The drive motor may comprise a main drive motor sized and configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process.

[0013] The drive motor may comprise a second drive motor, and the system may further comprise a main drive motor operably coupled to the processing mechanism and sized and configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process, the second drive motor being sized smaller than the size required to perform a normal necking process.

[0014] The desired movement of the processing mechanism may correspond to the desired final positioning of the components of the processing mechanism relative to the frame.

[0015] The encoder may include a first encoder, and the positioning system may further include a second encoder associated with a first component of the processing mechanism to monitor the rotational position of the component relative to the frame, the second encoder being communicable with the controller to communicate the rotational position of the component to the controller, and the controller may be structured and programmed to determine the rotational position of other components of the processing mechanism from the rotational position of the first component of the processing mechanism.

[0016] The desired movement of the processing mechanism may correspond to the desired final rotational position of a particular component of the processing mechanism relative to the frame, and the controller determines the initial rotational position of the particular component from the rotational position of the first component provided by the second encoder, determines the rotational displacement between the desired rotational position of the particular component and the initial rotational position of the particular component, and is programmed to operate the drive motor using the feedback from the first encoder until the rotational displacement is achieved according to the feedback from the first encoder.

[0017] The drive motor may be a main drive motor sized and configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process.

[0018] The drive motor includes a second drive motor, and the system further includes a main drive motor sized and configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process, the main drive motor being operably coupled to the processing mechanism, and the second drive motor may be sized smaller than the size required to perform the normal necking process.

[0019] The positioning system may further include a safety encoder that communicates with the controller, and the safety encoder may be associated with a component of the processing mechanism to monitor one or both of the rotational acceleration and / or rotational speed of the component relative to the frame.

[0020] These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the disclosed concepts, the methods of operation and action of the related elements of the structure, and the combinations of parts and manufacturing economies will become more apparent by considering the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings form a part of this application, and like reference numerals in each figure indicate corresponding parts. However, it should be clearly understood that the drawings are for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and are not intended to define the limitations of the disclosed concepts.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] A complete understanding of the concepts disclosed can be obtained from the following description of some exemplary embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

[0023] It is understood that the specific elements shown in the drawings and described in the following description are merely exemplary embodiments of the disclosed concepts and are provided by way of non-limiting examples for illustration only. Accordingly, specific dimensions, orientations, assemblies, the number of components used, the configuration of the embodiments, and other physical characteristics of the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the disclosed concepts.

[0024] Directional expressions used herein, such as clockwise, counterclockwise, left, right, up, down, upward, downward, and derivatives thereof, are related to the orientation of the elements shown and do not limit the claims unless expressly stated in the claims.

[0025] As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “the” include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0026] As used herein, "[configured to [verb]]" means that a specified element or assembly has a sized, positioned, coupled, and / or constructed structure formed to perform the specified verb. For example, a member "configured to move" is operably coupled to another element and includes an element that moves the member, or the member is configured to move in response to another element or assembly in another way. Thus, as used herein, "[configured to [verb]]" describes structure, not function. Further, as used herein, "[configured to [verb]]" means that a specified element or assembly is intended and designed to perform the specified verb. Thus, an element that can merely perform the specified verb, but is not intended and designed to perform the specified verb, is not "[configured to [verb]]".

[0027] As used herein, "associated" means that elements are part of the same assembly and / or operate together and / or interact with each other in some way. For example, an automobile has four tires and four hubcaps. Although all elements are coupled to parts of the automobile, each hubcap is understood to be "associated" with a particular tire.

[0028] As used herein, a "coupling assembly" includes two or more couplings or coupling components. The components of a coupling or coupling assembly generally are not part of the same element or other component. Thus, the components of a "coupling assembly" may not be described together in the following description.

[0029] As used herein, a "coupling" or "coupling component" is one or more components of a coupling assembly. That is, a coupling assembly includes at least two components configured to be coupled to each other. The components of the coupling assembly are understood to be mutually compatible. For example, in a coupling assembly, if one coupling component is a snap socket, the other coupling component is a snap plug, and if one coupling component is a bolt, the other coupling component is a nut or a threaded hole. Further, a passage of an element is part of a "coupling" or "coupling component". For example, in an assembly where two wooden boards are coupled by nuts and bolts extending through their passages, the nuts, bolts, and the two passages are each a "coupling" or "coupling component".

[0030] As used herein, a "fastener" is a separate component configured to couple two or more elements. Thus, for example, a bolt is a "fastener", but a tongue-and-groove joint is not a "fastener". That is, a tongue-and-groove element is part of the elements being joined and not a separate component.

[0031] As used herein, the expression that two or more parts or components are "coupled" means that those parts are joined or operate together, directly or indirectly, i.e., through one or more intermediate parts or components, as long as a link occurs. As used herein, "directly coupled" means that two elements are joined by direct contact with each other. As used herein, "fixedly coupled" or "fixed" means that two components are joined so as to move while maintaining a certain orientation with respect to each other. As used herein, "adjustably fixed" means that two components are joined so as to move as one while maintaining a certain overall orientation or position with respect to each other and can move within a limited range or about one axis. For example, a doorknob is "adjustably fixed" to a door, and the doorknob is rotatable, but usually, the doorknob is fixed to the door at one position. Further, a cartridge (pen tip and ink tank) of a retractable pen is "adjustably fixed" to a housing, and the cartridge moves between a storage position and an extended position, but the posture with respect to the housing is generally maintained. Therefore, when two elements are coupled, all parts of these elements are coupled. However, a description that a specific part of a first element is coupled to a second element, for example, that a first end of an axle is coupled to a first wheel, means that the specific part of the first element is disposed closer to the second element than other parts of the first element. Further, an object that is placed in place on another object only by gravity is not "coupled" to the lower object unless the upper object is held in place in some other way. That is, for example, a book on a table is not coupled to the table, but a book glued to the table is coupled to the table.

[0032] As used herein, the phrases "removably coupled" or "temporarily coupled" mean that one component is substantially temporarily coupled to another component. That is, the two components are coupled such that the joining or separation of the components is easy and does not damage the components. For example, two components fixed to each other by a limited number of fastening devices that are easily accessible, i.e., fastening devices that are not difficult to access, are "removably coupled", while two components joined by welding or by fastening devices that are difficult to access are not "removably coupled". A "fastening device that is difficult to access" is a fastening device that requires the removal of one or more other components before access to the fastening device, and the "other components" are not limited, but are not access means such as a door, for example.

[0033] As used herein, "operatively coupled" means that a plurality of elements or assemblies movable between a first position and a second position, or between a first arrangement and a second arrangement, are coupled such that when the first element moves from one position / arrangement to the other position / arrangement, the second element also moves between the two positions / arrangements. Note that the first element may be "operatively coupled" to another element such that the reverse is not true.

[0034] As used herein, the phrase that two or more parts or components "engage" with each other means that those elements exert force on each other, or bias each other, either directly or through one or more intermediate elements or components. Further, with respect to a moving part, as used herein, the moving part may "engage" with another element during movement from one position to another position, and / or may "engage" with another element once it reaches a described position. Thus, the expressions "Element A engages with Element B when it moves to the first position of the element" and "Element A engages with Element B when it is in the first position of the element" are equivalent expressions, and this expression is understood to mean that Element A engages with Element B during movement to the first position of the element, and / or engages with Element B while in the first position of the element.

[0035] As used herein, "operatively engaged" means "engaged and moving". That is, when "operatively engaged" is used with respect to a first component configured to move a second component that is movable or rotatable, it means that the first component applies sufficient force to move the second component. For example, a screwdriver can be placed in contact with a screw. Without force being applied to the screwdriver, the screwdriver is merely "temporarily coupled" to the screw. When an axial force is applied to the screwdriver, the screwdriver is pressed against the screw and "engages" the screw. However, when a rotational force is applied to the screwdriver, the screwdriver "operatively engages" the screw and rotates the screw. Further, in the case of electronic components, "operatively engaged" means that one component controls another component by a control signal or current.

[0036] As used herein, "corresponding" indicates that two structural components have mutually similar sizes and shapes and can be coupled with a minimum amount of friction. Thus, an opening "corresponding" to a member has a size slightly larger than the member so that the member can pass through the opening with a minimum amount of friction. This definition is modified when the two components "fit exactly". In such a situation, the dimensional difference between the components is further reduced, increasing the amount of friction. If the element defining the opening and / or the component inserted into the opening is made of a deformable or compressible material, the opening may be slightly smaller than the component inserted into the opening. With respect to surfaces, shapes, and lines, two or more "corresponding" surfaces, shapes, or lines have substantially the same size, shape, and contour.

[0037] As used herein, the term "integral" means a component that is made as a single piece or unit. That is, a component that includes a plurality of pieces that are separately made and then coupled as a unit to each other is not an "integral type" component or an "integral type" structure.

[0038] As used herein, the term "some" means one or more integers (i.e., a plurality). That is, for example, the phrase "some elements" means one element or a plurality of elements. It should be particularly noted that "some [x]" includes a single [x].

[0039] As used herein, in the expressions "[x] moves between a first position and a second position" or "[y] is configured to move [x] between a first position and a second position", "[x]" is the name of an element or an assembly. Further, if [x] is an element or an assembly that moves between a plurality of positions, the pronoun "its" means "[x]", i.e., the element or assembly referred to after the pronoun "its".

[0040] As used herein, the terms "can" and "container" are used almost interchangeably to refer to any known or suitable container configured to contain contents (by way of non-limiting example, liquids, food, and other suitable substances), and expressly include not only beverage cans such as beer and soda cans but also food cans.

[0041] As used herein, "centered on [element, point, or axis]" or "extending about [element, point, or axis]" or "[X] degrees about [element, point, or axis]" and the like, the term "about" means surrounded by, extending about, or measured with respect to that center. When used in connection with a measured value or a similar situation, "about" means "approximately", i.e., an approximate range with respect to the measured value as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0042] As used herein, "drive assembly" means an element operably coupled to a rotating shaft that extends longitudinally in a processing module. The "drive assembly" does not include the rotating shaft that extends longitudinally in the processing module.

[0043] As used herein, an "extended" element essentially includes a longitudinal axis and / or a longitudinal line that extends in the extending direction.

[0044] As used herein, "generally" means "in a general manner" in relation to the term being modified, as understood by those skilled in the art.

[0045] As used herein, "substantially" means "almost" in relation to the term being modified, as understood by those skilled in the art.

[0046] As used herein, "at" means the location and its vicinity in relation to the term being modified, as understood by those skilled in the art.

[0047] As used herein, the term "controller" is intended to mean a programmable analog and / or digital device (including associated memory or portions thereof) capable of storing, retrieving, executing, and processing data (e.g., software routines and / or information used in such routines), including, but not limited to, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), programmable system on chips (PSOCs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), microprocessors, microcontrollers, programmable logic controllers, or any other suitable processing device or apparatus. The memory is for storing data and program code, such as that of a computer's internal memory area, and may be any one or more of various types of internal and / or external storage media, including, but not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, similar ones providing memory registers, for example, a non-transitory machine-readable medium, or may be volatile memory or non-volatile memory.

[0048] In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept, FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram partially depicting a system 8 for performing a necking process on a can body. System 8 includes a necker machine 10 and a positioning system 50. A brief description of the general elements and operations of necker machine 10 is provided herein. A detailed description of similar necker machines and their operations is provided in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 407,292, filed on May 9, 2019 (which is commonly owned by the present application and the inventor), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Necker machine 10 is provided for exemplary purposes only, and it should be understood that the disclosed concept can be applied to other necker machines. Other examples of necker machines on which the positioning system according to the concept disclosed herein can be used include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,464,567, 8,601,843, 9,095,888, and 9,308,570, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0049] As previously described in the background art, necker machine 10 is configured to reduce the diameter of a portion of can body 1, as illustrated in FIG. 2. As used herein, "necking" means reducing the diameter / radius of a portion of can body 1. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, can body 1 includes a base 2 having an upwardly associated side wall 3. Can body base 2 and can body side wall 3 generally define an enclosed space 4. In the embodiments described hereinafter, can body 1 is generally circular and / or elongated cylindrical. This is one exemplary shape, and it is understood that can body 1 may have other shapes. Can body has a longitudinal axis 5. Can body side wall 3 has a first end 6 and a second end 7. Can body base 2 is at the second end 7. The first end 6 of the can body is open. The first end 6 of the can body initially has substantially the same radius / diameter as can body side wall 3. Following the forming process in necker machine 10, the radius / diameter of the first end 6 of the can body is smaller than the radius / diameter of other portions of can body side wall 3.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary necker machine 10 generally includes a plurality of modules 11 (collectively designated 11) that perform operations on a can body 1 and are arranged side by side and coupled to each other. The exemplary necker machine 10 includes six such modules 11, but the number of modules 11 included in a given necker machine generally depends on the details of the can body being processed / formed and its ultimate desired shape, and thus it should be understood that the number of modules 11 may be changed without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept. The plurality of modules 11 includes a feed module 12 disposed at a first end of the necker machine 10. The feed module 12 includes a feed assembly 13 for receiving the can body 1. The plurality of modules 11 also includes a plurality of forming / processing modules 14 that extend in series from the feed module 12. The plurality of modules 11 terminates with a discharge module 15 disposed at an opposite end of the necker machine from the feed module 12, and the plurality of processing modules 14 are bounded by the feed module 12 and the discharge module 15. The discharge module 15 includes an outlet assembly 16 for discharging the necked cans from the necker machine 10. Hereinafter, the processing / forming module 14 will be specified by the term "processing module 14" and will generally refer to the processing module 14.

[0051] The processing module 14 is arranged in series with the feeding module 12 and the discharging module 15, which are adjacent to each other and arranged at both ends of a series of processing modules 14. Each can body 1 processed by the necking machine 10 moves in the same order through a series of processing modules 14 from an upstream location. The movement of the can body 1 through the necking machine 10 is performed by the conveying assembly 18. The conveying assembly 18 is driven by a drive mechanism 20 driven by several main drive motors 21 (all schematically shown). In the example shown in FIG. 1, only a single main drive motor is used to drive the drive mechanism 20 and the conveying assembly 18. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a gear train, which is known in the art and thus not described in detail herein, is used as the drive mechanism 20. It will be understood that the number of main drive motors 21 used and the specific drive mechanism 20 used in combination with them may be changed without changing the scope of the disclosed concept. For example, but not limited to, the contents of each of U.S. Patent Application Nos. 17 / 021,401 and 17 / 319,689 (filed on September 15, 2020 and May 14, 2021, both having the same inventors as this application) are incorporated by reference and provide several other examples of drive mechanisms for necking machines to which the concepts disclosed herein can be easily applied.

[0052] Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, during processing, the can body 1 follows a path, hereinafter the "work path 9". That is, the elements of the necking machine 10 define a work path 9 along which the can body 1 moves from an "upstream" US location to a "downstream" DS location. As used herein, "upstream" generally means closer to the feeding module 12 / feeding assembly 13, and "downstream" means closer to the discharging module 15 / discharge assembly 16. With respect to the elements that define the work path 9, each of those elements has an "upstream side" end and a "downstream side" end, and the can body moves from the "upstream side" end to the "downstream side" end. Thus, as used herein, properties / specifications of assemblies, sub-assemblies, etc., such as an "upstream side" or "downstream side" element or assembly, or located at an "upstream side" or "downstream side" location, are inherent. Further, as used herein, properties / specifications of assemblies, sub-assemblies, etc., such as an "upstream side" or "downstream side" element or assembly, or located at an "upstream side" or "downstream side" location, are relative terms.

[0053] During operation, the processing / shaping of the can body is performed by the rotatable turret 22 of each processing module 14. That is, the term "turret 22" generically identifies the turret. Each processing module 14 includes a rotatable star wheel 24 associated with the turret 22. Depending on the application, the star wheel 24 may be a "non-vacuum star wheel" (i.e., a star wheel that does not include or is not associated with a vacuum assembly configured to apply a vacuum to the pockets of the star wheel), or alternatively a "vacuum star wheel" (i.e., a star wheel that includes or is associated with a vacuum assembly configured to apply a vacuum to the star wheel pockets), without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept. Further, each processing module 14 typically includes one turret 22 and one star wheel 24.

[0054] The conveying assembly 18 is configured to move the can body 1 between adjacent processing modules 14 and from the feeding module 12 towards the discharging module 15. The conveying assembly 18 includes a plurality of rotatable star wheels 26, and each star wheel 26 is part of an individual processing module 14, feeding module 12, or discharging module 15. Similar to the star wheel 24, the star wheel 26 can also be of the "vacuum" or "non-vacuum" type without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept, depending on the application.

[0055] Note that the plurality of processing modules 14 may be configured to neck different types of can bodies 1 and / or can bodies with different configurations. Accordingly, the plurality of processing modules 14 are configured to be added to or removed from the necking machine 10 according to the requirements of a specific application. To achieve this, the necking machine 10 includes a frame assembly 30 to which the plurality of processing modules 14 are removably coupled. Alternatively, the frame assembly 30 includes elements incorporated into each of the plurality of processing modules 14 such that the plurality of processing modules 14 are configured to be temporarily coupled to each other. The frame assembly 30 has an upstream end 32 and a downstream end 34. Further, the frame assembly 30 includes an extended member, a panel member (both not numbered), or a combination of both. As is well known, panel members coupled to members coupled to each other or extended members form a housing. Accordingly, in this specification, the housing is also identified as the "frame assembly 30".

[0056] When the necking machine 10 is operated, the feeding assembly 13 supplies the individual can bodies 1 to the conveying assembly 18, and the conveying assembly 18 sequentially moves each can body 1 through each processing module 14 from the most upstream processing module 14 to the most downstream processing module 14. More specifically, each can body 1 moves from the star wheel 26 to the star wheel 24 and to the turret 22 where the forming process is performed, returns to the aforementioned star wheel 24, and then moves to the next star wheel 26 on the downstream side. Generally, each processing module 14 is configured to partially form the can body 1 so as to gradually reduce the cross-sectional area of the first end portion 6 (FIG. 2) of the can body 1 as the can body 1 moves through the plurality of processing modules 14. These processing modules 14 include some elements specific to a single particular processing module 14, such as, but not limited to, a particular die. Other elements of the processing module 14, such as the turret 22 and the star wheels 24, 26, are common to all or most of the processing modules 14. Such processing continues until the can body 1 passes through all the processing modules 14 along the work path 9 and exits the necking machine 10 via the outlet assembly 16.

[0057] To move the can body 1 through the exemplary necking machine 10, each of the turret 22 and the star wheels 24 rotates clockwise at a first rotational speed by an individual drive, i.e., by the first drive shaft 40, while each of the star wheels 26 rotates counterclockwise at a second rotational speed by an individual transfer, i.e., by the second drive shaft 42. Such rotation of each of the first drive shaft 40 and the second drive shaft 42 of each processing module 14 is provided by the drive mechanism 20, more specifically, by some main drive motors 21. For the sake of explanation, all the components of the necking machine 10 driven by the drive mechanism 20 (i.e., the feeding assembly 13, the outlet assembly 16, the conveying assembly 18, the turret 22, the star wheels 24, the star wheels 26, the drive shaft 40, the drive shaft 42, and other components described or not described herein) are collectively referred to as the "processing mechanism".

[0058] As already explained in the Background Art section of this specification, when performing maintenance on a can necking machine such as the necking machine 10, the aforementioned processing mechanism of the necking machine 10 is often required to be positioned in a specific state so that certain components that require attention (e.g., for best access, etc.) are positioned as needed. Unlike conventional mechanisms that utilize only the manual mechanism at the rear of the machine and require the operator to manually and selectively position the movable components of the machine, embodiments of the disclosed concept improve such mechanisms by providing an automatic and / or manual electronic adjustment mechanism. In most applications, such an electronic adjustment mechanism is added to the conventional manual mechanism in case maintenance of the machine is required when power is not available (e.g., power outage, initial setup, etc.), and thus, it will not completely replace the conventional manual mechanism. However, depending on the application, an electronic adjustment mechanism may be used instead of the previous manual mechanism. In the example shown in FIG. 1, such an electronic adjustment function is provided by the positioning system 50.

[0059] The positioning system 50 includes a controller which, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, is in the form of a human machine interface (HMI 52) having input keys, switches, or other electrical or electromechanical input means (not numbered) as generally known in the art. Further, the HMI may include visual and / or audible detectable output means as generally known in the art. The HMI 52 is typically installed on or near the Necker machine 10 and may be used to control the basic operating functions of the Necker machine 10. The positioning system 50 further includes a position encoder 54 (shown schematically) disposed around the output shaft (not numbered) of the main drive motor 21 of the Necker machine 10 to provide information regarding a specific rotational position / displacement of the output shaft. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the position encoder 54 is a rotary encoder as generally known to those skilled in the art, but it is understood that other suitable mechanisms for determining / monitoring the rotational position / displacement of the output shaft of the main drive motor 21 may be employed without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the position encoder 54 communicates with a local motor controller 56 (shown schematically) provided on or near the drive motor 20. The local motor controller 56 communicates with the HMI 52. In such a configuration, the motor controller 56 controls the operation of the main drive motor 21 based on commands received from the HMI 52. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the HMI 52 may function as the motor controller 56, directly controlling the main drive motor 21 and receiving information from the position encoder 54, and a separate motor controller 56 may be unnecessary.

[0060] Positioning system 50 may further include a second position encoder 62 (shown schematically), which is located at a location along the processing mechanism and communicates with one or both of the HMI 52 and / or the motor controller 56. The second position encoder 62 is preferably located as far as possible from where the main drive motor 21 drives the drive mechanism 20. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the second position encoder 62 is arranged to monitor the angular position of the drive shaft (not numbered) of the exit assembly 16, but it should be understood that the second position encoder 62 may be arranged to monitor other components of the processing mechanism without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept. The second position encoder 62 provides the current position of the processing mechanism relative to the rest of the necking machine 10. In other words, the second position encoder 62 provides the angular position of a rotating component of the processing mechanism relative to a known reference position, and sufficient information is provided to the HMI 52 and / or the motor controller 56 to determine the positions of other components in the timed processing mechanism.

[0061] To ensure the safe operation of the positioning system 50, the positioning system 50 typically (but not necessarily) includes a safety encoder 60 (shown schematically) as generally known to those skilled in the art, and the safety encoder 60 communicates with one or both of the HMI 52 and the motor controller 56. The safety encoder 60 is arranged to monitor the speed of a rotating component somewhere within the processing mechanism of the necking machine 10, and indicates when the processing mechanism experiences a predetermined unsafe acceleration and / or an unsafe speed and should be stopped. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the safety encoder 60 is shown monitoring the shaft (not numbered) of the turret 22 closest to the discharge module 15, but it should be understood that the safety encoder 60 may be arranged to monitor another component in the processing mechanism without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept.

[0062] The positioning system 50 provides two operating modes, an automatic positioning mode and a manual positioning mode, which were not possible with previous manual adjustment mechanisms. In the automatic positioning mode, the user (e.g., operator and / or maintenance personnel) issues a positioning request regarding the components of the processing mechanism of the necker machine 10 via the HMI 52. For example, such a request may consist of the user selecting a specific turret pocket to be placed at a predetermined service position in a particular turret 22. Using the start position information provided by the second position encoder 62, the HMI 52 and / or the motor controller 56 (depending on the particular embodiment) determines the rotational displacement of the shaft of the main drive motor 21 necessary to move the processing mechanism to the desired positioning indicated by the user. Next, the main drive motor 21 monitors the angular displacement of the shaft of the main drive motor 21 until the desired rotational displacement of the shaft previously determined by the HMI 52 and / or the motor controller 56 is obtained (measured by the position encoder 54), and is driven via the motor controller 56 (or the HMI 52 in certain embodiments) in accordance with the feedback provided by the position encoder 54. Instead of using the HMI 52 to give / input the desired position, an input may be provided via a remote input device 58 (which may be provided as a component of the positioning system 50) that communicates with one or both of the HMI 52 and / or the motor controller 56 (shown in FIG. 1) (e.g., via any suitable wired or wireless means). In the example shown in FIG. 1, the remote input device 58 is an electronic handwheel that includes an E-stop, an enable button, and speed adjustment buttons (e.g., + and -) (all without signs). By using such a remote input device 58, the user can observe the movement of the processing mechanism of the necker machine 10 from a preferred location that may not be practical or possible to do using only the HMI 52 (and would definitely be impossible using known adjustment mechanisms).Observing the movement of the processing mechanism from a favorable location is very helpful for troubleshooting the processing mechanism and the Necker machine 10 in general, since the user can generally move freely during its operation.

[0063] In the manual positioning mode, the user inputs the desired speed and direction to move the processing mechanism, and accordingly, the main drive motor 21 operates. Such input is usually performed via the remote input device 58 so that the user can observe the movement of the components of the necker machine 10 again. Based on this input, the motor controller 56 (or HMI 52) operates the main drive motor 21 based on the feedback of the rotational speed from the position encoder 54 used for the closed-loop speed control of the main drive motor 21. The operation of the main drive motor 21 continues until the operator indicates that the processing mechanism of the necker machine 10 has reached the desired positioning. Such an indication may be in the form of a clear input provided by the user or may also be due to the user ceasing to provide an input. For example, in one embodiment of the disclosed concept (as shown in FIG. 1), the remote input device 58 includes a knob or dial (not numbered) that the user can rotate the desired amount from the stop position in either of two rotatable directions, the rotatable directions corresponding to the movement direction of the processing mechanism (and thus the driving direction of the main drive motor 21), and the rotational displacement in either direction corresponding to the desired speed of the processing mechanism (and thus the driving speed of the main drive motor 21). In this example, while the knob is held in the displaced position by the user, the main drive motor 21 operates (using the closed-loop feedback from the position encoder 54) in the direction and at the speed corresponding to the input provided by the user. When the knob returns to the stop position (either the user returns the knob to the initial position or the knob automatically returns to the initial position when the user releases the knob), the operation of the main drive motor 21 stops, and accordingly, the operation of the processing mechanism also stops. In the manual positioning mode, to ensure that a dangerous state does not occur, the safety encoder 60 monitors the acceleration / speed of the processing mechanism. In the manual positioning mode, the second position encoder 62 monitors the positioning of the processing mechanism and can know the actual positioning of the processing mechanism for when the automatic positioning mode is used next.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram partially showing a system 108 for performing a necking process on a can body according to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept. The system 108 includes a necker machine 10 (as described above with respect to FIG. 1) and a positioning system 150 (according to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept). The positioning system 150 has a configuration similar to the aforementioned positioning system 50, except that it does not utilize a main drive motor 21 to move the drive mechanism 20 and the processing mechanism, and thus may include / include similar components. Instead, the positioning system 150 utilizes a second drive motor 121 (shown schematically) operatively coupled to an adjustment mechanism (shown schematically at 48) of the necker machine 10. The second drive motor 121 is smaller in size / output than the main drive motor 21 because it is not used to drive the drive mechanism 20 during normal processing operations performed by the necker machine 10. Similar to the configuration regarding the main drive motor 21 of the positioning system 50, the second drive motor 121 may be controlled / driven by one or both of an HMI 52 and / or a second motor controller 156 (shown schematically), and in either configuration, a position encoder 154 (shown schematically) disposed around the shaft (not numbered) of the second drive motor 121 (similar to the configuration of the position encoder 54 and the main drive motor 21 described above with respect to FIG. 1) and a second encoder 62 (disposed as described above in FIG. 1) are used. Although shown as being included in the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the safety encoder 60 is not necessary as part of the positioning system 150 because the output of the second drive motor 121 is significantly reduced and is normally not included. Since the same two operating modes described above in connection with the embodiment of the positioning system 50 shown in FIG. 1 can be similarly implemented in the positioning system 150, they will not be described in detail here.

[0065] Therefore, from the foregoing exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that embodiments of the concepts disclosed herein provide a configuration for electrically positioning the movable components of a Necker machine, which have not been available heretofore, to desired positions. Such a configuration improves safety in operations with such machines while reducing downtime.

[0066] Although specific embodiments of the disclosed concepts have been described in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details may be made in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the specific configurations disclosed are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed concepts to the full scope of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. In a system for performing a necking process on a can body, a necking machine, a frame, a processing mechanism having a plurality of components movable relative to the frame, the processing mechanism being configured to perform a necking process on a can body, a drive motor having a shaft operably coupled to the processing mechanism to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame, a necking machine comprising the above, a positioning system, a first encoder associated with the drive motor to monitor rotational displacement of the shaft, a second encoder associated with the first component of the processing mechanism to monitor the rotational position of the first component of the processing mechanism relative to the frame, a controller communicating with the first encoder and the drive motor, a positioning system comprising the above, comprising the above, the controller is configured to receive an input from a user indicating a desired movement of the processing mechanism relative to the frame, and to operate the drive motor using feedback from the first encoder to achieve the desired movement of the processing mechanism, the second encoder is communicable with the controller to transmit the rotational position of the first component to the controller, the controller is further configured to determine the rotational position of other components of the processing mechanism from the rotational position of the first component of the processing mechanism, the desired movement of the processing mechanism corresponds to a desired final rotational position of a particular component of the processing mechanism relative to the frame, the controller is further configured to determine an initial rotational position of the particular component from the rotational position of the first component provided by the second encoder, determine a rotational displacement between the desired final rotational position of the particular component and the initial rotational position of the particular component, and operate the drive motor using feedback from the first encoder until the rotational displacement is achieved in accordance with the feedback from the first encoder. A system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a human-machine interface.

3. The positioning system further comprises a human-machine interface configured to receive an input from a user, and the controller comprises a motor controller that communicates with the human-machine interface, the system according to claim 2.

4. The desired movement of the processing mechanism includes the direction and magnitude of the movement of the components of the processing mechanism relative to the frame, the system according to claim 1.

5. The positioning system further comprises a remote input device that communicates with the controller, and the remote input device is configured to receive an input from the user and provide the input to the controller, the system according to claim 1.

6. The remote input device comprises a knob or dial configured to be rotationally displaced from a stop position in either of two rotatable orientations by a user, each rotatable orientation corresponding to a direction of movement of a portion of the processing mechanism, and a rotational displacement in either direction corresponding to the speed of a portion of the processing mechanism, the system according to claim 5.

7. The controller is further configured to operate the drive motor only while the knob or dial of the remote input device is being rotated by the user from the stop position, the system according to claim 6.

8. The drive motor comprises a main drive motor configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process, the system according to claim 1.

9. The drive motor comprises a second drive motor, The system further comprises a main drive motor operably coupled to the processing mechanism and configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process, the system according to claim 1.

10. The desired movement of the processing mechanism corresponds to the desired final positioning of the components of the processing mechanism relative to the frame, the system according to claim 1.

11. The drive motor is a main drive motor configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process, the system according to claim 1.

12. The drive motor includes a second drive motor, and the system further includes a main drive motor operably coupled to the processing mechanism and configured to move the processing mechanism relative to the frame while performing a normal necking process, the system according to claim 1.

13. The positioning system further includes a safety encoder that communicates with the controller, the safety encoder being associated with a component of the processing mechanism to monitor one or both of the rotational acceleration and / or rotational speed of the component relative to the frame, the system according to claim 1.

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