This application is a National Stage application of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2021/055489, filed Mar. 4, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The invention relates to an apparatus for the production of tear-off lids according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
Tear-off lids (so called Peel Off Ends or POEs) are known, for example from DE-U 298 17 592 or from DE-U 92 03 953.
With reference to the
The conveying device 13, which conveys the lid blanks, the lid rings, and the tear-off lids in the manufacturing apparatus 10 along the transport path in the direction of arrow A from one processing station to the next processing station, is formed in particular by two toothed belts running in parallel, on which receptacles for the lid blanks or lid rings, respectively, are provided, as known to the skilled person from WO 2006/017953. This is also not explained further here. In the respective processing stations according to the prior art, which are known to the skilled person and are shown here only schematically, the blank or ring, respectively, to be processed is in each case lifted off the conveying device and processed by the processing station and returned to the conveying device. This is indicated at the processing stations by arrows pointing up and down. At the processing stations, the drive of the processing stations is indicated below the conveyor means. This is used for lifting and lowering the blanks and cover rings and for carrying out the respective processing steps.
In a punching processing station 14, a lid ring 8 is first formed from the lid blank 9 by punching out a central part 16 of the blank downward and usually discarding it as waste (see
The previous manufacturing steps have been carried out in a position in which the lid blanks 9 and lid rings 8 were arranged with their later upper side or with the sealing flange 18, respectively, facing downward. This is a preferred embodiment, also in the present invention. As mentioned, the blank 9 or ring 8, respectively, is lifted from the conveying device 13 in the individual processing stations 14, 19 and 21, processed and placed back again, whereupon the conveying device carries out conveying steps which guide the lid blanks 9 or lid rings 8, respectively, to the next processing station. If, as shown, the manufacturing steps are carried out with the sealing flange 18 pointing downwards, this is now followed by a turning station 23 which turns the lid rings 8, so that, during further processing, the sealing flange 18 is at the top after the turning station 23 in the conveying device 13 and in the processing stations 25, 26.
The tear-off film 24 is then sealed onto the sealing flange 18, which can be done in two stages with a pre-sealing station 25 and a main sealing station 26. The sealing process is also known to the person skilled in the art and is not explained further here. Further processing stations can follow, in which embossing of the sealing film 24 takes place, the tear tab 15 is positioned and a leak test is carried out. This is also known to the skilled person and will not be explained further here. At the end of the known manufacturing apparatus 10, finished tear-off lids 27 are dispensed (see
The manufacturing apparatuses 10 for the tear-off lids can be of single-lane or multi-lane design, and can be designed as linear or rotary machines. A so far unsolved problem is the poor accessibility of the processing zone for maintenance work, which is why the machines known today must be accessible from both sides.
The invention is based on the objective of providing an apparatus for the production of tear-off lids in which the processing zone is significantly more accessible for maintenance work than in the case of the generic apparatuses known today.
This task is solved by the apparatus according to patent claim 1.
According to this, the invention relates to an apparatus for the production of tear-off lids, in which a tear-off film is sealed or glued to the upper side of the lid on a sealing surface arranged around a removal opening. The apparatus, often also referred to as a “sealing machine”, comprises a conveying device for lid blanks, lid rings, and tear-off lids as well as processing stations which are provided in succession in the conveying direction for processing the lid blanks, lid rings, and tear-off lids and form a processing zone of the apparatus extending in the conveying direction. At least some of the processing stations have lifting tables for receiving lower machining tools which, in the intended operation of the apparatus, execute an intermittent upward and downward movement along lifting table guides and, in doing so, work with the lower machining tools from below against associated upper machining tools which are supported on fixed yokes.
According to the invention, the lifting table guides are arranged in an area adjacent to the processing zone of the apparatus, viewed in the conveying direction, on exactly one of the two sides of the processing zone.
This leaves the area on the other side of the processing zone largely unobstructed, and provides excellent accessibility to the processing zone for inspection purposes and maintenance work.
Preferably, the apparatus is also designed in such a way that at least part of the yokes can be displaced for maintenance purposes along yoke guides which, viewed in the conveying direction, are arranged in an area adjacent to the processing zone of the apparatus.
Thereby, it is further preferred that the yoke guides are arranged on exactly one of the two sides of the processing zone, advantageously on the side on which the lifting table guides are also arranged. This allows the yokes to be moved along guides for maintenance or inspection purposes without impairing accessibility.
In the latter case, it is further preferred that the lifting table guides and the yoke guides are at least partially formed as common lifting table-yoke guides.
It is particularly preferred that all yoke guides are designed as common lifting table-yoke guides.
This saves costs and installation space.
With an advantage, the processing stations of the apparatus according to the invention are arranged on a common, preferably indivisible machine frame. In this way, the assembly, testing and commissioning of the apparatus is significantly simplified. The station modules can be aligned with each other already in the factory.
Thereby, it is preferred that the machine frame has an essentially L-shaped or T-shaped cross-section when viewed in the conveying direction, with a horizontal base plate and a center wall or rear wall rising perpendicularly therefrom, which forms part of the support structure of the machine frame. This center or rear wall is then suitable for assuming supporting and positioning functions.
Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment of such an apparatus according to the invention, it is provided that the lifting table guides and, advantageously, also the yoke guides are fixed to the center wall or rear wall.
In another preferred embodiment, the apparatus has a linear processing zone, i.e. it is designed as a linear machine, and is preferably of single-lane design.
In the case that the processing stations of the apparatus according to the invention are arranged on a common machine frame which, viewed in the conveying direction, has an essentially L-shaped or T-shaped cross-section, it is further preferred that the apparatus comprises a control cabinet which is arranged on the side of the center wall or rear wall facing away from the processing stations. This control cabinet can already be permanently installed and wired on the machine frame in the factory, which saves an enormous amount of time during installation, testing, shipping and commissioning.
In another preferred embodiment, each lifting table is assigned to exactly one lower machining tool.
It is also preferred that at least some of the lower machining tools are fastened to the respective lifting table with quick-release fastening systems, in particular with a zero-point clamping system. Such clamping systems are offered, for example, under the product name “ROEMHELD SPEEDY metec” by the company STARK Spannsysteme GmbH in Austria.
This makes the tool change much easier.
In yet another preferred embodiment, at least some of the yokes are assigned to several lifting tables. In this way, the technical complexity required can be reduced and accessibility further improved.
In still another preferred embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention comprises individual processing stations for the processing steps of punching, drawing, rolling, pre-sealing, main sealing and embossing.
Thereby, it is advantageous that the lifting tables of the processing stations for the drawing and rolling processing steps and/or the lifting tables of the processing stations for the pre-sealing and main sealing processing steps each work against a common yoke.
It is also advantageous thereby that the lifting table of the processing station for the punching processing step and/or the lifting table of the processing station for the embossing processing step each work against their own yoke assigned only to this lifting table.
In addition, it is also preferred thereby that the lifting tables of the processing stations for the punching, drawing and rolling processing steps and/or the lifting tables of the processing stations for the main sealing and embossing processing steps each have a common drive, in particular using a common servo motor.
Furthermore, it is also advantageous that the lifting table of the processing station for the pre-sealing processing step has its own drive, in particular using its own servo motor. With these aforementioned measures, it is possible to reduce the technical complexity of the system and further improve accessibility without having to accept losses in manufacturing precision.
Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims and from the now following description with reference to the figures.
Thereby show:
In the background section, with reference to
As can be seen in synopsis with
As can be seen in further synopsis with
The yokes 4 are provided with yoke guides 7 along which they can be moved for maintenance purposes. They are fastened to the station frames 3 with quick-release fastening systems.
The lifting table guides 6 and the yoke guides 7 are here completely or partially formed as common lifting table-yoke guides 6, 7 and, viewed in the conveying direction (from left to right), are arranged in an area adjacent to the processing zone of the apparatus, namely on the side of the processing zone facing away from the operator side.
As can be further seen, the processing stations 14, 21, 25, 26, 29 are arranged on a common, indivisible machine frame 30, which has a substantially T-shaped cross-section as viewed in the direction of conveyance, with a horizontal base plate 31 and a center wall 32 rising perpendicularly therefrom, which forms part of the support structure of the machine frame 30. The lifting table guides 6 and the yoke guides 7 are attached to the center wall 32.
As can be seen from
The processing stations 14, 19, 21, 25, 26, 29 perform the following processing steps: Punching (processing station 14), drawing (processing station 19), rolling (processing station 21), pre-sealing (processing station 25), main sealing (processing station 26) and embossing (processing station 29).
The lifting tables 5 of the processing stations 19 and 21 for the drawing and rolling processing steps and/or the lifting tables 5 of the processing stations 25 and 26 for the pre-sealing and main sealing processing steps each work against a common yoke 4.
The lifting table 5 of the processing station 14 for the punching processing step and the lifting table 5 of the processing station 29 for the embossing processing step each work against their own yoke 4 assigned only to this lifting table 5.
As can be seen from
While preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the present application, it should be clearly noted that the invention is not limited to these and may be carried out in other ways within the scope of the following claims.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2021/055489 | 3/4/2021 | WO |