Patent Application
20240253961
This application relates in general to bottle and other container capping equipment, and more particularly, to a capping chuck assembly for a filler.
The filling and capping of bottles and other containers is known in the art. Among other solutions are threaded bottles that receive caps having mating threads on an inside surface thereof. Typically, these caps are picked up by a capping chuck and applied onto a bottle. For this purpose, capping chucks include a capping chuck assembly with a cap receiving opening, and some form of cap gripper is provided to retain the cap in the cap receiving opening.
In one example, the cap gripper is in the form of a “single collet” that is manufactured to a fixed dimension. A disadvantage of this gripper type is that the tolerances must be very tight and inconsistencies in dimensions as between caps of the “same size” can create problems.
In another example, the cap gripper is in the form of multiple jaws that move to accommodate the cap, such as that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,508,046 and 11,292,705, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Regardless of the gripper type, such capping chucks commonly include a cap ejector mechanism that can be actuated to move axially into contact with the top of the cap and push the cap out of the capping chuck, if needed. However, occasionally, such capping chucks engage with a cap that is inverted or upside-down (i.e., with the open end of the cap facing up into the capping chuck). Known ejector mechanisms are unable to effectively eject caps in this orientation, because the ejector mechanism moves axially into the open end of the upside-down cap rather than engaging with the top of the cap. In such cases, the through-put of the filler on which the capping chuck is located is impacted because the capping chuck becomes unusable until the machine is stopped and the inverted cap is manually removed.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a capping chuck assembly that addresses one or more of the above-identified problems.
In one aspect, a capping apparatus for applying caps to containers includes a capping chuck assembly including: a cap receiving opening with a central axis; a cap gripper configured for holding a cap within the cap receiving opening, the cap gripper defining inwardly facing surface portions configured for cap engagement, wherein the inwardly facing surface portions are located at a first radial distance from the central axis; and a cap ejector axially movable relative to the cap gripper. The cap ejector includes one or more peripheral ejector projections movable between a normal position that is retracted relative to an inlet side of the cap receiving opening and a cap eject position that is shifted toward the inlet side of the cap receiving opening, wherein each of the one or more ejector projections includes a cap engaging surface portion that extends from a location radially inward of the first radial distance to a location radially outward of the first radial distance, such that each of the one or more ejector projections is configured to eject an upside down cap within the cap receiving opening by engaging with a free end of an outer sidewall of the upside down cap.
In another aspect, a capping apparatus for applying caps to containers includes a capping chuck assembly including: a cap receiving opening with a central axis; and a cap gripper configured for holding a cap within the cap receiving opening. The cap gripper includes a collet assembly including: a ring-shaped collet body extending about a periphery of the cap receiving opening, the ring-shaped collet body includes an upper side, a lower side, a radially inner side and a radially outer side, the ring-shaped collet body having a gap extending from the radially inner side to the radially outer side and from the upper side to the lower side to form a full break in continuity of the ring-shaped collet body, wherein the radially inner side of the ring-shaped collet body includes surface portions configured for cap engagement; and an adjustment assembly mounted on the ring-shaped collet body for varying a size of the gap such that a radial spacing of the inner surface portions from the central axis is adjustable to accommodate cap size variations.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Referring to
A cap ejector 40 is axially movable relative to the cap gripper 20 and includes one or more peripheral ejector projections 42 that are axially movable, per arrow 44, between a normal position that is retracted relative to an inlet side 46 of the cap receiving opening 14 and a cap eject position that is shifted toward the inlet side of the cap receiving opening. Each of the one or more ejector projections 42 includes a cap engaging surface portion 42a that extends from a location 48 that is radially inward of the first radial distance d1 to a location 50 that is radially outward of the first radial distance. This configuration assures that each of the one or more ejector projections 42 is configured to eject an upside down cap within the cap receiving opening 14 by engaging with a free end 36a of the outer sidewall 36 of the upside down cap (e.g., see
Here, three peripheral ejector projections 42 are provided at respective peripheral locations of the cap receiving opening. Although less than three peripheral ejector projections could be implemented, it has been found that three or more, properly spaced apart from each other about the central axis, helps prevent jamming of the cap during ejection. Here, the cap ejector 40 includes a main body 52, and each of the peripheral ejector projection 42 is integral with the main body, such that axial movement of the main body 52 causes simultaneous axial movement of the peripheral ejector projections 42. Here, the main body 52 is positioned axially outside of the cap receiving opening 14, both when the peripheral ejector projections 42 are in the normal position and when the peripheral ejector projections 42 are in the eject position.
Here, the peripheral ejector projections 42 move through similarly shaped slots 54 in an upper spacing or stop ring 56. The main body 52 of the ejector includes a downwardly facing opening 58 and a spring 60 is positioned within the opening and against the top pf the upper spacing or stop ring 56 to bias the cap ejector away from the cap receiving opening into the normal position. To eject a cap from the cap receiving opening 14, an ejector pin 62 is shifted downward within the chuck assembly 10, which in turn shifts an eject plug 64 downward. The lower end of the eject plug 64 is engaged with the upper end of the cap ejector 40, and thus the cap ejector 40 is also shifted downward. When the ejector pin 62 is subsequently moved back upward, following cap ejection, an outer spring 66 assures that the ejector plug 64 also moves back upward, and the bias provided by the spring 60 assures that the cap ejector 40 moves back upward. However, other variations of assemblies to axially shift the cap ejector between the normal position and the eject position are possible.
For example, referring now to
Unlike chuck assembly 10 above, chuck assembly 110 includes a cap gripper 120 that is in the form of a collet assembly with a single collet jaw element 122. In particular, the collet jaw element 122 is in the form of a ring-shaped collet body 123, which here is a unitary, monolithic structure, and extends about a periphery of the cap receiving opening 114. As used herein, the term “ring-shaped” encompasses any structure that extends about an opening therethrough, and does not require any specific cross-sectional shape or a consistent in cross-sectional shape.
The ring-shaped collet body 123 includes an upper side 123a, a lower side 123b, a radially inner side 123c and a radially outer side 123d. The ring-shaped collet body 123 has a gap 123e extending from the radially inner side 123c to the radially outer side 123d and from the upper side 123a to the lower side 123b, to form a full break in the continuity of the ring-shaped collet body 123. The radially inner side 123c of the ring-shaped collet body includes inwardly facing surface portions configured for cap engagement. Here, the inwardly facing surface portions are, again, defined by the distal ends 134a of axially running and inwardly extending rib projections 134.
Notably, an adjustment assembly 170 is mounted on the ring-shaped collet body 123 for varying a size of the gap 123e such that a radial spacing d2 of the inner surface portions from the central axis 116 is adjustable to accommodate cap size variations. In particular, the gap 123e defines a spacing between opposed ends 123f, 123g of the ring-shaped collet body, and the adjustment assembly 170 includes at least one fastener 172 interconnecting the ends 123f, 123g. End 123f includes an outwardly extending collar 174 with a through opening 176, the end 123g includes an outwardly extending collar 178 with a through opening 180, and the fastener 172 passes through both of the through openings 176 and 180.
The through opening 176 includes a threaded segment 182, and the fastener 172 includes threads that threadedly engage with the threaded segment 182. The through opening 180 includes an internal shoulder 184 facing the through opening 176, and the fastener 172 includes an external shoulder 186 engageable with the internal shoulder 184 for pushing the outwardly extending collars 174 and 178 away from each other during rotation of the fastener in a first rotational direction. The fastener 172 passes completely through the through opening 180 such that an end part 172a of the fastener 172 is located externally of the through opening 180 on a side of the through opening that is opposite the through opening 176. A nut 188 is threadedly engaged on the end part 172a and, when the nut is secured against the side of the collar 178, the nut 188 acts to lock the rotational position of the fastener 172. The fastener 172 includes a head end 172b that is located externally of the through opening 176 on a side of the through opening 176 that is opposite the through opening 180.
Thus, when the nut 188 is loosened, the fastener 172 can be rotated in the first direction to increase or expand the size of the ring-shaped collet body 123, and can be rotated in a second, opposite direction to reduce or collapse the size of the ring-shaped collet body 123. Once the desired size for a given cap is establishes, the nut 188 can be tightened up against the collar 178. A safety wire may be provided to assure the nut 188 cannot incidentally come completely off of the fastener. A lower portion of the collet body 123 includes an outwardly facing groove 123h in which an o-ring 124 is positioned, with the o-ring 124 operating to bias the ring-shaped collet body to reduce the size of the gap 123e. An o-ring retainer 190, which also at least partly seats in the outwardly facing groove 123h, and an associated snap-ring 192 are provided to hold the o-ring 124 in place. The ring-shaped collet body 123 also includes a relief slot 123i, diametrically opposite the gap 123e, which extends radially outward from the inner side of the body and part of the way to the outer side, to facilitate the opening and closing of the ring-shaped collet body 123 for the purpose of size adjustment.
The adjustment assembly 170 of the chuck assembly 110 reduces the precision needed in the case of single collect chucks, and also enables a single collet chuck to be adjusted so as to account for manufacturing tolerance variations of the collet and, over time, rib/teeth wear. In one example, the grip diameter of the collet body (defined by the distal ends 134a of the ribs/teeth) may be varied by between 5 and 20 thousandths of an inch.
It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only, is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that other changes and modifications are possible.
For example, although the illustrated peripheral ejector projections 42, 142 extend generally radially outward from the central axis of the cap receiving opening, the projections could be offset from radial. Moreover, the number, positioning and shape of the peripheral ejector projections could vary, and/or the peripheral ejector projections could be separate pieces (not molded together as part of a unit or otherwise fixed to each other). Further, the peripheral ejector projections could be used in combination with a central ejector projection (schematically represented by 43 and 143 in
The configuration of the collet adjustment assembly could also vary. For example,
Still other variations are possible.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63442234 | Jan 2023 | US |
