Patent Application
20250100041
The disclosed concept relates generally to redraw systems for use in can bodymakers and, more specifically, to redraw systems which are dynamically adjustable during normal operation of the bodymaker. The disclosed concept further relates to can bodymakers including such redraw assemblies.
Generally, a can begins as a disk of metal, such as, but not limited to aluminum, also known as a “blank,” that is punched from a sheet or coil of metal. The blank is fed into a cupper. The cupper performs a blank and draw process to create a cup. That is, the blank is formed into a cup having a bottom and a depending sidewall. The cup is fed into one of several bodymakers. Each bodymaker performs a drawing and ironing (D&I) process. More specifically, at the start of such process, the cup is disposed in a bodymaker at the mouth of a toolpack having substantially circular openings therein. The cup is held in place by a redraw sleeve, which is part of a redraw assembly. The redraw sleeve is a hollow tubular construct that is disposed inside the cup and biases the cup against the toolpack at the mouth thereof. The first die in the toolpack is the redraw die, which is also a part of the redraw assembly. The cup is biased against the redraw die by the redraw sleeve. Other dies, the ironing dies, are disposed behind, and axially aligned with, the redraw die. The ironing dies are not part of the redraw assembly. An elongated, cylindrical ram having a punch at the forward, distal end is aligned with, and structured to travel through, the openings in the redraw die and the ironing dies. At the end of the toolpack opposite the ram is a domer. The domer is a die structured to form a concave dome in the bottom of the cup/can.
Thus, during the D&I process a cup is disposed at one end of the toolpack. The cup, typically, has a greater diameter than a finished can as well as a greater wall thickness. The redraw sleeve is disposed inside of the cup and biases the cup bottom against the redraw die. The opening in the redraw die has a diameter that is smaller than the cup. The ram, with the punch as the forward, distal end, passes through the hollow redraw sleeve and contacts the bottom of the cup. As the ram continues to move forward, the cup is moved through the redraw die. As the opening in the redraw die is smaller than the original diameter of the cup, the cup is deformed and becomes elongated with a smaller diameter. As the ram continues to move forward, the elongated cup passes through a number of ironing dies. The ironing dies each thin the wall thickness of the cup causing the cup to elongate. The final forming of the can body occurs when the bottom of the elongated cup engages the domer creating a concave dome in the cup bottom. At this point, and compared to the original shape of the cup, the can body is elongated, has a thinner wall, and a domed bottom. The can body is ejected from the ram, and more specifically the punch, for further processing, such as, but not limited to trimming, washing, printing, flanging, inspection and placement on pallets, which are shipped to the filler. At the filler, the cans are taken off of the pallets, filled, ends are placed (i.e., seamed) onto them, and then the filled cans are repackaged.
During the D&I process symmetrical loading conditions are very critical as the industry standard starting gauge thicknesses and associated can walls are becoming thinner in the food, beverage, and aerosol industries. The thinner the walls and gauge become, the more critical the symmetrical loading conditions are during the D&I process. Present solutions provide for little adjustment, and such available adjustment must be carried out manually while the machine is not running. Hence, there is room for improvement in redraw assemblies for bodymakers.
Embodiments of the disclosed concept improve upon existing solutions by providing arrangements which allow for dynamic adjustments to be made to a redraw sleeve during normal operation of a bodymaker.
As one embodiment of the disclosed concept, a redraw assembly for use with a can bodymaker is provided. The redraw assembly comprises: a hold down body structured to be slidably coupled to a frame of the bodymaker; a redraw sleeve assembly having a redraw sleeve adjustably coupled to the hold down body and structured to apply a force to a cup engaged with a toolpack of the bodymaker; and a controller structured to dynamically adjust an aspect of the redraw sleeve with respect to the hold down body while the bodymaker is in operation forming a can body.
The aspect may comprise one or more of the vertical and/or lateral positioning of the redraw sleeve relative to the hold down body. The redraw assembly may further comprise: a number of cam bolts, each cam bolt positioned among the redraw sleeve assembly and the hold down body in a manner such that rotation of the cam bolt selectively adjusts the relative positioning of the redraw sleeve with respect to the hold down body in a predetermined manner; and a corresponding number of actuators, each actuator coupled with a corresponding cam bolt, wherein each actuator is selectively actuatable via the controller and structured to selectively rotate the corresponding cam bolt as directed by the controller. Each actuator of the corresponding number of actuators may be an electrical actuator or a pneumatic actuator. The number of cam bolts may comprise a plurality of cam bolts, and the corresponding number of actuators may comprise a plurality of actuators, each actuator of the plurality being coupled to a corresponding cam bolt of the plurality of cam bolts.
The redraw assembly may further comprise a position sensor in communication with the controller, the position sensor being structured to provide a number of signals indicative of the position of one or more components of the can bodymaker, and the controller may be structured to dynamically adjust the position of the redraw sleeve with respect to the hold down body in response to the number of signals.
The aspect may comprise the force that the redraw sleeve is structured to apply to the cup. The redraw assembly may further comprise a number of load cells positioned between the redraw sleeve and the hold down body and in communication with the controller, each load cell may be structured to provide a number of signals indicative of the force applied by the redraw sleeve to the controller, and the controller may be structured to adjust the force. The redraw assembly may further comprise: an airbag positioned between the redraw sleeve and the hold down body, the airbag structured to contain a quantity of a gas within the airbag; and a pressure regulator in communication with the controller, the pressure regulator structured to regulate a pressure of the gas within the airbag, wherein the controller is structured to control operation of the pressure regulator to selectively vary the force that the redraw sleeve is structured to apply.
The redraw assembly may further comprise: a number of hydraulic actuators positioned between the redraw sleeve and the hold down body; and a source of hydraulic pressure in fluid communication with each hydraulic actuator and in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the controller is structured to control the source of hydraulic pressure to selectively vary the force that the redraw sleeve is structured to apply.
As another embodiment of the disclosed concept a bodymaker is provided. The bodymaker comprises: a frame; a ram slidably coupled to the frame; a toolpack coupled to the frame; a drive mechanism coupled to the ram and structured to impart a reciprocating motion to the ram to reciprocate between a first retracted position, wherein the ram is spaced from the toolpack, and a second extended position, wherein the ram extends through the toolpack; and a redraw assembly comprising: a hold down body slidably coupled to the frame; a redraw sleeve assembly having a redraw sleeve adjustably coupled to the hold down body and structured to apply a force to a cup engaged with the toolpack; and a controller structured to dynamically adjust an aspect of the redraw sleeve with respect to the hold down body during operation of the bodymaker.
The aspect may comprise one or more of the vertical and/or lateral positioning of the redraw sleeve relative to the hold down body. The bodymaker may further comprise: a number of cam bolts, each cam bolt positioned among the redraw sleeve assembly and the hold down body in a manner such that rotation of the cam bolt selectively adjusts the relative positioning of the redraw sleeve with respect to the hold down body in a predetermined manner; and a corresponding number of actuators, each actuator coupled with a corresponding cam bolt, wherein each actuator is selectively actuatable via the controller and structured to selectively rotate the corresponding cam bolt as directed by the controller. Each actuator of the corresponding number of actuators may be an electrical actuator or a pneumatic actuator. The number of cam bolts may comprise a plurality of cam bolts, and the corresponding number of actuators may comprise a plurality of actuators, each actuator of the plurality being coupled to a corresponding cam bolt of the plurality of cam bolts.
The redraw assembly may further comprise a position sensor in communication with the controller, wherein the position sensor is structured to provide a number of signals indicative of the position of one or more of the ram, a punch disposed on the ram, and/or a portion of the toolpack, and the controller may be structured to dynamically adjust the position of the redraw sleeve with respect to the hold down body in response to the number of signals.
The aspect may comprise the force that the redraw sleeve is structured to apply. The redraw assembly may further comprise a number of load cells positioned between the redraw sleeve and the hold down body and in communication with the controller, wherein each load cell may be structured to provide a number of signals indicative of the force applied by the redraw sleeve to the controller, and the controller may be structured to adjust the force.
The redraw assembly may further comprise: an airbag positioned between the redraw sleeve and the hold down body, the airbag structured to contain a quantity of a gas within the airbag; and a pressure regulator in communication with the controller, the pressure regulator structured to regulate a pressure of the gas within the airbag, wherein the controller is structured to control operation of the pressure regulator to selectively vary the force that the redraw sleeve is structured to apply.
The redraw assembly may further comprise: a number of hydraulic actuators positioned between the redraw sleeve and the hold down body; and a source of hydraulic pressure in fluid communication with each hydraulic actuator and in electrical communication with the controller, and the controller may be structured to control the source of hydraulic pressure to selectively vary the force that the redraw sleeve is structured to apply.
These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the disclosed concept, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the concept.
A full understanding of the invention can be gained from the following description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Directional phrases used herein, such as, for example, clockwise, counterclockwise, left, right, top, bottom, upwards, downwards and derivatives thereof, relate to the orientation of the elements shown in the drawings and are not limiting upon the claims unless expressly recited therein.
As used herein, the singular form of “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used herein, the statement that two or more parts or components are “coupled” shall mean that the parts are joined or operate together either directly or indirectly, i.e., through one or more intermediate parts or components, so long as a link occurs. As used herein, “directly coupled” means that two elements are directly in contact with each other. As used herein, “fixedly coupled” or “fixed” means that two components are coupled so as to move as one while maintaining a constant orientation relative to each other. Further, an object resting on another object held in place only by gravity is not “coupled” to the lower object unless the upper object is otherwise maintained substantially in place. That is, for example, a book on a table is not coupled thereto, but a book glued to a table is coupled thereto. Accordingly, when two elements are coupled, all portions of those elements are coupled. A description, however, of a specific portion of a first element being coupled to a second element, e.g., an axle first end being coupled to a first wheel, means that the specific portion of the first element is disposed closer to the second element than the other portions thereof.
As used herein, “engage,” when used in reference to gears or other components having teeth, means that the teeth of the gears interface with each other and the rotation of one gear causes the other gear to rotate as well. When used in reference to components other than gears, “engage” means that two or more parts or components exert a force or bias against one another either directly or through one or more intermediate elements or components.
As used herein, “structured to [verb]” means that the identified element or assembly has a structure that is shaped, sized, disposed, coupled and/or configured to perform the identified verb. For example, a member that is “structured to move” is movably coupled to another element and includes elements that cause the member to move or the member is otherwise configured to move in response to other elements or assemblies.
As used herein, “generally” means “in a general manner” relevant to the term being modified as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
As used herein, “substantially” means “for the most part” relevant to the term being modified as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
As used herein, the word “unitary” means a component is created as a single piece or unit. That is, a component that includes pieces that are created separately and then coupled together as a unit is not a “unitary” component or body.
As used herein, the term “number” shall mean one or an integer greater than one (i.e., a plurality).
Generally, the redraw assembly 18 includes a movable redraw sleeve assembly 40 and a redraw die 42. The redraw die 42 is disposed within the toolpack 16 adjacent the redraw sleeve assembly 40. That is, the redraw die 42 is the first die in the toolpack 16. Meanwhile, the redraw sleeve assembly moves, in a reciprocating manner, to and from the redraw die to clamp a cup against the redraw die 42 for a predetermined time, move away from the redraw die 42 to allow for a new cup to be positioned, and then move back toward the redraw die to clamp the new cup into position. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2021/0229155 further describes a number of improvements to such general arrangement.
Continuing to refer to
Continuing to refer to
As mentioned above, the redraw sleeve 140 is adjustably coupled to the hold down body 150. More particularly, the redraw sleeve 140 is adjustably coupled to the hold down body 150 in a manner such that one or more aspects (i.e., a number of aspects) of the redraw sleeve 140 with respect to the hold down body 150 is/are dynamically adjustable during operation of the bodymaker 110 at the direction of a controller 154 (shown schematically in
The example redraw assembly 118 shown in
In order for the cam bolts 156 such as described above to be dynamically adjustable during operation of the bodymaker 110, the redraw assembly 118 further includes a number of actuators 158, with each actuator 158 coupled with, and structured to selectively rotate, a corresponding cam bolt 156. Each actuator 158 is in communication (e.g., via any suitable means) with the controller 154 so as to be selectively actuatable via the controller 154. In example embodiments of the disclosed concept electrical and pneumatic actuators have been employed, however, it is to be appreciated that other suitable actuators may be employed without varying from the scope of the disclosed concept. In order to assist in adjusting the positioning of the redraw sleeve 140 with respect to the hold down body 150 (as well as to the ram body 30) the redraw assembly 118 may further include a number of position sensors 160 (shown schematically) in communication with the controller 154, with each position sensor 160 being structured to provide a number of signals indicative of the absolute and/or relative position of one or more components of the bodymaker 110 such as, without limitation, redraw sleeve 140, hold down body 150, ram body 30, punch 38 positioned on ram body 30, toolpack 116, or any other related elements depending on the application, with which the particular sensor(s) 160 are associated for monitoring. From the signals produced by such position sensor(s) 160, controller 154 can dynamically adjust the positioning of the redraw sleeve 140 as needed.
As another adjustable aspect, the clamping force that the redraw sleeve 140 is structured to apply to a cup positioned against the redraw die of the toolpack 116 when the hold down body 150 is positioned accordingly is selectively adjustable. In order to provide for such adjustability, the redraw assembly 118 further includes a force adjustment arrangement 170. In the example arrangement shown in
Redraw assembly 118 may further include a number of load cells 190 in communication with the controller 154 and positioned between the redraw sleeve 140 and the hold down body 150. Each load 190 is structured to communicate a number of signals indicative of the force applied by the redraw sleeve 140 to the controller 154 for use by the controller 154 in determining adjustments to the force adjustment arrangement 170. In the example arrangement shown in
From the foregoing it is thus to be appreciated that embodiments of the disclosed concept provide for dynamic adjustments of the redraw sleeve to be carried out while the bodymaker is operating (e.g., during normal can forming operations). Embodiments in accordance with the disclosed concept have the ability to auto-align the redraw sleeve with the toolpack and/or with other components of the bodymaker as desired. Further, or instead, embodiments of the disclosed concept also have the ability to selectively adjust the amount of clamping force applied to the can material (i.e., the cup) during the forming process by the redraw sleeve. By adjusting the clamping dynamically during the draw process, work hardening effects can be reduced along with the height of peaks, thus requiring less material to be trimmed off the top of the container and thus reducing the amount of aluminum required to make the container.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of disclosed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.
In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word “comprising” or “including” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. In a device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. In any device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain elements are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that these elements cannot be used in combination.
