The present invention relates to a gripper for beverage cans and to a method used to receive at least one beverage can.
Besides bottles and beverage cartons, beverage cans are among the most important commercial packaging types for beverages. In addition, they can serve as drinking vessels as well. Beverage cans are primarily used for carbonated drinks, such as canned beer and soft drinks, for example, colas, all kinds of lemonades, and energy drinks. For drinking, beverage cans are typically opened by a pull tab arranged in the lid.
Currently used beverage cans usually consist, among others, of a one-piece, cylindrical container made of aluminum or tinplate with a lid of aluminum fixed to it by a folded seam (sometimes called a top seam), the lid having an oval score line and a metal tab riveted to it, which functions as a “built-in can opener” by pressing the scored oval into the can through leverage when being lifted and thus forming a spout or drink opening. In the region of the can body below the lid, the diameter of the can normally tapers and thereby forms a neck. The lid therefore usually has a smaller outer diameter than the cylindrical body of the can.
There is a variety of different packaging types for processing, arranging, grouping, and packaging articles, such as beverage containers in the form of cans, for example, the assembly of articles or containers into portable, relatively handy pack units, which can generally be regarded as packaging units. Various possibilities are also known for assembling individual cans into larger packs. Beverage containers, for example, are mostly gathered together by shrink films and packaged into packs of four, six, or more containers. It is usually inevitable to produce packs, because packs are the most common type of sales units or packaging units for beverage containers, in particular for cans made of metal or plastic or for bottles made of PET plastic material. Some packs are further gathered together and/or assembled in layers and placed on pallets for transport purposes.
Another known variant involves the use of so-called top gripping type cartons to gather together via their neck regions a plurality of beverage containers, for example, in particular bottles or cans. The patent document EP 1 075 419 B1 describes a packaging machine used to position such top gripping type cartons. In this context, the articles are arranged in a crate, and the gripping type carton is positioned from above onto the at least one article arranged in the crate. In particular, there is a plurality of articles arranged in the crate, and subgroups are formed by positioning a smaller number of top gripping type cartons, with the subgroups each gathering together a part of the articles arranged in the crate.
Many different sizes of cans are meanwhile commonly used and available. While cans with a capacity of 0.33 or 0.5 liters are customarily available, there are also cans with 0.15, 0.25, 0.355 liters, or with other capacities.
Moreover, there are different shapes of cans that are known. While the lids of standard cans have a significantly smaller diameter than the cylinders of the cans as such, the cylinder diameters and the lid diameters of so-called slim cans or sleek cans are largely or approximately the same.
In order to arrange an outer packaging, the cans are assembled in groups, with the arrangement and number of the cans assembled in a group being defined according to the packaging unit to be produced. The standard cans assembled in a group are, in particular, arranged in a contiguous manner and touch each other at the contact surfaces. When transferring the can assembly into a corresponding packaging module, the standard cans are each suctioned and lifted by vacuum cups at their can edges and/or can lids. For this purpose, the vacuum cup has to have a diameter in the suction area that is larger than the can edge, and at the same time, the diameter has to be smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the standard can, so that the arrangement of the directly contiguous standard cans will not become misaligned.
Hitherto know gripping devices, which are able to receive beverage cans and move them along a transfer path for further handling or for packaging, have a complex structure. It can also not be excluded with certainty for the above-described seizing by vacuum cups that beverage cans become inadvertently disengaged from the gripping device. This may in particular be the case when a position of beverage cans does not correspond to an expected target position upon being received. This may happen, for example, if individual beverage cans inadvertently shift prior to being received, or if their particular positions are changed by other mechanical causes. In order to be able to move the beverage cans into the seizing range of a gripping device in an exact arrangement, guide rails are therefore frequently necessary in practice. It would be desirable to have packaging apparatuses designed with a simple and compact structure, which would make it possible to dispense with such guide rails.
It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a gripper for beverage cans that is characterized by a simple structure and that is able to receive and handle beverage cans with high reliability. A further object can be seen in providing a corresponding method that is easy to implement and that makes it possible to receive and handle beverage cans with high reliability.
The above tasks are fulfilled by the objects comprising the features in the independent claims. Embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.
The invention relates to a gripper for beverage cans. In various embodiments, the gripper may be designed to receive exactly one beverage can. The gripper, which is thus generally suitable to receive beverage cans, may in practice also be provided to receive cans with other contents, for example food. The use of the gripper is therefore not limited to beverage cans.
The gripper comprises at least one gripping device used to grip a particular beverage can from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of a top seam, with the top seam being formed by a particular beverage can, such that an under edge or under side of the top seam rests on or is at least partially supported by the gripping device when the beverage can is gripped. The at least one gripping device may be formed by at least one lever, which at least one lever can be rotated about a certain pivot point in order for the gripping device to receive and/or release a particular beverage can. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one lever may be designed to be reversibly elastically deformable. It is conceivable that the at least one gripping device or that the at least one lever is at least partially made of plastic.
The gripper further comprises at least one centering device, by which at least one centering device the particular beverage can is bringable into a defined alignment, in which defined alignment the at least one gripping device is able to grip a particular beverage can from underneath the top seam, in a form-fitting manner.
If required, it is possible for the gripper to comprise at least one tappet, which at least one tappet interacts with the at least one gripping device such that it is possible to undo a particular form-fitting grip of the at least one gripping device by a linear actuating movement of the at least one tappet. Where appropriate, one end section of the at least one gripping device may be held by the at least one tappet, or the at least one gripping device may be mounted in the at least one tappet. It is in particular possible that an end section of the at least one gripping device is held by the at least one tappet in a form-fitting and/or clamping manner and/or is mounted in the at least one tappet in a form-fitting and/or clamping manner.
Alternatively or additionally, it is possible that the at least one tappet interacts with the at least one gripping device such that the at least one gripping device is able to apply a clamping force to a beverage can by a linear actuating movement of the at least one tappet in order to hold the particular beverage can in the region of the particular top seam.
It is moreover conceivable that the at least one tappet interacts with the at least one gripping device such that it is possible for the clamping force applied in order to hold a particular beverage can in the region of the particular top seam to be undone by a further actuating movement of the at least one tappet, with the further actuating movement preferably running in opposite direction.
It is also possible for the gripper to comprise a plurality of gripping devices, with a common tappet being assigned to the plurality of gripping devices, and with the common tappet interacting with the plurality of gripping devices such that it is possible for a particular form-fitting grip of the plurality of gripping devices in the region of the top seam to be undone by a linear actuating movement of the common tappet. The plurality of gripping devices may face away radially from the common tappet or project in radial direction from the common tappet.
Alternatively or additionally, it is possible for the gripper to comprise a plurality of gripping devices, with a common tappet being assigned to the plurality of gripping devices, and with the common tappet interacting with the plurality of gripping devices such that the plurality of gripping devices are able to apply a clamping force to the particular beverage can by a linear actuating movement of the common tappet in order to hold the particular beverage can in the region of the particular top seam.
It is also possible that the at least one tappet or the common tappet forms a thread, which communicates with a corresponding mating thread of the gripper such that the at least one tappet or the common tappet is able to perform a particular linear actuating movement by a rotary movement preferably about its longitudinal axis. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible that the at least one tappet or the common tappet is pneumatically controllable to perform a particular linear actuating movement. Where appropriate, the mating thread of the gripper may be provided by a mounting plate of the gripper and/or by a ball joint of the gripper, which ball joint will be described below.
It is moreover possible for the gripper to comprise at least one return spring, which at least one return spring is able to apply spring force to the tappet or the common tappet in order to return the tappet into a starting position after the performed linear actuating movement. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible that the at least one return spring is able to press the at least one gripping device by force application against the particular beverage can in the region of the top seam.
It is conceivable that the at least one gripping device used to grip the beverage can from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of the top seam comprises at least one insert designed as a hook, which at least one insert designed as a hook is designed as a replaceable component of the at least one gripping device. The at least one insert designed as a hook can be made of steel, aluminum and/or plastic, as the case may be.
Furthermore, the gripper may comprise at least one torsion spring, with the at least one gripper being in contact with the at least one torsion spring, and with the at least one gripping device being held in its position by the at least one torsion spring while the gripping device grips a particular beverage can, and with the form-fitting grip of the at least one gripping device being undoable by spring-elastic movement of the at least one gripping device against the spring force of the at least one torsion spring. Various embodiments are possible in which each gripping device of the plurality of gripping devices has two torsion springs assigned to it, which connect to the particular gripping device on opposite sides or which are in contact with the particular gripping device on opposite sides.
Where appropriate, the gripper may comprise a ball joint, by which ball joint the at least one gripping device and/or the at least one centering device and/or the at least one tappet or the common tappet are swivel-mounted. In this context it is conceivable that the gripper has a mounting plate and a formed part. The formed part can form the at least one centering device. Furthermore, the formed part and the mounting plate together can form the ball joint. It is moreover conceivable for various embodiments that the formed part can be shifted relative to the mounting plate in axial direction or in Z direction.
It is also possible for the gripper to comprise at least one spring, which is preferably formed by a plurality of leaf springs, and which at least one spring provides a restoring force in a swivel movement of the ball joint for the at least one gripping device and/or for the at least one centering device and/or for the at least one tappet or for the common tappet. The at least one spring, which is preferably formed by a plurality of leaf springs, can be in contact with the formed part already described above as well as with the mounting plate already described above.
The invention moreover relates to a gripper head for a plurality of beverage cans, which plurality of beverage cans stand contiguous to each other. The gripper head comprises at least two grippers according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the above description, with a particular gripper being designed to grip a particular beverage can or a plurality of beverage cans. A particular gripper of the at least two grippers may form a particular mounting plate, with the mounting plate s of the at least two grippers abutting flush against each other. The number of the grippers of the gripper head and the number of beverage cans to be received in each instance may be corresponding. In practice, a gripper head may have exactly six grippers or exactly eight grippers, for example.
It is provided for the gripper head that the at least one centering device of the particular gripper is positioned such that the at least one centering device comes into surface contact with an outer body surface in at least one defined region of a particular beverage can when receiving the particular beverage can, which at least one defined region is positioned offset along the circumference of the particular beverage can relative to at least one contact region in which the beverage can is contiguous to at least one other beverage can.
The gripper head may thus be designed to receive a plurality of beverage cans, which plurality of beverage cans are each formed by a plurality of contiguous slimline cans or sleek cans.
The invention moreover relates to a method used to receive at least one beverage can by at least one gripper. Features that have already been described above regarding various embodiments of the gripper or the gripper head can likewise be provided for the embodiments of the method described below, and they are therefore not repeatedly mentioned.
Features described regarding the embodiments of the method can likewise be provided for embodiments of the gripper or gripper head already described above. Where appropriate, the gripper or gripper head can be designed to implement the below described embodiments of the method according to the invention.
The method provides that, in order to receive the at least one beverage can, at least one gripping device, which is designed as a component of the at least one gripper, grips the at least one beverage can from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of a particular top seam, which particular top seam is formed by the particular beverage can.
It is provided that the at least one beverage can is brought into a defined alignment by at least one centering device, which is designed as a component of the at least one gripper, in which defined alignment the at least one gripping device of the at least one gripper is able to grip a particular beverage can from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of the particular top seam.
In this context it is possible that the gripper is positioned onto the particular at least one beverage can in a direction coming from above, with the at least one centering device, which is designed as a part of the at least one gripper, coming into surface contact with the at least one beverage can, and in the process bringing the at least one beverage can into a defined alignment, in which defined alignment the at least one gripping device of the at least one gripper is able to grip a particular beverage can from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of the particular top seam of the beverage can.
It is possible that the at least one gripper has at least one tappet, which at least one tappet performs a linear actuating movement, with the result that the form-fitting grip of the at least one gripping device is undone.
It is further possible that the at least one gripper has at least one tappet, which at least one tappet performs a linear actuating movement, with the result that a clamping force is applied to a particular beverage can by the at least one gripping device in order for the at least one gripping device to hold the particular beverage can.
It is also possible that the at least one gripper has at least one tappet, which at least one tappet performs a linear actuating movement, with the result that a clamping force applied up to then onto the particular beverage can by the at least one gripping device in order for the at least one gripping device to hold the particular beverage can is undone.
It is also possible that one gripper or a plurality of grippers each have a plurality of gripping devices, with a common tappet being assigned to the plurality of gripping devices of the particular gripper, which common tappet performs a linear actuating movement, with the result that the form-fitting grips by the plurality of gripping devices are undone simultaneously or at least approximately simultaneously.
It is conceivable that one gripper or a plurality of grippers each have a plurality of gripping devices, with a common tappet being assigned to the plurality of gripping devices of the particular gripper, which common tappet performs a linear actuating movement, with the result that the plurality of gripping devices apply a clamping force to a particular beverage can simultaneously or at least approximately simultaneously in order to hold the particular beverage can.
It is further conceivable that one gripper or a plurality of grippers each have a plurality of gripping devices, with a common tappet being assigned to the plurality of gripping devices of the particular gripper, which common tappet performs a linear actuating movement or a further linear actuating movement with the result that the clamping forces applied up to then onto the particular beverage can by the plurality of gripping devices in order to hold the particular beverage can are undone simultaneously or at least approximately simultaneously.
It is conceivable that the at least one tappet or the common tappet forms a thread, which communicates with a corresponding mating thread of the particular gripper, and with the at least one tappet or the common tappet being rotated preferably about its longitudinal axis and hereby performing a particular linear actuating movement. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible that the at least one tappet is pneumatically controllable to perform a particular linear actuating movement.
It is possible that the at least one gripper has at least one torsion spring, with which at least one torsion spring the at least one gripping device is in contact, with the at least one gripping device snapping under the top seam of a particular beverage can when receiving a particular beverage can, and with the form-fitting grip by the at least one gripping device being subsequently undone by a spring-elastic movement of the at least one gripping device against a spring force of the at least one torsion spring.
It is further possible that the at least one gripper has at least one ball joint, by which ball joint the particular at least one gripping device and/or the particular at least one centering device and/or the particular at least one tappet or the particular common tappet swivels, as required, if an actual position of a particular beverage can deviates from an expected target position of a particular beverage can when being received by the particular at least one gripper.
It is also conceivable that the at least one gripper comprises at least one spring, which at least one spring is preferably formed by a plurality of leaf springs, and which at least one spring swivels the particular at least one gripping device and/or the particular at least one centering device and/or the particular at least one tappet or the common tappet back with spring force into a starting position in a swivel movement performed after the particular at least one beverage can has been received.
In the following passages, the attached figures further illustrate typical embodiments of the invention and their advantages. The size ratios of the individual elements in the figures do not necessarily reflect the real size ratios. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in relation to other elements in order to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
The same or equivalent elements of the invention are designated using identical reference characters. Furthermore, and for the sake of clarity, only the reference characters relevant for describing the individual figures are provided. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
It should be explicitly mentioned at this point that all aspects and embodiment variants explained in the context of the gripper and the gripper head according to the invention can likewise pertain to or constitute partial aspects of the method according to the invention. If specific aspects and/or interrelations and/or effects relating to the gripper or to the gripper head according to the invention are referred to at some point in the present description or in the claims definitions, this therefore likewise pertains to the method according to the invention. The same applies conversely, so that all aspects and embodiment variants explained in the context of the method according to the invention can likewise pertain to or constitute partial aspects of the gripper or the gripper head according to the invention. If specific aspects and/or interrelations and/or effects relating to the method according to the invention are referred to at some point in the present description or in the claims definitions, this therefore likewise pertains to the gripper or to the gripper head according to the invention.
A centering device 30, which in the present context has four centering fingers 32, is arranged by a ball joint 15 (cf.
The gripper 1 is thus able to align the beverage can 20 by the centering device 30. In the perspective illustration of
As will be described below for
The embodiment of the gripper 1 according to
If required, it is also possible for the arrangement or the displacement, by which the gripping devices 6 are offset about the longitudinal axis of the particular beverage can to be received, to differ from the arrangement or the displacement of the embodiment of
In the present context, the gripping devices 6 or the hooks 8 are arranged offset relative to each other by 90°, whereby it is possible to hold the beverage can 20 in a very steady manner.
In addition to the function of the centering fingers 32 aligning the beverage can 20 in order for it to be received by the gripping devices 6, the beverage can 20 is held in its position under surface contact of its outer body surface 2 with the centering fingers 32 when the gripper 1 transports the particular received beverage can 20 or conveys it along a specified transfer path.
It is also clear from the perspective view of
If the beverage can 20 is to be released after being handled by the gripper 1, it is necessary for this purpose for the grip of the beverage can 20 from underneath the top seam in the region of the top seam 5 by the hooks 8 to be undone. The hooks 8 or the gripping devices 6 thus have to be moved out of the seam 5 in each instance such that the beverage can 20 is hereupon no longer seized by the gripping devices 6 in a form-fitting manner. For this purpose, the gripper 1 has a tappet 3, which is able to perform a linear actuating movement in order to release the existing grip by the hooks 8.
The longitudinal section of
All gripping devices 6 are held by the tappet 3 or accommodated by the tappet 3 such that all hooks 8 may be moved out of the top seam 5 of the beverage can 20 by a single linear actuating movement of the tappet 3. The gripping devices 6 are rotated about the pivot point 50 by a linear downward actuating movement of the tappet 3 such that the hooks 8 leave the top seam 5 of the beverage can 20, with the result that the beverage can 20 is no longer held by the gripping devices 6 in a form-fitting manner. The gripping devices 6 or the lever 7 are thus reversibly elastically deformable, with the result that it is possible for the gripping devices 6 or the hooks 8 to be rotated about the pivot point 50.
As already mentioned above, the gripping devices 6 are in contact with the torsion springs 17, which are discernible in detail in the enlarged perspective illustration of
In practice, it may be possible that beverage cans 20 of a relatively high mass have to be seized. In this case it is possible that the grip, which is exerted on such a beverage can 20 from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of its top seam 5, and a clamping force between a particular hook 8 and the beverage can 20, which clamping force is applied, as the case may be, by the torsion springs 17 (cf.
As is discernible in
In many cases, however, a grip of a particular beverage can 20 from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of the top seam 5 will be sufficient to safely transport the beverage can 20 by the gripper 1. It is possible to additionally intensify the clamping force, as required, if a beverage can 20 has a relatively high mass.
If a beverage can 20 is not located in exactly the intended position for being received, a particular beverage can 20 is aligned by the centering fingers 32, as already described above, in order for the gripping devices 6 to be able to reliably receive the particular beverage can 20. In order to avoid damaging the beverage can 20 in the process, a first possibility that has proved successful is for the centering fingers 32 to taper downward according to
The longitudinal section of
If a centering finger 32 comes into contact with a beverage can 20 that is not in a suitable position to be received, it is possible for the centering fingers 32 to be swiveled by the ball joint 15 against the restoring force of the at least one spring 40 or of the leaf springs 42. After the beverage can 20 has been received or during the transport of the beverage can 20 by the gripper 1, the centering fingers 32 are swiveled back into a starting position by the restoring force of the at least one spring 40 or of the leaf springs 42. The at least one spring 40 or the leaf springs 42 are in mechanical contact with both the mounting plate 12 and the formed part 14 or are arranged between the formed part 14 and the mounting plate 12.
The perspective detailed view of
Alternatively, it is also conceivable that exactly one torsion spring 17 is provided, which has a circular and/or annular shape and with which each of all the gripping devices 6 are connected.
The two longitudinal section views of
The
If required, it is possible to subsequently move the tappet 3 upward in a linear manner, whereby a clamping force of the hooks 8 gripping the beverage can 20 in the region of the top seam 5 is additionally intensified.
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
By the inserts 9 being replaceable, it is possible to ensure that even with wear occurring to a hook 8, a particular beverage can 20 will still be gripped from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of its top seam 5, and it will still be transported safely. It is not immediately necessary to replace the gripper 1, which thus has a long life.
The embodiment of a gripper 1 according to
Since the gripping devices 6 are in contact with the tappet 3, and since the return springs 55 press the tappet 3 with spring force upward in a linear manner, it is possible for the hooks 8, with a beverage can 20 having been received, to be moreover pressed by force application against the particular beverage can 20 by the return springs 55. A particular beverage can 20 is thus held in a clamping manner by the hooks 8 by a particular spring force of the return springs 55, whereby it is possible for the gripper 1 to transport a particular beverage can 20 with no risk or with merely a slight risk of becoming inadvertently disengaged.
The return springs 55 according to the embodiment of
The beverage can in the illustration of
The individual details of the embodiment of the gripper 1 are clearly discernible in the enlarged and detailed view of
The embodiment of a gripper 1 according to
The contact between the formed part 14 and the mounting plate 12 via the ball joint 15 is now formed such that it is possible to shift the formed part 14 in axial direction relative to the mounting plate 12 against a force of the spring 40. It is hereby possible to first compensate for tolerances in vertical direction when receiving the beverage can 20 if the height of the beverage can 20 slightly deviates from the expected target height. The formed part 14 can yield in vertical direction relative to the mounting plate 12. While the gripper 1 lifts up the beverage can 20 after having received it, the spring 40 guides the formed part 14 back into the starting position.
In practice, the gripper 1 is normally positioned onto the beverage can 20 such that the formed part 14 is moved in axial direction relative to the mounting plate 12 against the force of the spring 40. If the beverage can 20 is in a skewed position or if the beverage can 20 is not exactly in an expected position or not exactly in an expected orientation, it is possible to align the beverage can 20 by pushing it in such a manner by the centering fingers 32.
In the illustration of
The beverage can 20 in
The tappet 3 is pulled in axial direction upward, whereby the hooks 8 press against the beverage can 20 in the seam 5 by force application or in a clamping manner and secure the beverage can 20 to the gripper 1. At the same time, the return spring 55 is loaded by the axial movement of the tappet 3 and is held in a loaded state. Starting from the illustration of
If the beverage can 20 is to be released at the target location, the tappet 3 is moved back for this purpose into the starting position in an axial manner by the restoring force of the return spring 55 and due to its mass, with the result that the beverage can 20 is no longer fixedly held to the gripper 1 by the hooks 8. The release of a beverage can 20 is thus performed without the help of an actuator and merely by the restoring force of the return spring 55 and due to the own weight or mass of the tappet 3.
The beverage can in the illustration of
The embodiment of a gripper 1 of
The embodiment of a return spring 55 according to
In addition to the gripper 1 according to
As shown in
If a particular beverage can 20 is to be released, the actuator 62 is moved back downward into the starting position according to
The longitudinal section of
In practice, it is furthermore provided that the gripper 1 is positioned on the beverage can 20 and is subsequently moved further toward the beverage can 20, or is subsequently pressed onto the beverage can 20 until the formed part 14 and the mounting plate 12 advance toward each other. Such a relative movement between formed part 14 and mounting plate 12 can be 2 millimeters, as the case may be. If the beverage can 20 is not in a target position or if it is in an orientation deviating from a target orientation it is possible for the beverage can 20 to become aligned by being pushed in such a manner. In this context, the tappet is again able to yield into the free space 63 such that the pushing in practice will not involve a damage to the beverage can 20.
The
In
In
The beverage cans 20 received by the gripper head 10 in
When a group of such beverage cans 20 is received, adjacent beverage cans 20 are in abutment with each other via their outer body surfaces 2. Gripper heads known from the prior art receive such groups of beverage cans 20 in a pneumatic manner, for which purpose a negative pressure is produced in each instance between a lid of a particular beverage can and the gripper head. In this context, the beverage can 20 dips into a particular suction head of such a gripper head.
Due to the geometry of a slimline can as exemplarily illustrated in
A further disadvantage lies therein that a particular beverage can 20 may inadvertently become disengaged from the suction head, because the lid does not have an even surface due to the pull tab being arranged in the lid. It is also not possible with the gripper heads known from the prior art to receive a plurality of such beverage cans 20 in a mechanical manner by clamping abutment of gripping elements on the outer body surfaces 2, because the beverage cans 20 are in abutment with each other nearly along their entire longitudinal extension due to their geometry, and the outer body surfaces 2 are therefore partly not accessible along their entire longitudinal extension.
The gripper head gripper head 10 of
During a further movement of the gripper 1 toward the beverage cans 20, the beverage cans 20 are gripped from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of their particular top seams 5 by a plurality of gripping devices 6, as already described above for the
The different views of the
From
Each gripper 1 comprises four centering fingers 32, which are brought into abutment with an outer body surface 2 of a particular beverage can 20 in order to align the particular beverage can 20. According to the exemplary embodiment of
The grippers 1 from the
According to
In the second method step 120, the gripper 1 is lowered further toward the beverage can 20. Hereby, the particular beverage can 20 is gripped from underneath the top seam in a form-fitting manner in the region of its top seam 5, for which purpose a hook 8 of the gripper 1 snaps into the top seam 5 of the beverage can 20.
In the following third step 130, the beverage can 20 received by the gripper 1 is transported toward a further handling.
Subsequently, the fourth step 140 is carried out, in which the hooks 8 are moved out of the top seam 5 of the beverage can 20, and the beverage can 20 is thus no longer seized by the gripper 1, or rather, it is released. It is then possible for the gripper 1 to be moved toward a further beverage can 20 in order for the gripper 1 to receive the further beverage can 20.
The embodiments, examples, and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs, the claims, or the description and the figures, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible.
If illustrations and aspects are generally referred to as being “schematic” in the context of the above description of figures, this is by no means intended to imply that the illustrations of the figures and their description are of inferior significance with regard to the disclosure of the invention. The person skilled in the art is fully capable of gathering sufficient information from the schematically and abstractly drawn illustrations for facilitating the understanding of the invention without the understanding being in any way impaired by any of the drawn elements or, for example, by the size ratios potentially not being drawn precisely true to scale. On the basis of the more concretely explained realizations of the method according to the invention and on the basis of the more concretely explained functionality of the gripper and of the gripper head according to the invention in the figures, the person skilled in the art as a reader is thus enabled to derive a better understanding of the inventive idea, which is formulated in a more general and/or more abstract manner in the claims and in the general part of the description.
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Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2020 119 228.2 | Jul 2020 | DE | national |
The present application claims priority to International Application PCT/EP2021/052723 filed Feb. 4, 2021, which in turn claims priority to German Application DE 10 2020 119 228.2 filed Jul. 21, 2020, which are incorporated by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2021/052723 | 2/4/2021 | WO |