A device for gripping and centring containers, in particular bottles of which the neck is provided with a rigid collar, in a capping and/or control station of a capping installation is provided and includes a centring ring, intended for being inserted onto a container and for resting on an upper portion of the body of the container, and a plurality of jaws, distributed along the circumference of the centring ring and arranged to receive, in an operating condition, the region of the neck of the container located immediately below the rigid collar. The centring ring is associated with moving members arranged to control a displacement thereof in vertical direction, and the jaws are associated with moving members arranged to control a displacement thereof in vertical direction, simultaneously with or independently of the vertical displacement of the centring ring, and a displacement in horizontal direction. A capping installation is also disclosed.

A gripper on an end effector of a robotic arm tightens caps onto a containers. Two or more such grippers cooperate to grip a cap and position it over the container. The cap is threaded to the container by rotating the cap while holding the container. The curved surface on the gripper conforms to and engages the periphery of the cap. The curved surface has plural apertures formed in it. The gripper has plural interior, partial-cylindrical compartments accessible via removable wall of the gripper. A resilient material, such as a fluoropolymer elastomer in the form of a cylinder fits into the compartments and extends partially through the apertures on the curved side to present plural resilient ribs to frictionally hold the cap during threading. When the resilient material is worn, it may be may be quickly replaced by removing the wall.

A pharmaceutical order filling system uses a physical parameter that occurs during attaching cap to a pharmaceutical container to determine if the cap is properly engaged. The physical parameter may be torque on the cap when placed on the container. An order processing device receives a pharmaceutical order and sends the order to a dispensing device that fills the container with a pharmaceutical in the pharmaceutical order. A cap device is configured to apply the cap the container containing the pharmaceutical from the dispensing device, wherein the cap device is configured to sense the physical parameter, e.g., torque, to the cap when applying the cap to the container.

A device for holding a container in a container handling machine, for example for holding a support-ring-free bottle for the application of a screw closure, includes a carrier and a holding arrangement arranged on the carrier. The holding arrangement is movable relative to the carrier between a closed position for holding the container and an open position for releasing the container. The holding arrangement includes a collar-shaped support projection for supporting the container on a retaining ring of the container. The collar-shaped support projection includes a support projection region of a first holding arm and a support projection region of a second holding arm. The first holding arm and the second holding arm are arranged on the carrier so as to be pivotable in relation to one another for moving between the open position and the closed position.

A pharmaceutical order filling system uses a physical parameter that occurs during attaching cap to a pharmaceutical container to determine if the cap is properly engaged. The physical parameter may be torque on the cap when placed on the container. An order processing device receives a pharmaceutical order and sends the order to a dispensing device that fills the container with a pharmaceutical in the pharmaceutical order. A cap device is configured to apply the cap the container containing the pharmaceutical from the dispensing device, wherein the cap device is configured to sense the physical parameter, e.g., torque, to the cap when applying the cap to the container.

The present disclosure relates to a device for holding a bottle to be closed, comprising a holding element for holding, in a rotationally fixed manner with respect to the holding element, a neck ring of the bottle to be closed, and a fastening element for fastening the holding element to a bottle closing device or to a bottle transport device, and having a torque sensor for detecting a torque acting between the holding element and the fastening element. Furthermore, the present disclosure discloses a device for closing a bottle and a method for closing a bottle.

A device for gripping and centring containers, in particular bottles of which the neck is provided with a rigid collar, in a capping and/or control station of a capping installation is provided and includes a centring ring, intended for being inserted onto a container and for resting on an upper portion of the body of the container, and a plurality of jaws, distributed along the circumference of the centring ring and arranged to receive, in an operating condition, the region of the neck of the container located immediately below the rigid collar. The centring ring is associated with moving members arranged to control a displacement thereof in vertical direction, and the jaws are associated with moving members arranged to control a displacement thereof in vertical direction, simultaneously with or independently of the vertical displacement of the centring ring, and a displacement in horizontal direction. A capping installation is also disclosed.

A device for closing a filled container with a screw cap, for example, for closing support ring-less bottles with a screw cap, is described. The device includes a neck guide with at least one torsion protection element for accommodation of a neck section of the filled container in a torsion-protected manner during the closing with the screw cap, and a discharge element for discharging the closed container from the neck guide. The neck guide and the discharge element are displaceable relative to each other.

Disclosed is a unique knife plate structure for preventing rotation of a plastic container during the capping operation, wherein the container neck is provided with a finish ring or lip, wherein the knife plate is formed to provide laterally and vertically directed sharp edged or pointed container neck contact spikes each of which spikes penetrates (slightly) a portion of the plastic neck surface at the junction of the underside of the finish ring with the neck to hold the container in a fixed non-rotational position while the cap or lid is being rotationally applied.

A system and method for a self-actuating, mechanically-biased container restraint. The system requires no computer-aided control or timing, nor is any external power source needed, other than the force exerted as a container is inserted into the restraint. The system relies upon an assembly including mechanically-biased pivoting levers, each of which has a horizontal element and a vertical element. All actuation occurs as the base of an inserted container comes into contact with the upper surface of the horizontal elements of multiple pivoted levers positioned at the base of a channel adapted to serve as a guide for the inserted tube. The levers are biased in this elevated position by mechanical means, such as a spring. As the inserted tube presses the horizontal members downward, the top portions of the vertical members are pivoted inward toward the container's exterior. Friction pads situated upon the interior surface of each vertical element are brought into contact with the exterior of the container, thereby gripping it. This gripping action holds the container with sufficient friction to permit the removal or attachment of a screw cap. Further embodiments of the invention include a mechanically biased platform supporting the channel and the pivoting levers. This base is biased and positioned to permit the channel and the pivoting lever assembly to be translated downward against the force biasing the platform and translate through the body of the container restraint. This further advancement of container, the channel and the lever assembly cause the pivoting levers to assume fully engaged gripping positions, and brings the vertical elements of the levers (and flexible friction pads upon them) into full upright positions. In this position the friction pads apply a maximum static friction force to the exterior of the container.