MACHINE FOR APPLYING SEALING MATERIAL TO A METAL ELEMENT, IN PARTICULAR INTENDED FOR A METAL PACKAGE

Abstract

Machine for applying sealing material to a metal element comprises at least one electromagnetic mandrel provided with a main body to house at least one electromagnet and a support to hold the metal element in position on a work surface following the excitation of the electromagnet; the main body is connected to drive means configured to make the support rotate on the work surface; the delivery device of the sealing material is positioned at least in proximity to the periphery of the metal element and is able to deliver sealing material when the metal element is held in position and made to rotate on the work surface by means of the support of the electromagnetic mandrel.

Claims

1. Machine for applying sealing material to a metal element, in particular intended for a metal package, comprising at least one transfer track of the metal element from an entrance zone to the machine to at least one sealing material application zone in which at least one delivery device to deliver the sealing material onto said metal element is positioned, wherein said machine further comprises at least one electromagnetic mandrel provided with a main body to house at least one electromagnet and a support to hold the metal element in position on a work surface following the excitation of said electromagnet, said main body being connected to drive means configured to make the support rotate on said work surface, said delivery device of the sealing material being positioned at least in proximity to the periphery of the metal element and able to deliver sealing material when the metal element is held in position and made to rotate on said work surface by means of said support of the electromagnetic mandrel.

2. Machine as in claim 1, wherein said work surface on which said metal element lies, during the application of the sealing material, is substantially coplanar to a plane on which said at least one transfer track lies.

3. Machine as in claim 1, wherein said at least one transfer track is located, during use, directly downstream of a supply apparatus to supply the metal element to which the sealing material is applied.

4. Machine as in any claim 1, further comprising at least one arm provided with one or more electromagnets able to remove said metal element from said transfer track, to position it in correspondence with said electromagnetic mandrel in order to apply the sealing material by means of said delivery device and then to transfer it from said electromagnetic mandrel to at least one exit track of the metal element on which the sealing material has been applied.

5. Machine as in claim 4, wherein said transfer track is directed in a first direction different from a second direction along which said second exit track is directed, and said arm is located in a direction which intersects said transfer track and said exit track.

6. Machine as in claim 4, further comprising at least one battery of said arms associated with at least one transfer track and at least one exit track, said arms of said battery being reciprocally parallel and directed in directions which intersect said at least one transfer track and said at least one exit track.

7. Machine as in claim 1, wherein said delivery device of the sealing material is connected to a rotatable shaft provided with suitable drive means, so that said delivery device assumes at least a first active position in which it is positioned substantially and at least partly above said metal element, and a second inactive position in which it is positioned above a bleeder receptacle.

8. Machine as in claim 1, wherein said support of the metal element is interchangeable and connected to the main body of the electromagnetic mandrel by removable attachment elements.

9. Machine as in claim 1, wherein said support comprises at least one seating configured to house at least one protruding part of said metal element.

10. Machine as in claim 1, wherein said transfer track and/or said exit track comprises at least one magnetic conveyor belt.

11. Machine as in claim 2, wherein said at least one transfer track is located, during use, directly downstream of a supply apparatus to supply the metal element to which the sealing material is applied.

12. Machine as in claim 11, further comprising at least one arm provided with one or more electromagnets able to remove said metal element from said transfer track, to position it in correspondence with said electromagnetic mandrel in order to apply the sealing material by means of said delivery device and then to transfer it from said electromagnetic mandrel to at least one exit track of the metal element on which the sealing material has been applied.

13. Machine as in claim 12, wherein said transfer track is directed in a first direction different from a second direction along which said second exit track is directed, and said arm is located in a direction which intersects said transfer track and said exit track.

14. Machine as in claim 12, further comprising at least one battery of said arms associated with at least one transfer track and at least one exit track, said arms of said battery being reciprocally parallel and directed in directions which intersect said at least one transfer track and said at least one exit track.

15. Machine as in claim 13, wherein said delivery device of the sealing material is connected to a rotatable shaft provided with suitable drive means, so that said delivery device assumes at least a first active position in which it is positioned substantially and at least partly above said metal element, and a second inactive position in which it is positioned above a bleeder receptacle.

16. Machine as in claim 15, wherein said support of the metal element is interchangeable and connected to the main body of the electromagnetic mandrel by removable attachment elements.

17. Machine as in claim 16, wherein said support comprises at least one seating configured to house at least one protruding part of said metal element.

18. Machine as in claim 17, wherein said transfer track and/or said exit track comprises at least one magnetic conveyor belt.

19. Machine as in claim 14, wherein said delivery device of the sealing material is connected to a rotatable shaft provided with suitable drive means, so that said delivery device assumes at least a first active position in which it is positioned substantially and at least partly above said metal element, and a second inactive position in which it is positioned above a bleeder receptacle.

20. Machine as in claim 19, wherein said support of the metal element is interchangeable and connected to the main body of the electromagnetic mandrel by removable attachment elements.

Description

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a machine, according to the present invention, for applying sealing material to a metal element, in particular intended for a metal package;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a metal element with the sealing material applied;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of the machine of FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of a zone of the machine where the application of the sealing material to a metal element is performed, taken into this zone by a transfer arm;

[0039] FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional view of a non-operative situation of the transfer arm of FIG. 4;

[0040] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section view of an electromagnetic mandrel able to support and make the metal element rotate.

[0041] To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0042] We will now refer in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, the characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one embodiment can be adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce another embodiment. It is understood that the present invention shall include all such modifications and variants.

[0043] Before describing these embodiments, we must also clarify that the present description is not limited in its application to details of the construction and disposition of the components as described in the following description using the attached drawings. The present description can provide other embodiments and can be obtained or executed in various other ways. We must also clarify that the phraseology and terminology used here is for the purposes of description only, and cannot be considered as limitative.

[0044] With reference to the attached drawings, see for example FIG. 1 thereof, a machine 10 for applying sealing material to a metal element 11, in particular intended for a metal package, comprises at least one transfer track 12a, 12b of the metal element 11 from an entrance zone 14 to the machine 10 to least one sealing material application zone, in which at least one delivery device 13 to deliver the sealing material onto the metal element 11 is positioned.

[0045] As mentioned, the metal element 11 can be a metal element that can be part of a metal package, so for example the bottom of a metal tin, a canister, a can or other. The metal element 11 can be for example a disk or suchlike, substantially smooth or variously shaped.

[0046] The machine 10 can preferably comprise at least two transfer tracks 12a and 12b of the metal elements 11 to which the sealing material is applied, as shown.

[0047] At least one arm 15 is associated with each of the transfer tracks 12a or 12b which is provided with one or more electromagnets 16, 16′, see for example FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, which are able to remove said metal element 11 from said transfer track 12a and transfer it to an electromagnetic mandrel 17, then remove it again from the electromagnetic mandrel 17 and then transfer it to at least one exit track 18a, 18b.

[0048] FIG. 2 schematically shows a metal element 11′ to which a creasing 19 of sealing material has been applied and which will be transferred onto the exit track 18a, 18b.

[0049] The creasing 19 is applied for example in proximity to the periphery 20 of the metal element 11′.

[0050] The electromagnetic mandrel 17, see FIG. 6, comprises a main body 21 to house at least one electromagnet 22 and a support 23 to hold the metal element 11 in position following the excitation of the electromagnet 22. The support 23 can be for example of circular shape.

[0051] The main body 21 is connected to drive means 24, for example an electric motor or suchlike, configured to make the support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17 rotate on a work surface P on which the metal element 11 lies.

[0052] Substantially, the support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17 is made to rotate with respect to an axis Y substantially orthogonal to the work surface P.

[0053] The work surface P is substantially coplanar with a surface P′ on which the transfer tracks 12a and 12b lie.

[0054] The electromagnetic mandrel 17, see again FIG. 6, comprises a stem 25 connected on one end to the electromagnet 22 and on the other end to a rotary contact 26, which will be connected to another fixed contact and then to the electric power supply.

[0055] The stem 25 is provided with one or more rolling supports 27, for example a pair of ball bearings, disposed inside the main body 21.

[0056] The main body 21 can be positioned on a first block 28 connectable to a second block 29 by means of removable attachment elements 30, such as screws, bolts or other.

[0057] The stem 25 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17 is connected to the drive means 24 by means of a motion transmission unit 31, comprising for example pulleys 32 and 33 connected by means of a transmission belt 34, wherein a first pulley 32 is associated with the stem 25 and a second pulley 33 is associated with the drive means 24.

[0058] The electromagnetic mandrel 17 is supported by a fixed support plate 37, on which for example the first block 28 is positioned.

[0059] The support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17 can also comprise a seating 35 suitable to support a protruding part 36 of the metal element 11 on which to apply the sealing material, for example a protruding annular part 36.

[0060] The support 23 of the metal element 11 is also interchangeable and removably connected to the main body 21 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17, for example by means of removable attachment elements 38 such as screws, bolts or other, so as to be interchangeable and support different types of metal element 11.

[0061] The sealing material delivery device 13, see for example FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, is positioned at least in correspondence with the periphery 20 of the metal element 11 and is able to deliver sealing material when the metal element 11 is held in position and made to rotate R, in one direction or the other, see also FIG. 2, by means of the electromagnetic mandrel 17.

[0062] The metal element 11 is maintained substantially level with the work surface P by the electromagnetic mandrel 17, thus avoiding translation, lowering or raising movements thereof with respect to the work surface P.

[0063] The machine 10, generally comprises a base 39, see also FIG. 3, on which the one or more transfer tracks 12a and 12b and the one or more exit tracks 18a, 18b are disposed.

[0064] The machine 10 also comprises control units 40 and 40′ able to control and regulate its various functioning modes to apply the sealing material on the metal elements 11.

[0065] Upstream of the base 39 of the machine 10 there is provided the entrance zone 14 of the metal elements 11 on which to apply the sealing material, while downstream of the base 39 of the machine 10 there is provided an exit zone 42 of the metal elements 11′ provided with sealing material.

[0066] The transfer tracks 12a, 12b and/or the exit tracks 18a, 18b can comprise, or consist of, magnetic conveyor belts, able to hold the metal element in position and transfer it in the directions L of FIG. 1.

[0067] The transfer tracks 12a, 12b are located directly downstream of a supply apparatus 41 of the metal element 11 to which to apply the sealing material.

[0068] The supply apparatus 41 can be for example a press, a curling machine or suchlike and, as shown in FIG. 1, the metal elements 11 directly arrive at the machine 10 without the use of mechanical transfer means, stackers, devices to remove the metal elements or other.

[0069] The supply apparatus 41 will be provided with supply tracks 44 aligned with the transfer tracks 12a, 12b of the machine 10.

[0070] The transfer tracks 12a, 12b and the exit tracks 18a, 18b can be driven to move the metal elements 11 from said entrance zone 14 to said exit zone 42 by means of suitable drive means 43, for example electric motors or suchlike.

[0071] The transfer track 12a or 12b is directed in a first direction L1 or L2 different from a second direction L3 or L4 in which the second exit track 18a or 18b is directed, and the arm 15 is located in a third direction T which intersects the transfer tracks 12a or 12b and the exit tracks 18a or 18b.

[0072] In this case, the directions L1 of the transfer track 12a and the direction L4 of the exit track 18b are aligned, so as to confer high compactness to the machine 10.

[0073] In the present machine 10, see FIG. 3, a first battery B1 of arms 15 is provided which is associated with the first transfer track 12a and with the first exit track 18a. The arms 15 of the first battery B1 are reciprocally parallel and directed in directions parallel to the direction T.

[0074] The machine 10 also comprises a second battery B2 of arms 15 associated with the second transfer track 12b and with the second exit track 18b.

[0075] The arms 15 of the second battery B2 are also reciprocally parallel and preferably also directed in directions parallel to the direction T.

[0076] In particular, each of the two batteries B1 and B2 comprises three parallel arms 15, which are preferably all in operation. If, for any reason whatsoever, one of the arms 15 ceases to function, the other two arms 15 can absorb the workload of the machine, guaranteeing process continuity, therefore without interruptions.

[0077] As mentioned, each of the arms 15 comprises one or more electromagnets 16, 16′, for example two electromagnets 16 and 16′, see FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0078] The arm 15 comprises a conveyor belt 45 cooperating with the electromagnets 16, 16′ and driven in the direction T1 by means of suitable drive means 46, for example an electric motor or suchlike. By means of the conveyor belt 45 and the electromagnets 16, 16′ the metal element 11 is substantially translated along the arm 15.

[0079] The arm 15 is also provided with at least one sensor 47, see FIG. 5, suitable to determine the arrival of a metal element 11 from the transfer track 12a, 12b and therefore command the suitable drive of the electromagnets 16, 16′ and of the conveyor belt 45.

[0080] The arm 15 can assume an active or work position, as in FIG. 4, in which it is lowered onto the work surface P and therefore onto the transfer track 12a, 12b, and a raised inactive position, see FIG. 5.

[0081] The arm 15 can be provided, for example, with an electromagnetic unit 48 disposed at one end 49 of the arm 15 and which maintains the arm 15 in the work position of FIG. 4. In the normal functioning of the machine 10, the electromagnetic unit 48 is activated in order to maintain the arm 15 as in FIG. 4.

[0082] By deactivating the electromagnetic unit 48, provided for example with an electromagnet 51, the arm 15 moves automatically, by means of elastic means or other, to the position of FIG. 5, rotating around a pin 50.

[0083] As can also be seen from the comparison of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the sealing material delivery device 13 can also assume a first active position, FIG. 4, in which it is positioned substantially above the metal element 11, in particular in the zone onto which to apply the sealing material, and a second inactive position, FIG. 5, in which it is positioned above a bleeder receptacle 52.

[0084] The delivery device 13 is provided with at least one nozzle 53 to deliver the sealing material received, in a known manner, from a pipe 54 to supply the sealing material, removed for example from a receptacle outside the machine 10.

[0085] The nozzle 53, by means of the periodic bleeding in the receptacle 52, is always maintained efficient and clean.

[0086] In order to assume at least the active position, FIG. 4, and at least the inactive position, FIG. 5, the delivery device 13 is connected to a rotatable shaft 55 associated with suitable drive means, positionable in the base 39 of the machine 10.

[0087] As can also be seen from FIG. 5, guides 56 can be disposed at the sides of the support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17, which are able to allow the correct centering of the metal element 11 on the support 23.

[0088] We will now describe an example of the functioning of the present machine 10.

[0089] The metal element 11 is supplied to the transfer tracks of the machine 10, for example the transfer track 12a, directly from the supply track 44 of the supply apparatus 41. The supply track 44 can comprise a conveyor belt, or suchlike.

[0090] The metal element 11 moves in the direction L1 thanks to the drive of the transfer track 12a, until it arrives in proximity to one of the arms 15 of the battery B1, let us say for example the arm 15 closest to the entrance zone 14 of the machine 10.

[0091] The sensor 47 of the arm 15 detects the presence of the metal element 11 on the transfer track 12a, then commands the drive of the first electromagnet 16, which lifts the metal element 11 from the transfer track 12a and puts it in contact with the lower surface of the conveyor belt 45 of the arm 15, see FIG. 4 and the metal element 11 shown in dashed lines.

[0092] The conveyor belt 45 that moves in the direction T1 and the activation of the first electromagnet 16 determine the displacement of the metal element 11 toward the electromagnetic mandrel 17, therefore in a zone above the support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17.

[0093] Substantially, therefore, the metal element 11 which is initially located on a surface P′ on which the transfer track 12a lies, passes to the work surface P defined by the support 23. The work surface P is advantageously substantially coplanar with the surface P′.

[0094] As can be seen from the drawings, the zones of the machine located on the sides of the transfer track 12a also lie on the surface P′.

[0095] When the metal element 11 arrives above the electromagnetic mandrel 17, the electromagnet 22 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17 is already excited and the support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17 is already made to rotate with respect to the axis Y by means of the drive means 24. In this way, substantially, the metal element 11 is immediately attracted toward the support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17, eliminating down times and slippage phenomena.

[0096] The metal element 11, which in FIG. 4 is shown again in a raised position and adhering to the conveyor belt 45, is released by deactivating the first electromagnet 16, and automatically attracted, in a precise manner and without slippages or delays, onto the support 23 of the electromagnetic mandrel 17.

[0097] If the metal element 11 comprises a protruding part 36, the latter is automatically disposed in the corresponding seating 35.

[0098] The delivery device 13, which is in the active position, can then deliver the sealing material onto the metal element 11 in rotation around the axis Y, applying for example a creasing 19 as in FIG. 2.

[0099] At the end of the sealing material application operation, the electromagnetic mandrel 17 is deactivated and the second electromagnet 16′ of the arm 15 is activated, so that the metal element 11′ provided with sealing material is raised and again located adhering on the lower surface of the conveyor belt 45, which will transfer the metal element 11′ to the exit track 18a.

[0100] The metal element 11′, by means of the drive of the exit track 18a, will be translated in direction L3 toward the exit zone 42 of the machine 10.

[0101] By providing two transfer tracks 12a and 12b and several batteries B1 and B2 of arms 15, as can be understood, it is possible to considerably increase the production of metal elements 11′ provided with sealing material, coordinating the functioning of the various arms 15 of the two batteries B1 and B2.

[0102] For example, as seen above, if the arm 15 of a battery B1 or B2 is already engaged with a first metal element 11, it is possible to provide that a second metal element 11 coming from the same transfer track 12a or 12b passes to the subsequent arm 15 of the battery B1 or B2.

[0103] In the event two batteries B1 or B2 of arms 15 are used, moreover, it is possible to provide a control unit for each of the batteries, for example the control unit 40 to manage the battery B1 of arms 15 and the control unit 40′ to manage the battery B2 of arms 15.

[0104] It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the machine for applying sealing material to a metal element, in particular intended for a metal package, as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

[0105] It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of machine for applying sealing material to a metal element, in particular intended for a metal package, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

[0106] In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading: they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.