CLAMP DEVICE, CLAMP JAW, AND CONTAINER-HANDLING APPARATUS

Abstract

A clamp device for retaining a container in a container-handling apparatus, for example for retaining a drinks container in a container-handling apparatus of a bottling plant, includes two clamp arms which can be moved relative to one another, wherein at least one clamp arm has an interchangeable clamp jaw with a retaining portion for retaining the container which is to be retained, wherein the clamp jaw has a latching element for undergoing a form fit with a recess formed in the associated clamp arm. A clamp jaw and a container-handling apparatus are also described.

Claims

1. An interchangeable clamp jaw for a clamp arm of a clamp device for retaining a container comprising: a retaining portion configured to retain the container; and a latching element configured to fit within a recess formed in the clamp arm.

2. The interchangeable clamp jaw of claim 1, wherein the latching element comprises an elastically deformable region.

3. The interchangeable clamp jaw of claim 1, wherein the latching element comprises a chamfer portion that is inclined counter to a push-on direction in which the clamp jaw is configured to be pushed onto the clamp arm.

4. The interchangeable clamp jaw of claim 1, further comprising a mount that extends in a push-on direction in which the interchangeable clamp jaw is configured to be pushed onto the clamp arm.

5. The interchangeable clamp jaw of claim 4, further comprising at least one clamping extension that extends from an inner wall of the mount in a direction perpendicular to the push-on direction.

6. A clamp device for retaining a container in a container-handling apparatus comprising: two clamp arms configured to move relative to one another, wherein a first clamp arm of the two clamp arms comprises an interchangeable clamp jaw with a retaining portion configured to retain the container, and the interchangeable clamp jaw comprises a latching element configured to fit in a recess formed in the first clamp arm.

7. The clamp device of claim 6, wherein the latching element comprises an elastically deformable region.

8. The clamp device of claim 6, wherein the latching element comprises a chamfer portion that is inclined counter to a push-on direction in which the interchangeable clamp jaw is configured to be pushed onto the first clamp arm.

9. The clamp device of claim 6, wherein the clamp jaw further comprises a mount that extends in a push-on direction in which the interchangeable clamp jaw is configured to be pushed onto the first clamp arm.

10. The clamp device of claim 9, wherein the mount is configured to receive a plug-on region of the first clamp arm.

11. The clamp device of claim 9, wherein the interchangeable clamp jaw comprises at least one clamping extension that extends from an inner wall of the mount in a direction perpendicular to the push-on direction.

12. The clamp device of claim 6, wherein the interchangeable clamp jaw is formed as one piece.

13. The clamp device of claim 12, wherein the one piece is a 3D printed part.

14. The clamp device of claim 6, wherein the first clamp arm is formed by injection moulding or is formed from a cut-out shaped metal sheet.

15. The clamp device of claim 14, wherein the shaped metal sheet is formed from a blank cut out of a planar metal sheet.

16. The clamp device of claim 15, wherein the blank is cut out of the planar metal sheet by water jet cutting, punching, laser cutting, or sawing.

17. The clamp device of claim 6, wherein the first clamp arm comprises a thermoplastic material, a metal, or a metal alloy, and/or the interchangeable clamp jaw comprises a plastic material.

18. The clamp device of claim 6, wherein a second clamp arm of the two clamp arms comprises a clamp jaw with a latching element configured to fit within a recess formed in the second clamp arm.

19. A container-handling apparatus comprising: a handling unit configured to handle a container; and a clamp carrier, wherein the clamp device of claim 6 is fitted on the clamp carrier.

20. The container-handling apparatus of claim 19, wherein the handling unit comprises a rinsing unit configured to rinse the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0030] Further embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail by the following description of the figures.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows, schematically, a perspective side view of a clamp device for retaining a container;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows, schematically, a further perspective side view of the clamp device from FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows, schematically, a sectional view through a clamp arm of the clamp device from FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows, schematically, a perspective side view of a clamp jaw of the clamp device from FIGS. 1 to 3;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows, schematically, a perspective side view of a further clamp jaw of the clamp device from FIGS. 1 to 3;

[0036] FIG. 6 shows, schematically, a side view of the clamp jaw from FIG. 5;

[0037] FIG. 7 shows, schematically, a plan view of a blank for producing a clamp arm of the clamp device according to FIGS. 1 to 3;

[0038] FIG. 8 shows, schematically, a perspective side view of the clamp arm manufactured from the blank according to FIG. 7; and

[0039] FIG. 9 shows, schematically, a plan view of a container-handling apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Exemplary embodiments will be described hereinbelow with reference to the figures. Identical, similar or equivalent elements are denoted in the different figures by identical reference signs, and a repeated description of these elements is dispensed with in some cases in order to avoid redundancies.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows, schematically, a perspective side view of a clamp device 1 for retaining a container. The clamp device 1 comprises two clamp arms 2 which can be moved relative to one another and are each arranged on a central clamp-arm carrier 3 such that they can be pivoted about a respective pivot axis 20. Actuation of an actuating element 30 of the clamp-arm carrier 3 allows the clamp arms 2 to be pivoted between an open position and a closed position.

[0042] Each of the two clamp arms 2 has an interchangeable clamp jaw 4, which has a respective retaining portion 43 for retaining the container which is to be retained. The clamp jaws 4 are pushed onto the clamp arms 2 by the clamp jaw 4 being plugged in a push-on direction 5 onto a plug-on region 21 of the associated clamp arm 2, or the plug-on region 21 is pushed in the push-on direction 5 into a mount 45, which is provided on the clamp jaw 4.

[0043] The clamp jaws 4 each have a latching element 40 for undergoing a form fit, in the push-on direction 5, with a recess formed in the associated clamp arm 2 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0044] FIG. 2 shows, schematically, a further perspective side view of the clamp device 1 from FIG. 1, wherein the clamp jaws 4 have been removed from the clamp arms 2. This makes it possible to see, for each of the clamp arms 2, the recess 23, which is arranged in the plug-on region 21. It is also possible to see a stop 22, which limits the movement of the clamp jaw 4 being pushed onto the clamp arm 2 in the push-on direction 5.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows, schematically, a sectional view through a clamp arm 2 of the clamp device 1 from FIGS. 1 and 2. The latching element 40 comprises an extension arm 42, which extends from the main body of the clamp jaw 4 and constitutes an elastically deformable region 41. The latching element 40 also comprises an interaction segment 48, which can be actuated to raise the extension arm 42 in an opening direction 6 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the push-on direction 5, in which case the latching element 40 is disengaged from the recess 23 and the clamp jaw 4 can thus be removed from the clamp arm 2.

[0046] As will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 6, the mount 45 of the clamp jaw 4 is designed such that the clamp jaw 4 is guided on the plug-on region 21 such that rotation is prevented, and in an essentially play-free manner in the direction of the push-on direction 5. As already mentioned above, the stop 22 limits the push-on movement of the clamp jaw 4.

[0047] In order to make it easier for the clamp jaw 4 to be pushed onto the plug-on region 21, the latching element 40 has a chamfer portion 44 inclined counter to the push-on direction 5.

[0048] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate perspective side views of the clamp jaws 4 of the two clamp arms 2 of the clamp device 1 from FIGS. 1 to 3. The clamp jaws 4 are designed in a mirror-symmetrical manner in relation to a centre axis of the clamp device and constitute a right-hand and a left-hand clamp jaw 4.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows, schematically, the clamp jaw 4 from FIG. 5 in a side view which corresponds to a view in the push-on direction 5. It can clearly be seen from this view that the mount 45 comprises clamping extensions 47, 47′, which extend from the inner walls of the mount 45 in a direction perpendicular to the push-on direction 5. A respective pair of clamping extensions 47, 47′ here are located opposite one another. The clamping extensions 47 delimit the width of the mount, whereas the clamping extensions 47′ delimit the height of the mount.

[0050] Reference sign 26 denotes a cross-sectional contour of the plug-on region 21. The cross-sectional contour 26 has a width and a height which are each slightly greater than the width and height of the mount 45, these being predefined by the clamping extensions 47, 47′. The width and height of the mount 45 here are smaller, by a scaling factor of 0.98, than the width and the height of the plug-on region 21. This means that the clamp jaw 4 can subject the plug-on region 21 of the clamp arm 2 to a predetermined clamping force resulting from the stiffness of the material of the clamp jaw 4 and of the plug-on region 21, and from the difference in height and width which is present due to the scaling described above, and therefore the clamp jaw 4 is positioned in a stable manner on the clamp arm 2.

[0051] The clamp jaws 4 here are formed, from a thermoplastic material, as a 3D printed part.

[0052] FIG. 7 shows, schematically, a plan view of a blank 24 for producing a clamp arm 2 of the clamp device 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 3. Laser cutting is used to detach the blank 24 from, or cut it out of, a planar metal sheet made of a steel alloy. The entire plug-on region 21 here, together with the recess 23 and stop 22, has already been cut to its end dimensions, as exhibited by the clamp arm 2 in the state in which it is installed in the clamp device 1, within a predefined tolerance range, and this means that, with the exception of an optional step for deburring the cut edge, for example a sand-blasting process, the plug-on region 21 does not require any further treatment.

[0053] The definitive shape of the clamp arm 2 as illustrated in FIG. 8 is achieved by the blank 24 being subjected to a forming process, which in the present case took place by two bending regions 27 being bent, in each case around a bending edge 25.

[0054] In particular if a clamp arm 2 is formed from a thermoplastic material, it is also possible for the forming process to be a thermoforming process, wherein the blank 24 is heated up at least in the region of the bending edges 25, heat deformation therefore being possible before the bending regions 27 are subjected to the forming process.

[0055] FIG. 9 shows, schematically, a plan view of a container-handling apparatus 8, comprising a handling unit 82 for handling containers 9 which are transported through the container-handling apparatus 8. For the purpose of transporting the containers 9 through the container-handling apparatus 8, the latter has a clamp carrier 80, which can be moved in a transporting direction 84 and on which a multiplicity of clamp devices 1 according to the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 to 8 are fitted.

[0056] The handling unit 82 here is designed in the form of a rinsing unit for rinsing the containers 9. The container-handling apparatus 8 therefore constitutes a rinser.

[0057] If applicable, all the individual features presented in the exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another and/or interchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.