Seaming shaft device for a sealer

Abstract

A seaming shaft device for a sealer includes a seaming shaft, a seaming device detachable from the seaming shaft, and a fastening mechanism for fastening the seaming device to the seaming shaft. The fastening mechanism includes a lock and a fastener which can be arranged between the lock and the seaming device. The lock and the seaming device can be moved relative to each other along the seaming axis so that the seaming device can be brought from a locked state to an unlocked state, and the fastener in the locked stat is clamped between the seaming device and the lock such that the seaming device is fixed to the seaming shaft. The fastener can be unclamped by bringing the seaming device from the locked state to the unlocked state so that the seaming device is detachable from the seaming shaft.

Claims

1. A seaming shaft device for a sealer, comprising: a seaming shaft rotatable about a seaming axis; a seaming device detachably arranged at one end of the seaming shaft; and a fastening mechanism configured to fasten the seaming device to the seaming shaft, the fastening mechanism comprising a lock and a fastener configured to be arranged between the lock and the seaming device, the lock and the seaming device configured to be moved relative to each other along the seaming axis such that the seaming device is capable of being brought from a locked state to an unlocked state, and the fastener in the locked state is clamped between the seaming device and the lock such that the seaming device is fixed to the seaming shaft, the fastener configured to be unclamped by bringing the seaming device from the locked state to the unlocked state so that the seaming device is detachably arranged at the end of the seaming shaft, and the fastening mechanism comprising a spring mechanism with a compression spring, and the spring mechanism arranged on the lock such that the lock is capable of being moved from the locked state to the unlocked state by expansion of the compression spring.

2. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, wherein the lock is configured to be moved along the seaming axis so that the seaming device is capable of being brought from the locked state to the unlocked state.

3. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, wherein the seaming device includes a seaming roller.

4. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, wherein the seaming device is a seaming head.

5. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, wherein the lock has a partial conical shape so that a distance between the lock and the seaming device is configured to be increased by movement from the locked state to the unlocked state such that the fastener is capable of being unclamped.

6. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, wherein the seaming device comprises a groove, in which the fastener is arranged in the locked state.

7. The seaming shaft device according to claim 6, wherein the groove is a circumferential groove.

8. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, wherein the fastener is one of a plurality of fasteners.

9. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, further comprising a sleeve arranged between the lock and the seaming device, the sleeve comprising a recess, the fastener being arranged in the recess in the locked state.

10. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, wherein the fastener is a sphere, an ellipsoid or a cuboid.

11. The seaming shaft device according to claim 1, further comprising an ejection element arranged on the seaming shaft, the ejection element being movable along the seaming axis such that a container is capable of being ejected in an operating state.

12. A sealer comprising: the seaming shaft device according to claim 1.

13. The sealer according to claim 12 designed as a can sealer.

14. A method for exchanging a seaming device in a seaming shaft device, the method comprising: providing the seaming shaft device according to claim 1; moving the lock and the seaming device relative to each other along the seaming axis so that the seaming device is brought from the locked state to the unlocked state, in which the fastener is unclamped; detaching the seaming device from the end of the seaming shaft.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the lock is moved along the seaming axis so that the seaming device is brought from the locked state to the unlocked state.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a sealer according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a can sealer; and

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of a seaming shaft device according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a sealer arrangement 1000 according to the disclosure.

(6) The sealer arrangement 1000 for sealing a container 100 comprises a lid feeding device 11 for feeding a lid 101 to the container 100, a gassing rotor 15 for supplying gas to the container 100 and a sealer 14 for sealing the container 100 with the lid 101.

(7) In the represented embodiment, the sealer 14 is preferably designed as a can sealer 14. Here, the container 100 is a can 100 which is seamed in the can sealer 14.

(8) In the operating state, the lid 101 is introduced along the arrow C by the lid feeding device 11 into the sealer arrangement 1000. In doing so, the lids 101 are arranged on the gassing rotor. The lids 101 are transported further by rotating the gassing rotor 15. Then, the containers 100 are introduced by the container feeder 12 into the container receptacles 17 of the gassing rotor 15. There, the container 100 is gassed in area D with a gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen and is combined with the lid 101.

(9) The gassing is carried out along arrow B with the gas supply 16. After gassing, the container 100 with the lid 101 is passed by the container discharge 13 from the gassing rotor 15 to the sealer 14 where it is sealed.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a side view of a can sealer 14 according to an embodiment of the invention with a can 100 to be sealed and a can lid 101.

(11) According to FIG. 2, the can sealer 14 comprises a clamping device comprising a can support 22 and a seaming head 2, and a seaming roller 10 with a seaming roller profile 111 rotatably mounted about the seaming shaft 3. The can lid 101 is arranged centered over the opening of the can 100. The can 100 has a circumferential can flange in the area of the can opening and the can lid 101 has a circumferential can lid flange.

(12) During the sealing process, the seaming roller 10 is brought into contact with the can flange and the can lid flange via the seaming roller profile 111. Here, the can flange and the can lid flange are pressed together via the seaming roller 10 by means of a force acting substantially radially. The pressing is effected by a continuous roiling of the seaming roller 10 in the circumferential direction along the circumference of the can opening, A double seam is preferably created by seaming the can 100 with the can lid 101.

(13) For seaming, the can 100 is rotated by the clamping device by rotating the seaming head 2 around the seaming axis X with the seaming shaft 3.

(14) FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a seaming shaft device 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

(15) The seaming shaft device 1 comprises the seaming shaft 3, which can be rotated around the seaming axis X, The seaming head 2 is detachably arranged as a seaming means or device at one end of the seaming shaft 3 and fastened to the seaming shaft 3 with a fastening mechanism for fastening the seaming head 2.

(16) The fastening mechanism comprises a locking element 4 (lock) and a fastening element (fastener) 5, which is arranged between the locking element 4 and the seaming head 2.

(17) The locking element 4 and the seaming head 2 can be moved relative to each other along the seaming axis X in such a way that the seaming head 2 can be brought from a locked state to an unlocked state, and the fastening element 5 in the locked state is clamped between the seaming head 2 and the locking element 4 in such a way that the seaming head 2 is axially fixed to the seaming shaft 3. The fastening element 5 can be unclamped by bringing the seaming head 2 from the locked state to the unlocked state so that the seaming head 2 can be detached from the end of the seaming shaft 3. In addition, the seaming head can be secured in a torque-proof manner on the seaming shaft by a pin arranged between the seaming head and the seaming shaft (not shown here).

(18) The locking element 4 is designed as a cone 41, so that a distance between the cone 41 and the seaming head 2 can be increased by the movement from the locking state to the unlocked state in such a way that the fastening element 5 can be unclamped.

(19) The cone 41 comprises a straight circular truncated cone (section), which is arranged with its cone axis along the seaming axis X. The cone axis is the axis which runs through the centers of the circular surfaces of the truncated cone. The truncated cone thus has a first circular surface and a second circular surface. A first radius of the first circular surface is smaller than a second radius of the second circular surffice.

(20) When bringing from the locked state to the unlocked state, the cone 41 is moved along the seaming axis X in the direction of the arrow Z and the truncated cone with the first radius is brought to an axial height (point along the seaming axis X) with the fastening element 5. In doing so, a distance between the cone 41 and the seaming head 2 is increased in such a way that the fastening element 5 is unclamped.

(21) The seaming shaft device 1 according to FIG. 3 is in the locking position. Here, the fastening element 5 is a sphere 51 and partly arranged in a circumferential groove 6 of the seaming head. Preferably, the fastening mechanism comprises a plurality of spheres 51.

(22) The seaming shaft device 1 further comprises a spring mechanism 8 with a compression spring. The spring mechanism 8 is arranged on the cone 41 in such a way that it can displace the cone 41 by an expansion of the compression spring in the direction of the arrow Z. In doing so, the seaming head 2 is brought from the locking state to the unlocking state. For this purpose, the spring mechanism 8 can be triggered by means of a button.

(23) Furthermore, the seaming shaft device 1 according to FIG. 3 comprises an ejection element 9 arranged in the seaming shaft 3. The ejection element 9 extends to the seaming head 2, where it ends with an ejector pad 91. The ejection element 9 is arranged movably along the seaming axis X, so that a container can be ejected by moving in the direction of the arrow Z in the operating state.

(24) In addition, the seaming shaft device 1 comprises a sleeve 7 arranged between the cone 41 and the seaming head 2, the sleeve 7 comprising a recess 71 in which the sphere 51 is arranged in the locking state shown. If the cone 41 is moved along the seaming axis X in the direction of the arrow Z, the sphere 51 is unclamped as described above and can escape from the groove 6 of the seaming head 2 and the recess 71, whereby the seaming head 2 is brought to the unlocking state and can be detached from the end of the seaming shaft 3. Subsequently, a new/different seaming head can be attached.