Automatic Container Closing Machine

Abstract

Automatic capping machine for containers in the food sector, by means of twist-off lids, carried out in a totally automated way, with the simultaneous application of a vacuum in the container to prevent air from entering in it, which would significantly reduce the preservation time of the food contained inside.

The invention presented affords the main advantage of performing container capping in high-vacuum conditions, using conventional containers that are standard in the glass market, with metal twist-off lids, making food packaging possible without requiring any type of covering liquid inside the container, as well as allowing the control and pre-configuration of the lid closing torque before initiating the work cycle.

Claims

1. Automatic container capping machine, characterised in that it comprises a frame (1) on which there is an in-feed conveyor belt (2) of containers to be capped, and an exit conveyor belt (3), to deliver the containers once capped, between which there is a work zone (4), where there are the means for capping the containers, it having been envisaged that, between one conveyor belt and the other there is a mechanism for moving the containers from the end of the in-feed conveyor belt (2) towards the work zone (4) and finally towards the exit conveyor belt (3), there being, over this work zone (4), a vertically movable hood (8), concentric to which there is a head (9) that is movable vertically and at an angle, the machine having a hopper (10) for storing the lids to be applied, associated with a drop chute (11) whose end opening (12) is opposite a lid positioner (13), in the form of an element for horizontally moving the lid from the end opening (12) of the chute to the height of the head (9), which includes means for securing the said lid, it also having been envisaged for the hood (8) to include, inside it, internal clamps (14) to immobilise the container to be capped, as well as having means to create a vacuum inside the hood (8) when it is in a lowered position.

2. Automatic container capping machine, according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for moving the containers from the end of the in-feed conveyor belt (2) towards the work zone (4) and towards the exit conveyor belt (3), is in the form of a mechanism that involves a carriage (5), movable both axially and at an angle on a shaft (6), the said carriage being associated with an interchangeable plate (7) which has a “U”-shaped notch, of a diameter that matches the diameter of the container to be moved.

3. Automatic container capping machine, according to claim 1, wherein the head (9) includes means for applying a pre-programmed tightening torque of the lid on the container.

4. Automatic container capping machine, according to claim 1, wherein it includes a control panel (15) with its corresponding graphic interface, capable of selecting and pre-programming different types of containers, tightening torques or vacuum pressures.

5. Automatic container capping machine, according to claims 1 and 4 wherein the control panel (15) includes means for controlling each of the mechanisms involved in the machine separately.

6. Automatic container capping machine, according to claim 1, wherein the drop chute (11) supplying the lids has the means to adjust its width, according to different lid diameters.

7. Automatic container capping machine, according to claim 1, wherein it includes a centralised lubrication system.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] To add to the description that is given below and to help gain a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a reference example of a practical embodiment, a series of drawings that form an integral part of the said description are included, in which, with an illustrative and non-limiting character, the following is shown:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a container capping machine of a packaging machine, made in accordance with the object of this invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of the machine of the previous figure.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a perspective detail of the machine in the capping zone, with the hood elevated and the lid positioner in the position to feed the capping head.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a top perspective view of the interior of the hood, in which the clamps that stabilise the jar during the capping process can be seen.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a similar view to that of FIG. 1, but in which the machine appears in cross section in its intermediate or container capping zone to show its internal elements, the machine appearing with the hood in the top or inoperative position.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a similar view to that of FIG. 5 but in which the hood appears in an operational state.

[0030] Finally, FIG. 7 shows a detail of the container positioning mechanism.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The constitution and characteristics of the invention can be better understood from the following description that refers to the attached figures, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 7, in which it can be seen that the machine of the invention is made up of a frame (1) on which there is an in-feed conveyor belt (2) along which the uncapped containers, filled with the corresponding product are fed, and an exit conveyor belt (3), on which the containers, now capped, come out. These belts are parallel to each other so that the final end of one is facing the start end of the other, defining a work space (4) between both ends, as shown in FIG. 7, in which the jar capping process is carried out.

[0032] For the jar capping process in the work zone (4), the machine has a centring station, in which, when the containers reach the final end of the in-feed conveyor belt (2) they are moved transverse to the said belt by a mechanism that involves a carriage (5), that is movable axially and at an angle on a shaft (6), the carriage being associated with a plate (7) with a “U”-shaped notch, the diameter of which is according to the diameter of the container to be moved. It is envisaged that the plate (7), or jar positioning blade, has the means for adjusting its width in order to adapt to different jar diameters, although alternatively, it may be interchangeable with different plates (7) with different fixed widths.

[0033] Thus, once the container reaches the final end of the in-feed conveyor belt (2), the carriage with the plate (7) in vertical position, moves until it is opposite the container, it then tilts the plate (7) so that it grips the container and then the carriage proceeds to move axially on the shaft (6) to place the container in the work zone (4).

[0034] Above the work zone (4) there is a hood (8) that is vertically movable and capable of hermetically sealing the said work zone (4). This hood is associated with means that can create a vacuum inside it, preferably up to 10 mbar absolute vacuum. Such means for creating a vacuum may be, for example, a vacuum pump, pneumatic depressor, venturi device, or any other functionally equivalent device.

[0035] Concentric to the hood (8), and inside it, located over the zone where the jar is positioned, there is a head (9), that is also vertically movable in an independent manner from the hood (8), which includes means for its angular rotation, this element being in charge of placing the lids on the mouth of the jars and closing them by rotation. Also inside the hood (8) there are clamps (14) that can press against the walls of the jar to immobilise it.

[0036] The means for vertically moving the hood (8) and the head (9) can be linear actuators or servomotors. The means for angular rotation of the head (9) preferably will be servomotors although they can be any other combination of angle motors with sensors capable of regulating and measuring the torque applied, with the required precision.

[0037] The machine also has a hopper (10) in which the lids to be applied are stored, associated with a drop chute (11), the end opening (12) of which is opposite a lid positioner (13) in the form of a horizontally movable element which moves the lid from the end opening (12) to the height of the head (9), which includes means for securing the said lid, all of which as can be seen in the detail in FIG. 3. It is envisaged that the drop chute (11) that supplies the lids, has means to adjust its width in order to adapt to different lid diameters, although alternatively it may be interchangeable with different drop chutes (11) with different fixed widths.

[0038] The means for adjusting the width of the plate (7) and of the drop chute (11) may be any of those currently known to control the movement of a part, such as linear actuators, servomotors, etc.

[0039] It also includes a control panel (15) that is responsible for controlling the automatic operating sequence of all of the machine elements, vacuum pump, servomotors and various actuators, with its corresponding graphic interface for selecting and pre-programming different types of containers, for which the necessary parameters are stored: tightening torques for the head (9), vacuum pressure inside the hood (8), width of the plate (7), width of the drop chute (11), etc. The control panel (15) may also include means for storing data, and/or means for communicating with an external control computer, allowing the capping process that is carried out to be tracked for each batch, for it to be used in association with the preservation of the products.

[0040] The machine also has a centralised lubrication system that facilitates machine maintenance tasks.

[0041] The characteristic operation of this machine is as follows:

[0042] Once the lid has been placed in the corresponding securing means of the head (9), located vertically over the jar, the jar positioner (13) is withdrawn, and the hood (8) moves down until it seals and isolates the work zone (4) where the container to be capped is perfectly positioned.

[0043] Then, a pre-programmed vacuum is applied inside the hood (8) and the internal clamps (14) are activated to press against the jar's walls to immobilise it. The pre-programmed vacuum applied creates high-vacuum conditions inside the hood (8) which are controllable and programmable for each type of container via the control panel screen (15). As the jar is inside the hood these same vacuum conditions are also applied to the jar to be capped.

[0044] Once the required vacuum has been created inside the hood (8), the head (9) moves down with the lid positioned in its securing means until it coincides with the jar neck, and it rotates until the pre-programmed closing torque for that container is reached. Configuration and precise control by servomotors allows the closing torque applied to the lid to be controlled with a sensitivity of around 0.05 N/m. This ensures that oxygen does not enter the container and that it is perfectly capped with the pre-set tightening torque.

[0045] Once the container has been capped, the head (9) and the hood (8) are raised, leaving the container accessible to the carriage (5), which by means of the plate (7) moves the capped container to the exit conveyor belt (3).

[0046] Although all of these mechanisms are synchronised and automated, the machine is equipped with means for controlling each of them separately.

[0047] A person skilled in the art will easily comprehend that the characteristics of different embodiments can be combined with the characteristics of other possible embodiments, provided that the combination is technically possible.

[0048] All of the information referring to examples or embodiments form part of the description of the invention.