Coupling method and unit for coupling a component of a container to a container, an apparatus with such a coupling unit

Abstract

A coupling method for coupling a component of a container to the container is presented. The method includes: arranging a coupling unit including a coupling assembly with a frame, a gripping device for the component, a coupling device for constraining the component to the container; arranging the container and the component at least partially within the container, providing at least a minimum spacing between a bottom of the component and a base of the container; moving and activating the gripping device at a removal position of the component; moving the retaining element and the coupling element to a coupling position; deactivating the retaining element, thus deactivating a constraint between the gripping element and the component; and activating said coupling element to produce a stable coupling between the couplable portion of the component and the container, deactivating and moving the coupling element.

Claims

1. A coupling method for coupling a component of a container to said container, the method comprising arranging a coupling unit comprising a coupling assembly, the coupling assembly comprising: a frame, a gripping device moveably constrained to said frame, the gripping device comprising a retaining element configured to selectively retain said component, a coupling device moveably constrained to said frame, the coupling device comprising a coupling element configured to constrain said component to said container at a predetermined coupling position of said component relative to said container, and a retaining seat constrained to said frame and configured to stably house said container; arranging (i) said container in said retaining seat and (ii) said component at least partially within said container, providing at least a predetermined minimum spacing between a bottom of said component and a base of said container; positioning said gripping device and said coupling device at an initial position in which said gripping device and said coupling device are at an initial spacing from said bottom of said component; moving said gripping device to a removal position in which said gripping device is positioned near or in contact with said component, and activating said retaining element to selectively constrain said component to said retaining element, maintaining at all times a safety spacing from said base, preventing said bottom from touching said base; moving said retaining element and said coupling element to a coupling position in which a predetermined couplable portion of said component is placed in contact with said container; deactivating said retaining element, thus deactivating a constraint between said gripping element and said component; activating said coupling element for a predetermined coupling time to produce a stable coupling between said couplable portion of said component and said container; deactivating said coupling element; and moving said retaining element and said coupling element away from said component to a final position.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before moving said retaining element and said coupling element to a coupling position: moving at least said gripping device away from said base of said container to a predetermined engagement position of said gripping device to assume a coupling configuration of said retaining element relative to said coupling element.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said steps: moving towards said predetermined engagement position, moving to said coupling position, activating of the coupling element, deactivating said coupling element, and moving to the final position are performed while maintaining said coupling configuration between said retaining element and said coupling element.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said coupling element is a welder comprising a conical or truncated cone-shaped portion tapered towards said container, having a diameter greater than a maximum dimension of said retaining element and of said bottom of said component.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said coupling element is a thermal or ultrasonic welder.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein when said coupling element is an ultrasonic welder, before said step of moving said retaining element and said coupling element to said final position, said coupling element produces an ultrasonic pulse to further disengage said component from said coupling element.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising: positioning a counter-welder external to said container, the counter-welder abutting against said container at said couplable portion when said coupling element is active and in contact with said couplable portion of said component.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said final position coincides with said initial position.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said coupling unit comprises a transporter on which said assembly is housed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said retaining element operates in a reduced pressure regime.

11. A coupling unit for performing the method according to claim 1, the coupling unit comprising at least one coupling assembly, each at least one coupling assembly comprising: a frame, a gripping device moveably constrained to said frame, the gripping device comprising a retaining element configured to selectively retain said component, a coupling device moveably constrained to said frame, the coupling device comprising a coupling element configured to constrain said component to said container at a predetermined coupling position of said component relative to said container, and a retaining seat constrained to said frame with impeded vertical translation relative to said frame and configured to stably house said container, so that said component is moveable relative to said container, said container being stationary, said container being stably constrained in said retaining seat and said component being at least partially housed within said container, providing at least a predetermined minimum spacing between a bottom of said component and a base of said container.

12. The coupling unit according to claim 11, wherein said retaining seat, said retaining element and said coupling element are coaxially aligned vertically with each other.

13. The coupling unit according to claim 11, wherein said retaining element comprises a cylindrical rod coaxial with and sliding within said coupling element, and said coupling element comprises a hollow cylindrical body in which said cylindrical rod of said retaining element slides.

14. The coupling unit according to claim 11, wherein said coupling element is a welder comprising a conical or truncated cone-shaped portion tapered towards said container and having a diameter greater than a maximum dimension of said retaining element and of said bottom of said component.

15. The coupling unit according to claim 11, wherein said coupling element is a thermal or ultrasonic welder.

16. The coupling unit according to claim 11, wherein the at least one coupling assembly are a plurality of coupling assemblies mutually spaced at an angular pitch.

17. The coupling unit according to claim 11, comprising a transporter on which said coupling assembly is constrained.

18. The coupling unit according to claim 17, wherein said transporter is a rotary carousel.

19. An article production apparatus comprising at least one coupling unit according to claim 11.

Description

(1) The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the detailed description of an embodiment illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a coupling assembly in an initial position made in accordance with the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the removal position;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the engaged position;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the coupling position;

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the final position;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the initial position;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the engaged position;

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the coupling position;

(10) FIG. 9a is a perspective view of FIG. 1 coupling assembly after the coupling position;

(11) FIG. 9b is a perspective view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 in the final position;

(12) FIG. 10 is a schematic view from above of an article production apparatus according to the present invention.

(13) With initial reference to FIG. 10, 800 refers to a production apparatus provided to form and fill a container with a desired product, so as to obtain a finished container, ready to be packaged or used.

(14) The embodiment example described below refers to containers 10 in the form of capsules on which a component 20 in the form of a filter is coupled.

(15) In the specific case described herein, the containers 10 are capsule type elements for the preparation of beverages by infusion, in particular coffee capsules.

(16) In the present example and as depicted in FIGS. 1-9b, the capsule 10 has a substantially upturned truncated conical shape presenting a base 11 of substantially flat and circular shape from which a lateral wall 12 is transversely projected.

(17) This lateral wall 12 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 6 is inclined with respect to the vertical line having the smaller diameter thereof at the base 11 and the larger diameter thereof at an upper opening 13.

(18) Again with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6, it can be seen that the lateral wall 12 of the container 10 ends at the top with an edge 14 projecting radially outward the container 10 itself.

(19) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the filter 20 also has a substantially upturned truncated conical shape and has a substantially flat and circular bottom 21 from which a side surface 22 transversely projects.

(20) In FIGS. 1 and 10, 100 identifies a coupling unit comprising a coupling assembly 1 and a transporter 200 in the form of a rotary carousel.

(21) More specifically, said coupling assembly 1 comprises a frame 2, a gripping device 30 and a coupling device 40.

(22) Even more in detail and with reference to FIG. 2, the gripping device 30 comprises a retaining element 31 and the coupling device 40 comprises a coupling element 41.

(23) The retaining element 31 represented is a suction cup operating in reduced pressure.

(24) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that this gripping device 30 also comprises a vacuum system 31a fluid-dynamically connected to the suction cup 31 by means of a vertical hollow cylindrical rod 35 which is coaxial with the coupling device 40 and which slides within a hollow body 45 included in the coupling element 41.

(25) In fact, the hollow body 45 has a substantially cylindrical shape within which the cylindrical rod 35 connected to the suction cup 31 translates vertically.

(26) With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, the suction cup 31 is always positioned inferiorly with respect to the hollow body 45 and has a circular development with a maximum diameter which is greater than the through hole in said hollow body 45.

(27) It is also significant to consider that interposed between the hollow body 45 and the suction cup 31 there is a head 42 which is depicted in FIGS. 1-9b as a portion of a thermal welder.

(28) With reference to FIG. 9a, this head 42, which identifies the heatable portion of the thermal welder that can be activated, for example, by means of thermoresistors, also has an upturned truncated conical shape in which the diameter of the smaller circular base is towards the bottom 21 of the filter 20.

(29) Alternatively, in embodiments not shown in the figures, the heating portion of the thermal welder corresponds to a lower portion of the hollow body 45.

(30) Still alternatively, in embodiments not shown in the figures, the coupling element 41 is an ultrasonic welder and the head 42 does not act as a directly vibrating part but simply as an insertion cone suitable for abutting against the filter 20. In this case, the ultrasonic welding device is preferably housed in the hollow body 45 and brings it into vibration in order to perform the welding of the filter 20 on the capsule 10.

(31) Again with reference to FIGS. 1-3, the head 42 is connected to the coupling device 40 through a tube which is also hollow and is coaxially interposed between said hollow body 45 and said cylindrical rod 35.

(32) In this way, the head 42 can be translated independently with respect to the suction cup 31 according to the desired process steps.

(33) These considerations are similarly valid in the case where the coupling element 41 performs an ultrasonic welding, considering however that, in this situation, the head 42 acts only as an abutment element on the filter 20 while the devices in charge of producing the ultrasounds are included inside the hollow body 45. According to these embodiments, it will be possible for the entire hollow body 45 included in the coupling element 41 to translate as required.

(34) In more detail and as shown in FIGS. 3-5, the retaining element 31 and the coupling element 41 may translate reciprocally along a vertical axis Z and assume a coupling configuration Ca in which they are at a predefined mutual spacing which is represented in the aforesaid figures as being equal to zero.

(35) It is advantageous to be able to maintain such a coupling configuration Ca in all desired following process steps, including the welding step as shown in FIG. 4, since in this way one is certain of the mutual arrangement between the suction cup 31 and the head 42 (and more generally of the coupling element 41) and consequently also of the position and shape of the filter 20.

(36) Again with reference to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the coupling assembly 1 comprises a retaining seat 50 positioned below with respect to the gripping device 30 when in its highest position along the axis Z.

(37) This seat 50 is a substantially horizontal groove or recess of semi-circular shape made inside two pincers 55 each rotatable around a respective pin 56 having a rotation axis parallel to the vertical axis Z.

(38) Again with reference to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the seat 50 is dimensioned in such a way as to be able to house within it at least a portion of the edge 14 of the container 10 in order to realise a stable constraint between the container 10 and the coupling unit 100 itself.

(39) In this way, the container 10 is always firmly constrained and housed during all processing steps of this coupling method.

(40) In order to remove the container 10, it is sufficient to rotate the pincers 55 in mutually opposite directions of rotation so as to open and remove the constraint acting on the container 10 itself.

(41) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 6, it can be noted that the suction cup 31 and the head 42 are at the beginning of this method at the initial spacing Dmax from the bottom 21 of the filter 20 at an initial position I and that at the same time the filter 20 is only partially housed inside the capsule 10 thus determining a predetermined minimum spacing Dmin other than zero between the bottom 21 of the filter 20 and the base 11 of the capsule 10.

(42) At this point and with reference to FIG. 2, the suction cup 31 descends vertically towards the capsule 10, thus intercepting the filter 20.

(43) As the suction cup 31 descends, the vacuum system 31a is activated and the filter is drawn by reduce pressure towards the suction cup 31, which starts to retain it firmly and solidly.

(44) At this point, and with reference to FIG. 3, the suction cup 31 rises vertically up to the engagement position Im, where it cooperates synergistically with the head 42.

(45) It can also be noted from FIG. 3 that as the suction cup rises vertically, the head 42 descends slightly to meet the suction cup and the lateral surface 22 of the filter 20.

(46) In this way, the upturned truncated conical shape of the head 42 pushes the lateral surface 22 of the filter 20 outwards, deforming it slightly and preparing it even more effectively for the following welding on the capsule 10.

(47) It is interesting to note that at this point the head 42 is engaged on the lateral surface 22 at or near a couplable portion 25 of the filter 20.

(48) This couplable portion 25 is the portion which will be heated by the head 42 and welded to the lateral wall 12 of the capsule 10.

(49) At this point and with reference to FIG. 4, the suction cup 31 and the head 42 move together maintaining the same mutual engagement and reach the coupling position Ac in which the predetermined couplable portion 25 of the filter 20 is placed in contact with the capsule 10.

(50) As shown in FIG. 7 while the suction cup 31 reaches the engagement position Im a counter-welder 39 external to said capsule 10 rises vertically from a rest position, in which it was positioned inferiorly with respect to the capsule 10, up to an abutment position so as to abut against said capsule 10 at the coupling portion 25 when the head 42 is in contact with the coupling portion 25 itself.

(51) With reference to FIG. 8, it can be noted that the head 42 is activated and the couplable portion 25 of the filter 20 is heated while the suction cup 31 continues to be active and the counter-welder 39 in the abutment position.

(52) The welding is carried out for a predetermined coupling time between 0.1 and 0.8 seconds at a head temperature between 150 and 300? C.

(53) After this coupling time the head 42 is deactivated and the suction cup 31 is also deactivated.

(54) FIGS. 5 and 9b show the suction cup 31 and the head 42 translating solidly vertically away from the bottom 21 of the filter 20 and from the couplable portion 25 towards a final position F.

(55) Advantageously, the final position F coincides with the initial position I.

(56) As can be noted from FIG. 10, a plurality of coupling assemblies 1 is mounted on a transporter 200 having the form of a rotary carousel.

(57) The plurality of coupling assemblies used is equal to 32.

(58) This plurality of assemblies is arranged at an angular pitch on the rotary carousel 200.

(59) The processing steps leading to the welding of the filter 20 on the capsule 10 cover a rotation arc which varies between 160? and 270?, more preferably 240?.

(60) In particular, the welding step of the filter on the capsule takes place on a rotating arc of the rotary carousel 200 which varies between 60? and 180?, more preferably 120?.

(61) Thanks to these technical solutions, the Applicant has found that it is possible to couple at least 800 up to 2000 containers per minute, depending on the dimensions, the overall dimensions and the production needs, with a single-line coupling unit.