Assembly machine adapted to assemble caps onto spouts and a method of assembling caps onto spouts

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly machine adapted to assemble caps (3) onto spouts (2) and a method of assembling caps onto spouts, wherein use is made of such an assembly machine. The assembly machine comprises a spout supply (10), a cap supply (20) and a frame comprising a cap guide arc (30). The frame further comprises a turret assembly (40) comprising a circular spout transporter (41), a cap positioning element (42) provided above the cap guide arc (30) and a cap assembly unit (43) provided above the spout transporter (41). The cap assembly unit (43) is adapted to pick up the cap at a pick-up position (C) and assemble the cap onto the spout at an assembly position (D).

Claims

1. Assembly machine (1) adapted to assemble caps (3) onto spouts (2), the assembly machine comprising: a spout supply (10) adapted to supply spouts (2) in succession at a spout supply position (A); a cap supply (20) adapted to supply caps (3) in succession at a cap supply position (B); a frame comprising: a cap guide arc (30), mounted stationary in the frame, which cap guide arc is adapted to receive each cap (3) from the cap supply (20) and to guide the cap between the cap supply position (B) and a cap pick-up position (C); a turret assembly (40) which is rotatable about an essentially vertical rotation axis (R), which is provided along and adjacent to the spout supply position (A), the cap supply position (B) and the cap guide arc (30), the turret assembly passing, in the direction of rotation, the cap supply position (B), the cap pick-up position (C), an assembly position (D) in which cap and spout are assembled and an assembled cap-and-spout expelling position (E) wherein the assembled cap-and-spout is expelled from the turret assembly, the turret assembly (40) comprising: a circular spout transporter (41), provided with spout receptacles (41a) each adapted to receive a spout from the spout supply (10) at the spout supply position (A), the spout transporter (41) being adapted to transport each spout at least between the spout supply position (A), via the assembly position (D), towards the expelling position (E), a cap positioning element (42) provided above the cap guide arc (30) in an operative position thereof, the stationary cap guide arc being provided above and parallel to and having the same radius as the spout transporter (41), the cap positioning element (42) being adapted to position the cap in, and guide the cap along the cap guide arc (30) in the operative position thereof between the cap supply position (B) and the cap pick-up position (C), the cap positioning element (42) being retractable to a non-operative retracted position when remote from the cap guide arc, a cap assembly unit (43) provided above the spout transporter (41), the rotation path of which being parallel to and having the same radius as the spout transporter (41), the cap assembly unit being adapted to pick up the cap at the pick-up position (C) and assemble the cap onto the spout at the assembly position (D), the cap assembly unit being movable up-and-down between a non-operative upper level, via a lower-situated pick-up level at the cap pick-up position (C) to a lowermost assembly level at the assembly position (D).

2. Assembly machine according to claim 1, wherein the cap is an anti-choke hazard wing cap and wherein the cap positioning element is allowed to abut the wings in the operative position thereof, to define the orientation of the wing cap at the pick-up position.

3. Assembly machine according to claim 1, the spout and/or cap supply comprising one or more of: a centrifugal feeder, a linear feeding line, a separation wheel.

4. Assembly machine according to claim 1, the turret assembly further comprising a spout fixation member provided adjacent the spout transporter, adapted to fixate a spout in an operative position at the assembly position, the spout fixation member being retractable to a non-operative retracted position remote from the assembly position.

5. Assembly machine according to claim 1, wherein the spout receptacles are embodied as pins or slides.

6. Assembly machine according to claim 1, adapted to assemble caps onto spouts to form a pre-assembled closure assembly that is to be sealed in an opening between two walls of a collapsible pouch.

7. Assembly machine according to claim 1, adapted to assemble caps onto spouts that have been sealed in an opening between two walls of a collapsible pouch.

8. Assembly machine according to claim 1, wherein the cap assembly unit is adapted to screw or click the cap onto the spout at the assembly position.

9. Method of assembling caps (3) onto spouts (2), wherein use is made of an assembly machine (1) according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: supplying spouts (2) by a spout supply (10) in succession at a spout supply position (A); supplying caps (3) by a cap supply (20) at a cap supply position (B); a cap guide arc (3) receiving each cap (3) from the cap supply (20) and guiding the cap between the cap supply position (B) to a cap pick-up position (C); a circular spout transporter (41) provided with spout receptacles (41a) receiving each spout from the spout supply (10) at the cap supply position (A) and transporting each spout at least from the spout supply position (A), via the assembly position (D), to the expelling position (E); a cap positioning element (42) positioning the cap in, and guiding the cap along the cap guide arc (30) between the cap supply position (B) and the cap pick-up position (C); the cap positioning element (42) retracting to a retracted position having a reduced radius when remote from the cap guide arc; a cap assembly unit (43) moving down from a non-operative upper level, via a lower-situated pick-up level, picking up the cap at the pick-up position (C), to a lowermost assembly level, assembling the cap onto the spout at the assembly position (D); expelling the assembled cap-and-spout from the turret assembly at the assembled cap-and-spout expelling position (E).

10. Method according to claim 9, preceded by the steps of: sealing a spout in an opening between two walls of a collapsible pouch; filling each of the collapsible pouches.

Description

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

(2) FIG. 1 shows schematically an assembly machine according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows in a perspective view an embodiment of a cap, adapted to be assembled onto a spout with the assembly machine of the invention;

(4) FIGS. 3A-3E show in perspective view various aspects of an embodiment of the assembly machine of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross section of an embodiment of an assembly machine of the invention.

(6) In FIG. 1 very schematically an assembly machine 1 is shown, adapted to assemble caps 3 onto spouts 2. In FIG. 2, an example of a cap pre-assembled closure assembly 100 is shown, formed on an assembly machine according to the inventions, that is to be sealed in an opening between two walls of a collapsible pouch. In FIGS. 3A-3E, in perspective view various aspects of an assembly machine are shown in detail, and in FIG. 4. an assembly machine is shown in cross-section. In all FIGS. 1-4 the same reference numbers have been used to denote the same elements.

(7) The assembly machine 1 comprises a spout supply 10 adapted to supply spouts 2 in succession at a spout supply position A. A cap supply 20 is provided to supply caps 3 in succession at a cap supply position B. The assembly machine 1 further comprises a frame 25 comprising a stationary cap guide arc 30 and a rotatable turret assembly 40.

(8) The shown cap supply 20 and spout supply 10 comprise centrifugal feeders (not visible). The spouts are fed into a linear feeding line 11. E.g., the linear feeding line 11 is a stainless steel line. E.g., air blow transport is applied to supply the spouts. The spouts are fed into a separation wheel 12 and subsequently fed into the turret assembly 40.

(9) The caps are fed by a linear feeding line 21 into a rotary wheel 22. In the rotary wheel, in this embodiment, the caps are fixed into position by cam driven positioning shafts 23.

(10) The shown caps 3 are wing caps, wherein the purpose of the wings is to provide non-choke hazard, e.g. according to NEN EN 71.1 (small parts cylinder). As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, the cap 3 is a wing cap comprising wings 3a. Furthermore, the cap is provided with a tamper-evident ring 3b to identify first user proof.

(11) The cap guide arc 30, mounted stationary in the frame, is adapted to receive each cap 3 from the cap supply 20 and to guide the cap between the cap supply position B, visible in FIG. 3A, and a cap pick-up position C, visible in FIG. 3B. In the shown embodiment, the cap guide arc provides a recessed guide along which the caps may be guided.

(12) The turret assembly 40 is rotatable about an essentially vertical rotation axis R, which is provided along and adjacent to the spout supply position A, the cap supply position B and the cap guide arc 30. The turret assembly 40 passes, in the direction of rotation, the cap supply position B, visible in FIG. 3A, the cap pick-up position C, visible in FIG. 3B, an assembly position D, visible in FIG. 3C in which cap 3 and spout 2 are assembled and an assembled cap-and-spout expelling position E wherein the assembled cap-and-spout 100 is expelled from the turret assembly 40. In FIG. 3E, it is visible that in an embodiment, the assembly machine may further comprise an inspection system 50 at an inspection position I between the assembly position D and the expelling position E in which the assembled cap-and-spout 100 is inspected for anomalies.

(13) The turret assembly 40 of the shown embodiment comprises, when seen from below to top, a circular spout transporter 41, a spout fixation member 44 and a cap positioning element 42. Furthermore, a cap assembly unit 43 is provided, which are all rotatable together as a turret assembly.

(14) As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the stationary cap guide arc 30 is provided above and parallel to, and has the same radius as the spout transporter 41. The cap guide arc 30 has a limited length, in particular, it does not extend far beyond the cap pick-up position C. From this position, the cap 3 is held by a cap positioning element 42, and the guide is no longer required to support the cap 3.

(15) The circular spout transporter 41 is adapted to transport each spout 2 at least between the spout supply position A, via the assembly position D, towards the expelling position E.

(16) The circular spout transporter 41 is provided with spout receptacles, each adapted to receive a spout from the spout supply 10 at the spout supply position A. In the shown embodiment, the spout receptacles are embodied as pins 41b protruding through holes 41a in the spout transporter 41, in particular visible in FIG. 3E. The holes 41a are clearly visible, the pins 41b are allowed to extend through the holes to receive a spout 2 on the pin 41b, in particular to be inserted in the passage of the spout 2. This way, the bottom part of the spout 2 comprising the sealing walls rests on the pin and on the spout transporter 41 as visible in FIGS. 3C and 3D. Once the cap 3 is assembled onto the spout 2, as visible in FIGS. 3D and 3E the pin may be retracted below the spout transporter 41 to enable expelling of the assembled cap-and-spout from the assembly machine 1.

(17) In the shown embodiment, a spout fixation member 44 is provided, visible in FIGS. 3C-3E, provided above and adjacent the spout transporter 41. The spout fixation member 44 of the shown embodiment has a forked configuration with blunt ends 44a between which an indentation 44b is provided. In the shown embodiment, the blunt ends 44a abut against winged portions 2a of the spout 2. The central portion of the lower part of the spout 2b comprising the passage is received in the indentation 44b of the spout fixation member.

(18) In FIGS. 3A and 3B the cap positioning element 42 is visible, which in this embodiment is embodied similar to the spout fixation member 44, i.e., having a forked configuration with blunt edges 42a between which an indentation (not shown) is provided. The blunt edges 42a are allowed to abut against the wings 3a of the cap 3, while a central part 3b of the cap 3 is received in the indentation between the forks. The cap positioning element 42 is adapted to position the cap 3 in, and guide the cap 3 along the cap guide arc 30 in the operative position thereof between the cap supply position B and the cap pick-up position C, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As visible in FIG. 3B, once the position of the cap is controlled by the cap positioning element 42, the cap is allowed to be picked up by the cap assembly unit 43. Then, the function of cap guide arc 30 and cap positioning element 42 is moot, and hence the cap guide arc 30 is of limited length, and the cap positioning element 42 is retractable to a retracted non-operative position in FIGS. 3C-3E, when remote from the guide arc 30.

(19) Both the spout fixation member 44 and the cap positing element 42 are retractable between an operative position wherein the spout fixation member 44 and the cap positing element 42 are adapted to fixate a spout 2 and the cap 3 respectively, to a non-operative retracted position. In particular, the spout fixation member is in the operative position at the assembly position D, as visible in FIG. 3C, and in the non-operative retracted position remote from the assembly position as shown in FIG. 3E.

(20) The cap assembly unit 43 is provided movable up-and-down between a non-operative upper level as visible in FIG. 3A, at the cap supply position B, via a lower-situated pick-up level as visible in FIG. 3B at the cap pick-up position C, further downwards as visible in FIG. 3C to a lowermost assembly level at the assembly position D. In FIG. 3D, the cap assembly unit 43 has already moved upwards slightly, and even further to its non-operative upper level in FIG. 3E, similar to the level of the cap assembly unit 43 in FIG. 3A.

(21) Cap assembly unit 43 is provided above the spout transporter 41, in particular above a spout receptacle of the spout transporter 41, and has a rotation path which is parallel to and has the same radius as the spout transporter 41. The cap assembly unit 43 is further adapted to pick up the cap 3 at the pick-up position C, visible in FIG. 3B, and assemble the cap 3 onto the spout 2 at the assembly position D, visible in FIGS. 3C and 3D. Due to its position above the spout transporter 41, the cap assembly unit 43 with the cap may operate on the spout while both the spout and the cap assembly unit 43 rotate with the turret. To this end, the cap assembly unit 43 is provided with an assembly head 43a, here a screw head, which is rotatable about a vertical rotation axis S. Advantageously, the orientation of the wings 3a of the cap 3 once assembled to the spout is accurately known due to the engagement with the screw head 43a of the cap assembly unit 43.

(22) In an embodiment, the cap assembly unit 43 is a servo driven brushless motor. Advantageously, the cap assembly unit 43 is provided with a position controller to accurately control the position of the assembly head, here screw head 43a of the unit. In combination with the accurately controlled position of the cap 3, in particular the fragile wings 3a of the wing cap which is ascertained by the cap positioning element 42, the cap assembly unit 43 can come down at the cap pick-up position C in order to pick up the caps without damaging the wings 3a of the wing cap 3.