Method for forming a metal closure

Abstract

A modular method of forming a two part metal closure comprises a lug forming module for forming lugs 3 on a ring 1, a panel curl module, and an assembly module which fixes the panel inside the ring while allowing axial movement of the panel for opening.

Claims

1. A method of forming a profile in a metal ring for use in a two part metal closure comprising the ring and an independently formed metal panel, the method comprising: sliding the ring over a cylindrical pushing tool, the cylindrical pushing tool comprising a ledge and a plurality of protrusions, wherein a first end of the ring is seated against the ledge; and pushing a second end of the ring into a forming tool to form the profile comprising curl and lug portions, wherein the lug portion is formed by one of the plurality of protrusions.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pushing tool removes the ring from the forming tool after the profile has been formed due to the pushing tool being sized to exert a sufficient grip on the ring.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: forming a pre-curl on said second end of the ring prior to the step of forming a profile comprising curl and lug portions.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising: after forming the pre-curl on said second end of the ring, cutting the ring from a closure blank.

5. An assembly module configured to form a metal ring for use in a two part metal closure, the assembly module comprising: a cylindrical pushing tool adapted to slidably receive the metal ring, the cylindrical pushing tool comprising: a ledge adapted to seat against one end of the metal ring, and a plurality of protrusions; and a forming tool adapted to receive an opposite end of the metal ring to form a profile comprising curl and lug portions, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to form each lug portion.

6. An assembly module according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of protrusions are shaped to form the upper sides of the lugs at an angle relative to a plane of the ring and corresponding to threads of a jar onto which the closure is to be applied.

7. An assembly module according to claim 5, wherein an end of the pushing tool is divided into segments and further comprising a plate provided with cut-out portions corresponding to each segment and through which the pushing tool is moved, wherein the plate is adapted to slidably receive the ring into a position on the plate, and the pushing tool is further adapted to move to lift the ring, slide the ring into position against the ledge, and push the ring into the forming tool to form the profile, before the pushing tool is moved back through the plate to remove the ring from the pushing tool.

8. An assembly module according to claim 5, wherein the pushing tool includes an inner cylindrical portion separated from an outer portion on which said ledge is provided, wherein the pushing tool is adapted to strip the ring off the pushing tool by sliding along the cylindrical portion to strip the ring off the pushing tool.

9. An assembly module according to claim 5, further comprising: a cylindrical outer sleeve adapted to receive the ring, and a cylindrical inner part which provides the ledge.

10. An assembly module according to claim 9, wherein said outer sleeve is adapted to bend the edge of the ring slightly inwards to assist subsequent forming of an inward curl at that edge.

11. An assembly module according to claim 9, said cylindrical outer sleeve and said cylindrical inner part being arranged to slide to assist loading and removal of the ring.

12. An assembly module according to claim 5, wherein forming tool comprises: one part having a profile corresponding to a shape of the curl and lug portions to be formed, and a separate cylindrical internal part adapted to limit the inward movement of the lugs and accurately control the distance between opposing lugs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a ring which has lugs;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lugging tool;

(3) FIG. 3 is a further perspective view of a lugging tool and pusher;

(4) FIGS. 4a and 4b are side sections on the lugging tool at curl and lug positions of the ring respectively;

(5) FIG. 5 is an inverted lugging tool;

(6) FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c are side sections of panel die curl forming steps;

(7) FIG. 7 is a section of tooling of an assembly module for forming a first operation curl on an upper edge of the ring; FIG. 7a is an enlarged section of the roller at a lug position; and

(8) FIG. 8 is a section of tooling of the assembly module, for forming a second operation ring curl, in the closed position; FIG. 8a is an enlarged section of the roller at a curl position.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1 shows a closure ring 1, having four lugs 3 which are spaced at equal distances around the perimeter of the ring 1. Between the lugs 3, the perimeter is in the form of a curl 5. In the method of the invention, the closure comprises two parts, a ring such as that shown in FIG. 1 and a panel which is described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 6. The method of forming the two part closure of the invention requires first forming of a ring having lugs as shown in FIG. 1. This ring is also referred to as a lugged ring.

(10) Forming of lugs on an unsupported ring of thin sheet metal is an essential part of the present invention. A tool for forming lugs is also referred to as a lugger or lugging tool. FIG. 2 shows an upper isometric view of a lugging tool 30 above a pushing tool 10 (also referred to as a pusher). In FIG. 3, the lugging tool 30 is angled away from the plane of the paper to show positions of profiles for forming the lugs.

(11) The pushing tool 10 has a ledge 12 on which, in use, a ring 1 can be seated. In this way, the ledge provides support for the ring while the lug forming tool 30 engages the opposite end of the ring for forming curl and lug portions of the ring. The pusher 10 carrying a ring 1 is generally moved towards the lug forming tool 30 although clearly the lugger could move towards the pusher or a combination of both movements could be used.

(12) The pusher 10 is shown in the same angle perspective positions for both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The end of the pushing tool 10 of FIGS. 2 and 3 is divided into segments 16 and the pusher of FIG. 2 also includes a plate 18. The plate 18 is provided with cut-out portions corresponding to each segment 16, through which the pushing tool is moved. Thus, in use, the ring is positioned on the plate and the pushing tool lifts the ring and slides it against the ledge 12 (FIG. 3).

(13) Further upward movement of the pushing tool pushes the ring 1 into the forming tool to form the lugged profile of the ring as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the pusher includes protrusions 14 which correspond to the positions of the lugs which are to be formed on the ring. These protrusions 14 are shaped to form the upper sides of the lugs into an angle or angles which correspond to the threads of the jar onto which the closure is to be applied.

(14) Finally, the pushing tool is moved back through the plate to remove the ring from the pushing tool.

(15) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged side section of an inverted pusher in which the inner cylindrical portion 20 is separated from the outer portion 22 which includes the ledge 12. This configuration enables the outer portion 22 to slide relative to the inner portion so that the ledge strips the ring off the pushing tool.

(16) Also in the inverted tool of FIG. 5, the lugging tool 30 at the bottom has a cylindrical inner part 34. Inner part 34 limits the inward movement of the lugs and controls accurately the distance between opposing lugs.

(17) FIGS. 2 to 5 effectively comprise a lug forming module of the closure manufacture of the invention. A panel forming module is shown in FIG. 6. The panel forming module provides a method of simultaneously curling the edge 42 of a disc-shaped panel part 40, and reducing the diameter of the panel 40. The face 44 of the panel 40 is lifted and clamped against a sprung centre section of die 47, whilst the panel wall 46 is pushed into the die 47.

(18) The die 47 has a profile wall 48 which reduces in diameter with the radially innermost part having a radius which corresponds to the desired shape of the curl at the edge 42 of the panel. The edge 42 is typically provided with a form of pre-curl which is shown in the drawings of FIG. 6. This pre-curl is of smaller radius than that of the final curl, as can be seen by the profile of the uppermost part of profiled die wall 48.

(19) The closure manufacture of the present invention provides a final assembly module in which rings from the ring forming module of FIGS. 2 to 5 are coupled with the panels from panel forming module of FIG. 6. The final module is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and initially involves placing a panel 40 inside a ring 1. The formation of the two part closure requires a curl to be formed at the upper end 6 of the ring. The inward curling of the upper end of the ring retains the panel 40 between upper and lower curls, whilst allowing movement of the panel between the curled ends.

(20) The inward curl on the upper end is formed by pushing the panel 40 into the ring 1 with a pusher 50 and then placing the assembled ring and panel into a holder 54. The ring 1 is then moved axially into contact with spinning rollers 52 as shown in FIG. 7 to form the first operation curl. In FIG. 8, the ring undergoes a second curling operation in which the curl is tightened to its final form.

(21) Once the panel is enclosed within the ring, it is free to move axially whilst forming a unitary closure.

(22) The methods have been described above by way of example only and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the upper end of the ring may be curled twice by the method described, and the rollers of the first curl have a smaller forming radius than the second curl. This allows the cut edge of the ring to be safely hidden, and the height of the panel within the ring to be well controlled during capping.

(23) In an alternative method of forming the second curl, the upper end of the ring may be pushed into a die, but this method requires more axial force to be applied by the holder.

(24) All the methods described may be carried out in any orientation, and appropriate handling and guiding features that have not been shown for clarity may be included.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(25) 1 closure ring 3 lugs 5 curls 6 upper edge of ring 10 pushing tool (pusher) 12 ledge (on pusher) 14 protrusions (on pusher) 16 segments (on end of pusher) 18 plate 20 inner cylindrical portion 22 outer ledge portion (of reciprocating pusher) 30 lug forming tool 32 lug forming profile 34 cylindrical inner part (stop) 40 panel part 42 panel edge 44 panel face 46 panel wall 47 die 48 profile wall of die 50 conveyor/pusher for panel 52 roller 54 holder 56 outer sleeve 58 ejector