APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A CONTAINER CLOSURE TO A CONTAINER, AND CLOSER

Abstract

An apparatus for applying a container closure to a container, for example for applying a can lid to a can, for example in a beverage filling plant, includes an application unit having a closure receptacle for receiving a container closure, and an ejector unit movable relative to the application unit for ejecting a container closure received in the closure receptacle, wherein an ejector part, for example in the form of an ejector screen, which comes into physical contact with the container closure, for ejecting the container closure is arranged on the ejector unit on its side facing the closure receptacle, wherein the ejector part is detachably attached to the ejector unit via a quick-coupling mechanism. A closer including the apparatus is also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying a container closure to a container comprising: an application unit having a closure receptacle configured to receive the container closure; an ejector unit movable relative to the application unit and configured to eject the container closure received in the closure receptacle; and an ejector part arranged on the ejector unit on its side facing the closure receptacle, configured to eject the container closure, and detachably attached to the ejector unit via a coupling mechanism, wherein when the container closure is ejected, the ejector part physically contacts the container closure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ejector part comprises an ejector screen.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a coupling part fastened to the ejector unit to which the ejector part is detachably coupled.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the ejector unit forms the coupling part.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a position of the coupling part relative to the ejector unit is adjustable between the coupling part and the ejector unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the position of the coupling part is adjustable due to positioning of a predetermined number of shims between the coupling part and the ejector unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the ejector unit and the coupling part comprise correspondingly formed stop surfaces that are oriented transversely to a mounting direction in which the coupling part is mounted to the ejector unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the ejector part comprises a coupling groove configured to receive at least one detent body.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one detent body comprises a detent ball.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the coupling part comprises at least one detent body receptacle configured to receive at least one detent body.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an actuating part that is movable relative to the ejector part and arranged on the ejector part.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an actuating part that is arranged on the coupling part and is movable relative to the coupling part between a detent position and a release position, wherein, in the detent position, the actuating part fixes at least one detent body in a detent position where the at least one detect body forms a positive connection between the ejector part and the coupling part, and in the release position, the at least one detent body is disengagable from the ejector part or the coupling part.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the actuating part is biased into the detent position by a bias part.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the bias part comprises a bias spring.

15. A closer for closing containers with a container closure comprising: a container holder configured to hold an unsealed and filled container; and an apparatus for applying the container closure to a container comprising: an application unit having a closure receptacle configured to receive the container closure; an ejector unit movable relative to the application unit and configured to eject the container closure received in the closure receptacle; and an ejector part arranged on the ejector unit on its side facing the closure receptacle, configured to eject the container closure, and detachably attached to the ejector unit via a coupling mechanism, wherein when the container closure is ejected, the ejector part physically contacts the container closure.

16. The closer of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is arranged on a transport unit that is movable in a transport direction.

17. The closer of claim 16, wherein the closer is configured as a rotary-type closer and the transport unit is configured as a transport carousel.

18. The closer of claim 15, further comprising a fixed guide curve configured to specify a position of the ejector unit relative to the closure receptacle.

19. The closer of claim 18, wherein the ejector unit comprises a guide roller configured to roll on the fixed guide curve.

20. The closer of claim 18, wherein the fixed guide curve is configured to be height-adjustable in a direction of movement of the ejector unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] Advantageous further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view through a closer for closing a can with a can lid; and

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a schematic detailed sectional view of an apparatus for applying a can lid to a can, as installed in a majority in the closer according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Advantageous exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. Identical, similar, or identically acting elements are provided with identical reference signs in the various figures, and a repeated description of these elements is in some cases omitted in order to avoid redundancies.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a closer 100 for closing containers with a container closure, in the present case configured for closing cans filled with a beverage with a can lid, but not limited thereto. The closer 100 is intended as a component of a beverage filling plant.

[0038] The closer 100 comprises a frame 110 and a transport unit 120 that can be rotated about a central axis of rotation 101 about the frame 110. The closer 100 is thus configured as a rotary-type closer and the transport unit 120 is configured as a transport carousel. Alternatively, the closer 100 can also have a different structure.

[0039] The transport unit 110 comprises a plurality of apparatuses 1 arranged in an evenly distributed manner in the circumferential direction relative to the central axis of rotation 101 for applying a container closure to a container, here for applying a can lid to a can.

[0040] Each apparatus 1 comprises an application unit 10, which can also be referred to as a seaming head and which is oriented in the direction of a longitudinal axis 12, which is herein optionally oriented parallel to the axis of rotation 101, relative to the transport unit 120. The application unit 10 comprises a closure receptacle 11 for receiving a container closure, here a can lid. The closure receptacle 11 can thus be referred to as a can lid receptacle.

[0041] In order to close the can with the can lid, the application unit 10 cooperates with a can holder (not shown) assigned to the application unit 10, which constitutes an example of a container holder, and optionally with a flanging unit (not shown). The can holder is arranged below the application unit 10 with respect to the longitudinal axis 12. For applying the can lid to the unsealed can held in the can holder, the application unit 10 and the can holder are moved relative to each other and towards each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12. In the present case, this is achieved by configuring the can holder such that it can be moved in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12. Alternatively or additionally, the application unit 10 can also be configured such as to be movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12.

[0042] According to this exemplary embodiment, the application unit 10 and the can holder can rotate about the longitudinal axis 12, so that the optional flanging unit arranged on the transport unit 120 can perform a flanging of the edge of the can lid with a can opening of the can in order to connect the can lid to the can, more precisely to the can opening.

[0043] The apparatus 1 further comprises an ejector unit 20 which is movable relative to the application unit 10 for ejecting a container closure received in the closure receptacle 11.

[0044] An ejector part 21 is arranged on the ejector unit 20 on its side facing the closure receptacle 11 and is provided for ejecting a container closure located in the closure receptacle 11. When the container closure is ejected, the ejector part 21 comes into physical contact with the container closure. According to this non-limiting embodiment, the ejector part 21 has the shape of an ejector shield. Alternatively, it can also be configured as a central ejector, for example.

[0045] The closer 100 further comprises a fixed guide curve 130 for specifying the position of the ejector unit 120 relative to the closure receptacle 11. In the present case, in a non-limiting way, the ejector unit 20 comprises a guide roller 22 which rolls on the guide curve 130. The guide curve 130 is configured such that, in a predetermined first angle of rotation or angle of rotation range relative to the axis of rotation 101, the ejector part 21 is positioned at a distance from a container closure held in the intended position in the closure receptacle 11, or is positioned such as to act as an upper stop for the container closure. In this first angle of rotation or angle of rotation range, the container closure can be applied to the container to be closed. The guide curve 130 is further configured such that in a further angle of rotation or further angle of rotation section the ejector part 21 is moved downwards so as to eject a container closure remaining in the closure receptacle 11 from the closure receptacle 11.

[0046] The guide curve 130 is configured to be height-adjustable relative to the transport unit 120 in the direction of movement of the ejector unit 20, i.e., here in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12 or central axis of rotation 101. For this purpose, the guide curve 130 comprises a height adjustment apparatus 131, via which the height position of the guide curve 130 can be changed relative to the frame 110.

[0047] FIG. 2 schematically shows a sectional view through a partial region of the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1. It shows that the ejector part 21 is detachably attached to the ejector unit 20 via a quick-coupling mechanism 30.

[0048] The quick-coupling mechanism 30 comprises a coupling part 31 fastened to the ejector unit 20, to which the ejector part 21 is detachably coupled. Alternatively, the ejector unit 20 itself can form the coupling part.

[0049] A position of the coupling part 31 relative to the ejector unit 20, more precisely of an ejector rod 24 of the ejector unit 20, with respect to the longitudinal axis 12 is adjustable. According to this non-limiting embodiment, the position of the coupling part 31 can be adjusted by positioning a predetermined number of shims 40, which are configured here, for example, as washers, between the coupling part 31 and the ejector unit 20.

[0050] The ejector unit 20 and the coupling part 31 comprise correspondingly formed stop surfaces 23, 32, which are oriented transversely to a mounting direction in which the coupling part 31 is mounted to the ejector unit 20. Here, the mounting direction is oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12. The intended number of shims 40 is arranged between the aforementioned stop surfaces 23, 32. The position of the coupling part 31 relative to the ejector unit 20, more precisely of the ejector rod 24 of the ejector unit 20, can be adjusted via the number of shims 40. The position can thus be changed by changing the number of shims 40.

[0051] As already described in the general part hereof, the predetermined number can range from zero to a plurality of shims 40. The number and thickness of the shims 40 are selected as required to position the coupling part 31 and thereby the ejector part 21 coupled to the ejector unit 20 via the coupling part 31 to the height position intended for the ejector part 21. FIG. 2 shows precisely one shim 40. However, this is only an example.

[0052] The ejector part 21 comprises a coupling groove 34 for receiving a plurality of detent bodies 35 which are received in detent body receptacle 36 of the coupling part 31 in a manner evenly distributed in the circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal axis 12 and which are optionally configured here as detent balls.

[0053] An actuating part 37 is arranged on the coupling part 31 and is movable relative to the coupling part 31 between a detent position shown in FIG. 2 and a release position. In the detent position, the actuating part 37 fixes the detent bodies 35 in a detent position, in which each detent body 35 forms a positive connection between the ejector part 21 and the coupling part 31. In the release position, the detent bodies 35 can disengage from the ejector part 21, so that the ejector part 21 can be removed from the coupling part 31 and possibly replaced by another ejector part 21. For example, this allows a quick and easy retooling from using an ejector part of a first type to an ejector part of a different type. Alternatively, worn ejector parts 21 can be replaced easily and quickly.

[0054] The actuating part 37 is biased into the detent position by a bias part 38, here configured as a bias spring. By pressing the actuating part 37 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12 against the direction of the bias provided by the bias part 38namely upwards in the present casei.e., in the direction of the ejector unit 20, a section of reduced diameter of the actuating part 37 reaches the level of the detent bodies 35, so that they can move radially inwards and the positive connection in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12 between the ejector part 21 and the detent body 35 can be canceled.

[0055] To the extent applicable, any of the individual features set forth in the exemplary embodiments may be combined and/or interchanged, without departing from the scope of the invention.