DEVICE FOR PORTIONING AND POSITIONING A FLOWABLE MATERIAL, MACHINE COMPRISING THE DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER CLOSURE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for portioning and positioning a flowable sealing material. The purpose of the device is to make it easier to introduce the flowable material into a container closure. A device is proposed, which has a flange-like portion (110) and a cylindrical portion (130). The flange-like portion (110) is connected to the cylindrical portion (130). The cylindrical portion (130) has an end side (133), which is located at an end of the cylindrical portion (130) which faces away from the flange-like portion (110). The end side (133) has a face (134) that is inclined relative to an axis of the device (100) such that an angle (a:) between the face (134) and the axis is less than 90.

Claims

1. A method of producing a container closure with a sealing element, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a container closure, the container closure including a bottom section and a skirt section; the bottom section including a horizontal portion and a first angled portion angled relative to the horizontal portion; (b) discharging flowable sealing material from an outlet of a gap between an outer element and an inner element of a machine; (c) moving a device in an axial direction, the device having an outer side, an inner side and an end side, relative to the outer element and the inner element, so that the end side of the device comes into contact with the sealing material discharged from the outlet, strips the sealing material from the outlet, and positions the sealing material in the container closure such that the sealing material will contact at least a portion of the skirt section and at least a portion of the bottom section; and (d) wherein the inner side of the device overlaps the first angled portion of the container closure in an axial direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the container closure has a second angled portion that is angled relative to the horizontal portion and relative to the first angled portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first angled portion adjoins the horizontal portion radially outward and the second angled portion adjoins the first angled portion radially outward.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the outer side of the device overlaps the second angled portion of the container closure in an axial direction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance in a radial direction between the outer side of the device and the skirt section of the container closure is at most 1.6 mm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance in a radial direction between the outer side of the device and the skirt section of the container closure is at least 0.2 mm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, after having been positioned in the container closure, the sealing material (350) is formed mechanically by stamping.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the container closure is a press-on twist-off container closure.

9. A method of producing a container closure with a sealing element, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing a container closure, the container closure including a bottom section and a skirt section; the bottom section including a horizontal portion, and a circumferentially extending channel being formed in the bottom section; (b) discharging flowable sealing material from an outlet of a gap between an outer element and an inner element of a machine; (c) moving a device in an axial direction relative to the outer element and the inner element, so that the end side of the device comes into contact with the sealing material discharged from the outlet, strips the sealing material from the outlet, and positions the sealing material in the container closure; and (d) wherein, temporarily during the movement of the device, a portion of the inner element of the machine abuts on a portion of the bottom section of the container closure, and a portion of the device is located in the circumferentially extending channel.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the end side of the device has a first face and a second face, the second face being substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of movement of the device, and the second face being temporarily located entirely in the circumferentially extending channel.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the portion of the device temporarily located in the circumferentially extending channel has an axial dimension of at least 0.10 mm.

12. A method of producing a container closure with a sealing element, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a container closure, the container closure including a bottom section and a skirt section: the bottom section including a horizontal portion and a first angled portion angled relative to the horizontal portion; (b) discharging flowable sealing material from an outlet of a gap between an outer element and an inner element of a machine; (c) moving a device in an axial direction, the device having an outer side, an inner side and an end side, relative to the outer element and the inner element, so that the end side of the device comes into contact with the sealing material discharged from the outlet, strips the sealing material from the outlet, and positions the sealing material in the container closure such that the sealing material will contact at least a portion of the skirt section and at least a portion of the bottom section; and (d) wherein a distance in a radial direction between the outer side of the device and the skirt section of the container closure is at most 2.0 mm.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the container closure has a second angled portion that is angled relative to the horizontal portion and relative to the first angled portion.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first angled portion adjoins the horizontal portion radially outward and the second angled portion adjoins the first angled portion radially outward.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the outer side of the device overlaps the second angled portion of the container closure in an axial direction.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the outer side of the device overlaps the second angled portion of the container closure in an axial direction.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the distance in a radial direction between the outer side of the device and the skirt section of the container closure is at most 1.6 mm.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the distance in a radial direction between the outer side of the device and the skirt section of the container closure is at least 0.2 mm.

Description

[0093] FIG. 1 shows a device 100 in a sectional view in an axial direction.

[0094] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged representation of a section of the device 100 according to FIG. 1.

[0095] FIG. 3 shows a still further enlarged representation of a section of the device 100 according to FIG. 1.

[0096] FIG. 4 shows a machine 200 with a device 100.

[0097] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged representation of the machine 200 according to FIG. 4 with a container closure 300.

[0098] FIG. 6 shows a still further enlarged representation of a section of the machine 200 according to FIG. 4.

[0099] FIG. 7 shows the machine 200 in the representation according to FIG. 5 with sealing material 350.

[0100] FIG. 1 shows a device 100 in an axial sectional view. An axis of the device is indicated in the 5 middle (z-direction). The device 100 (which may also be referred to as cutting bell although it is not bell-shaped) includes a flange-like first portion 110 and a cylindrical second portion 130. These portions can be oriented at an angle of substantially 90% with respect to each other.

[0101] The cylindrical portion 130 includes a first outer-side portion 131 and a second outer-side 10 portion 132. The first outer-side portion 131 and the second outer-side portion 132 may form the outer side of the cylindrical portion.

[0102] The cylindrical portion 130 further includes an inner side 137 that is located radially inward (r-direction) relative to the outer side.

[0103] An end side 133 is defined between the inner side 137 and the outer side 131, 132 and is formed axially at that end of the cylindrical portion 130 which faces away from the flange-like portion 110.

[0104] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged section of the device 100 according to FIG. 1. The end side 133 of the cylindrical portion 130 includes a first face 134. The end side 133 may include a second face 135.

[0105] The first face 134 of the end side 133 is angled, namely relative to the axis (z-direction) of the device 100.

[0106] An angle is formed between the axis of the device 100 (in FIG. 2 substitutionally the inner side 137 of the device 100, which is here parallel to the axis of the device 100) and the first face 134 of the end side 133. Preferably, the angle a: is in a range between 60 and 70, and particularly preferred the angle a: is approximately (1%) 65.

[0107] The second face 135 of the end side 133 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the device 100 (i.e. also to the inner side 137 of the device 100).

[0108] In FIG. 3, a greatly enlarged section of the cylindrical portion 130 of the device 100 is shown, looking at the end side 133.

[0109] Here, the first outer-side portion 131 of the cylindrical portion 130 extends parallel to the axis of the device 100. Between the axis of the device (i.e. here also between the first outer-side portion 131) and the second outer-side portion 132, an angle (less than 90 and not equal to zero) is formed. The second outer-side portion 132 is thus inclined or angled with respect to the axis of the device 100.

[0110] The angle between the second outer-side portion 132 and the axis of the device 100 may be between 2.5 and 4.0, in particular the angle is approximately (1%) 3.

[0111] With a view to FIGS. 1 to 3, the inner side 137 of the cylindrical portion 130 of the device 100 may be substantially parallel to the axis of the device 100.

[0112] The first outer-side portion 131 of the cylindrical portion 130 may be substantially parallel to the axis of the device 100.

[0113] The second outer-side portion 132 may be inclined or angled relative to the axis of the device 100.

[0114] A first face 13 4 of the end side 133 of the cylindrical portion 130 may be inclined or angled relative to the axis of the device 100.

[0115] The second face 135 of the end side 133 may be substantially perpendicular to the axis of the device 100.

[0116] The first face 134 of the end side 133 may directly merge into the second face 135 of the end side 133.

[0117] The first outer-side portion 131 may directly merge into the outer-side portion 132.

[0118] The second face 135 of the end side 133 may directly merge into the inner side 137 of the cylindrical portion 130. The transition may be sharp-edged.

[0119] The second outer-side portion 132 may directly merge into the first face 134 of the end side.

[0120] The device 100 may be formed in one piece.

[0121] The end side 133 may be provided with a coating, at least sectionwise, so as to facilitate stripping of sealing material, as described hereinbelow. In particular, the second face 135 of the end side 133 is fully provided with a coating, especially a non-stick coating and/or a friction-reducing coating.

[0122] FIG. 4 schematically shows a machine 200 in axial section.

[0123] The machine 200 includes an outer element 210, an inner element 230 and a device 100. The device 100 may be a device 100 described and disclosed herein.

[0124] A gap 250 is formed between the outer element 210 and the inner element 230. The gap 250 can be an annular gap, in particular when the functional portions of the outer element 210 and the inner element 230 are substantially rotationally symmetrical. The gap 250 opens into an outlet 251 which, in the view according to FIG. 4, is closed by the device 100.

[0125] The device 100 is axially movable (indicated by the double arrow z1 in FIG. 4) relative to the outer element 210 and the inner element 230. An axial movement of the device 100 can be caused by a drive (not shown), e.g. by an electric motor.

[0126] When the device 100 is in an axially upper position (the device 100 and the outer element 210 and/or the inner element 230 are coaxial), the outlet 251 of the gap 250 is open.

[0127] A flowable sealing material (e.g. a thermoplastic elastomer) can flow in the gap 250 and, when the outlet 251 has been opened by the device 100, it can exit from the outlet 251.

[0128] The flowable sealing material can be moved through the gap 250 by an extruder, which may be part of the machine 200, so as to exit from the outlet 251.

[0129] Once a predetermined amount of flowable material (sealing material) has exited from the outlet 251, the device 100 can be moved axially downward, so as to strip off the predetermined amount of sealing material from the outlet 251. In the course of this process, the end side of the device 100 comes into contact with the sealing material that has exited the outlet 251. The outlet is the mouth 251 of the channel 250, which has been referred to as gap hereinbefore.

[0130] The stripped sealing material is fed towards a container closure 300 by a further downward axial movement of the device 100, so that the stripped sealing material will contact the container closure.

[0131] An adhesion between the container closure and the sealing material exceeds an adhesion between the end side of the device 100 and the sealing material, so that the sealing material will remain in the container closure 300 when the device 100 moves axially upward again, so as to open the outlet 251.

[0132] The container closure 300 is here arranged relative to the machine 200 such that the sealing material will be positioned advantageously in the container closure.

[0133] An enlarged view of a section of the machine 200 and of the container closure 300 according to FIG. 4 (indicated by the area A in FIG. 4) is shown in FIG. 5.

[0134] The container closure 300 includes a skirt section 310 and a bottom section 330.

[0135] The bottom section 330 includes a horizontal portion 331, also referred to as a lid panel. The horizontal portion 331 (lid panel) may include a safety button. The safety button may be formed in the lid panel as a horizontal portion.

[0136] The bottom section 330 includes a first angled portion 333, located radially outward (in the r-direction). The first angled portion 333 may (directly) adjoin the horizontal portion 331. When, as shown in FIG. 5, the container closure 300 is viewed lying on the bottom section 330, so that the skirt section 310 extends axially upward, the first angled portion 333 may extend axially downward and radially outward (it may be angled axially downward and radially outward) relative to the horizontal surface 331.

[0137] The second angled portion 335 of the bottom section 330 may radially (directly) adjoin the first angled portion 333. When the container closure 300 is oriented as shown in FIG. 5 and described hereinbefore, the second angled portion 335 may extend radially outward and axially downward.

[0138] The first angled portion 333 of the bottom section 330 may have a different inclination relative to the second angled portion 335, in particular relative to the horizontal portion 331.

[0139] Specifically, an angle (less than) 90 between the horizontal portion 331 and the first angled portion 333 is larger than an angle (less than) 90 between the horizontal portion 331 and the second angled portion 335. In other words, the inclination from the horizontal of the first angled portion 333 may be greater than the inclination from the horizontal of the second angled portion 335.

[0140] The skirt section 310 adjoins the bottom section 330 of the container closure 300, in particular along a radius.

[0141] The skirt section includes a first axial (vertical or perpendicular) portion 311. The first axial portion 311 may be oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the container closure 300, or oriented substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface 331 of the bottom section 330.

[0142] The first axial portion 311 may merge into a second axial (vertical or perpendicular) portion 315 of the skirt section 310 via an angled portion 313 of the skirt section 310.

[0143] The angled portion 313 of the skirt section 310 extends radially outward and axially upward (in the orientation of the container closure 300 as shown in FIG. 5 and described hereinbefore).

[0144] The first axial portion 311 of the skirt section 310 may be located radially inward relative to the second axial portion 315. The diameter of the container closure 300 may thus be smaller in the area of the first axial portion 311 than the diameter of the container closure 300 in an area of the second axial portion 315.

[0145] The first axial portion 311 may merge (directly) into the angled portion 313 of the skirt section 310. The second axial portion 315 may (directly) adjoin the angled portion 313 of the skirt section 310.

[0146] The second angled portion 335 of the bottom section 330 may (directly) merge into the first axial portion 311 of the skirt section 310, in particular via a radius.

[0147] The skirt section 310 may include a curl 317. The curl 317 may be formed on an axial end of the skirt section 310. The curl 317 may be an inward curl. The curl 317 may thus be oriented radially inward.

[0148] A gap 250 is formed between the outer element 210 and the inner element 230 of the machine 200. The gap 250 opens into the outlet 251, the outlet area of the gap 250 being oriented radially outward and axially downward.

[0149] During the production of the container closure 300 (introduction of a sealing material and forming of the material into a sealing element), the bottom section 330 of the container closure 300, in particular the horizontal surface (horizontal portion) 331, may abut on a portion, in particular an axial lower surface 235, of the inner element 230 of the machine 200.

[0150] Between the outer side 131, 132 of the device 100 and the skirt section 310, there is a distance s1. In particular, the distance s1 is the smallest distance between the outer side 131, 132 of the device 100 and the skirt section 310. The distance s1 may be defined between the first outer portion 131 of the device 100 and the first axial portion 311 of the skirt section 310.

[0151] The distance s1 can be viewed.sup.2 (exclusively) in a radial direction. .sup.2 Remark translatorIch bin mir nicht sicher, wie betrachtet (viewed, seen?) hier zu verstehen ist.I am not sure how viewed is to be understood here.

[0152] FIG. 6 shows a still further enlarged representation of the section A according to FIG. 4.

[0153] A channel 340 may be formed in the bottom section 330 of the container closure 300. The channel 340 may be configured completely circumferentially. The channel 340 may be located between the horizontal surface (horizontal portion) 331 of the bottom section 330 and the first axial portion 311 of the skirt section 310.

[0154] The channel 340 may be formed by the first angled portion 333 and by the second angled portion 335 of the bottom section 330.

[0155] In FIG. 6 (cf. also FIGS. 4, 5 and 7), the device 100 is in an axially lowermost position relative to the outer element 210 and relative to the inner element 230 of the machine 200. At this position, the sealing material (cf. also FIG. 7 in this respect) is positioned in the container closure 300 before the device 100 is moved axially upward so as to open the outlet 251 of the gap 250.

[0156] The end side 133 of the device 100 overlaps the first angled portion 333 of the bottom section 330 in an axial direction. The end side 133 of the device 100 may also (additionally or alternatively) overlap the second angled portion 335 of the bottom section 330 in an axial direction.

[0157] The device 100 can be moved downward relative to the outer element 210 and the inner element 230 to such an extent that a portion of the device 100 is located axially below the lower surface 235 of the inner element 230. This is temporarily the case during the movement of the device 100. In particular, a portion of the end side 133 is located axially below the lower surface 235 of the inner element 230. Preferably, the second face 135 of the end side 133 is located (axially) completely below the lower surface 235 of the inner element 230. This is the case at the position of the device 100 relative to the machine 200 as shown in FIG. 6.

[0158] Between the lower surface 235 of the inner element 230 and a portion of the end side 133 of the device 100, an axial distance s2 may temporarily be defined during the movement of the device 100. The portion of the end side 133 may here be located axially below the lower surface 235 of the inner element 230.

[0159] The channel 340 in the bottom section 330 of the container closure 300 may be delimited axially upward by an imaginary extension of the horizontal surface 235 of the bottom section 330.

[0160] At the position of the device 100 as shown in FIG. 6, a portion of the device 100 is located in the channel 340. Especially, a portion of the end side 133 of the device 100 is located in the channel 340 (temporarily during the movement of the device 100). In particular, the second surface of the end side 133 is located entirely within the channel 340.

[0161] FIG. 7 illustrates how a flowable sealing material is positioned in the container closure 300 by the machine 200.

[0162] The flowable sealing material 350 has been moved in the gap 250 between the outer element 210 and the inner element 230 towards the outlet 251. While the device 100 was positioned relative to the outer element 210 and the inner element 230 such that the outlet 251 was open, a quantity of the flowable sealing material 350 flowed out of the outlet 251. By means of an axial downward movement of the device 100 relative to the outer element 210 and the inner element 230 (to the axially lowermost position), the sealing material 350 was stripped from the outlet 251 and positioned axially downward in the container closure 300, in the way indicated in FIG. 7.

[0163] The geometry of the end side 133 of the device 100 and the outer side 131, 132 preforms the sealing material 350 in the container closure 300. In particular, the sealing material 350 is given shape by the end side 133 of the device 100 and by the second outer-side portion 132.

[0164] When the device 100 moves axially upward relative to the outer element 210 and the inner element 230, the sealing material 350 preformed in the container closure 300 remains in the container closure substantially in the preformed shape.

[0165] The sealing material 350 may be formed fully circumferentially in the container closure 300, in particular in the form of a circular ring.

[0166] After the sealing material 350 has been preformed in the container closure 300, the sealing material 350 contacts a portion of the bottom section 330 of the container closure 300 and a portion of the skirt section 310 of the container closure 300.

[0167] Especially, the sealing material 350 contacts, after having been preformed, a portion of the first axial portion 311 of the skirt section 310 (partially), a portion of the second angled portion 335 of the bottom section 330 (fully), and a portion of the first angled portion 333 of the bottom section 330 (partially).

[0168] After the preforming of the sealing material 350 in the container closure 300, the sealing material 350 can be formed mechanically into a final shape, so that a sealing element will be formed in the container closure 300. The forming of the sealing element is especially accomplished by stamping.

[0169] Generally, the outer diameter of the container closure 300 may be between 20 mm and 120 mm, preferably between 30 mm and 100 mm, more preferably between 40 mm and 80 mm.