Manufacturing containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745205-B2
Application number	US-202117403183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2021
Priority date	Aug 17, 2020
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A holder, a transport device, and a method of manufacturing a container are described. The container comprises a body that extends along an axis and a flange that extends radially to the axis, and the holder comprises one or more fastening elements that are configured to engage one or more of a top surface, a bottom surface, or a peripheral surface of the flange.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A holder configured to hold a container during a manufacturing process, wherein the container comprises a body that extends along an axis and a flange that extends radially to the axis, wherein the holder comprises:
a support surface configured to support a bottom surface of the flange;
a pair of opposing fastening elements, wherein each fastening element comprises a holding clip configured to engage a top surface of the flange and clamp the bottom surface of the flange against the support surface; and
a passageway that extends between a top opening in a top surface of the holder and a bottom opening in a bottom surface of the holder, wherein the passageway extends along a longitudinal axis and is configured to communicate with an interior space of the container, wherein the longitudinal axis and container axis are coaxial.

2. The holder of claim 1 , wherein the pair of opposing fastening elements is configured to engage a peripheral surface of the flange and secure the flange to the support surface.

3. The holder of claim 1 , wherein the pair of opposing fastening elements are configured to apply suction between the support surface of the holder and the bottom surface of the flange.

4. The holder of claim 1 , wherein each fastening element of the pair of opposing fastening elements is configured to clamp a top surface and the bottom surface of the flange, respectively.

5. The holder of claim 1 , wherein each holding clip is pivotable about a pivot axis and comprises a biasing element that applies a biasing force that pivots the holding clip about the pivot axis and towards the support surface.

6. The holder of claim 5 , wherein the holding clip comprises an opening element configured to receive an opening force in an opposite direction to the biasing force and pivot the holding clip about the pivot axis and away from the support surface.

7. A transport device comprises:
a holder configured to hold a container during a manufacturing process, wherein the container comprises a body that extends along an axis and a flange that extends radially to the axis, wherein the holder comprises:
a support surface configured to support a bottom surface of the flange,
a pair of opposing fastening elements, wherein each fastening element comprises a holding clip configured to engage one or more of a top surface, a bottom surface, or a peripheral surface of the flange and clamp the bottom surface of the flange against the support surface, and
a passageway that extends between a top opening in a top surface of the holder and a bottom opening in a bottom surface of the holder, wherein the passageway extends along a longitudinal axis and is configured to communicate with an interior space of the container, wherein the longitudinal axis and container axis are coaxial; and

a base plate, wherein the base plate is configured for connection to a conveyor system, wherein the base plate and the holder comprise a pair of interlocking surfaces that releasably connect the holder and the base plate, wherein the interlocking surface of the base plate defines a recess, and the bottom opening of the holder is received in the recess of the base plate.

8. The transport device of claim 7 , further comprising an anti-rotation device that prevents the interlocking surfaces from rotating relative to one another around the longitudinal axis.

9. The transport device of claim 8 , wherein the base plate comprises one or more pins that extend radially relative to the longitudinal axis, and the interlocking surface of the holder comprises one or more radially extending slots that correspond to and receive a respective pin, wherein one or more pairs of pins and slots form the anti-rotation device, and wherein the interlocking surface of the holder comprises a circumferentially extending groove that communicates with each slot of the anti-rotation device.

10. The transport device of claim 7 , wherein the holder comprises a connection surface configured to engage an external actuator for moving the holder relative to the base plate.

11. The transport device of claim 10 , wherein a wall of the passageway is the connection surface.

12. A manufacturing system comprising
a conveyor system;
a plurality of transport devices according to claim 10 that are each coupled to the conveyor system; and
at least one actuator configured to engage a connection element of each holder and move the holder relative to the base plate.

Assignees

• Gerresheimer Regensburg Gmbh

Inventors

• Reger Florian
• Scheck Guenther

Classifications

• B05B13/0436 Primary

  Installations or apparatus for applying liquid or other fluent material to elongated bodies, e.g. light poles, pipes (B05B13/0442, B05B13/0463 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0235

  the movement of the objects being a combination of rotation and linear displacement (B05B13/0242 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0627

  Arrangements of nozzles or spray heads specially adapted for treating the inside of hollow bodies (B05B13/0645 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05D1/36

  Successively applying liquids or other fluent materials, e.g. without intermediate treatment · CPC title

• B05D7/227

  of containers, cans or the like · CPC title