Cutting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12036690-B2
Application number	US-202117369206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2021
Priority date	Jul 8, 2020
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

A cutting apparatus is provided for cutting a cap as it travels along an advancement path in an advancement direction. The cutting apparatus includes a spindle movable along the advancement path and rotatable around an axis thereof. The spindle is shaped to interact with the cap and to rotate the cap around the axis. A support moves along the advancement path together with the spindle. The support is shaped to interact with the cap and to retain the cap against the spindle. A cutting device is arranged to form a cut in a side wall of the cap when the spindle reaches a cutting zone provided in the advancement path. The spindle includes a hollow housing shaped to house a cap protrusion to stop rotation of the cap in a preset position with respect to the spindle to orient the cap with respect to the cutting device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cutting apparatus for cutting a cap including a cup shape body having a base wall, a side wall and a protrusion projecting radially outward from the side wall of the cap externally of the cup shape body, comprising:
a spindle that is rotatable around a spindle axis along an advancement path which extends orthogonal to said spindle axis, said spindle being configured to rotate the cap around said spindle axis and advance the cap along the advancement path;
a support movable along said advancement path together with said spindle, said support being configured to retain the cap against said spindle;
a cutting device arranged to make a cut in the side wall of the cap when said spindle reaches a cutting zone of said advancement path, said spindle containing a cavity for at least partially receiving the cap and a hollow orientation seat having inner edge surfaces defining an enlarged portion of said cavity in an end region of said spindle that is closer to said support, wherein said inner edge surfaces have a size and shape configured to house the cap protrusion and to stop rotation of the cap in a preset position with respect to said spindle to orient the cap with respect to said cutting device, wherein said hollow orientation seat includes an abutting surface of the hollow orientation seat arranged for abutting a side face of the cap protrusion.

2. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said abutting surface is not orthogonal to said axis.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said hollow orientation seat further includes a first surface arranged for facing a first face of the cap protrusion normal to a side face of the cap protrusion, the cap protrusion first face having a portion extending circumferentially around the cap, said first surface being orthogonal to said spindle axis.

4. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said hollow orientation seat further includes a second surface arranged for facing a second face of the cap protrusion, said second surface being more distant from said spindle axis than said first surface.

5. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said hollow orientation seat has a planar shape corresponding with a planar shape of the cap protrusion.

6. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said support is movable towards and away from said spindle and is drivable between a spaced position wherein said support is further from said spindle and a gripping position in which said support is nearer said spindle to retain said cap in the preset position.

7. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said spindle includes a stop surface arranged for contacting an outer surface of the base wall, said stop surface being in contact with the outer surface of the base wall when the cap is retained between said support and said spindle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said stop surface includes a circular crown arc.

9. The cutting apparatus according to claim 7 , and further comprising a gripping insert at least partially inserted into said cavity for contacting a portion of the cap that is distinct from the cap protrusion, said gripping insert being axially movable along said spindle axis between a work position in which said gripping insert is nearer a bottom region of said cavity and contacts the outer surface of the base wall, and a rest position in which said gripping insert is further from said cavity bottom region.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , and further comprising an elastic element connected to said cavity bottom region and to said gripping insert and arranged for pressing said gripping insert against the outer surface of the base wall during operation.

11. The cutting apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said gripping insert when in the work position is so positioned that an end surface of said gripping insert intended to contact the outer surface of the base wall is at a same height as said stop surface and wherein said gripping insert when in the rest position is so positioned that said end surface is at a lower height than said stop surface.

12. The cutting apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said stop surface includes a circular crown are and said end surface has the shape of at least one circular crown arc having an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of said circular crown arc of said stop surface.

13. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said support includes a contact surface arranged for contacting a peripheral portion of an inner surface of the base wall, the peripheral portion being arranged internally of the cup body near the cap side wall, said contact surface being in contact with the peripheral portion when said cap is retained between said support and said spindle.

14. The cutting apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said contact surface includes at least one peripheral circular crown arc of said support radially further from said spindle axis.

15. The cutting apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said support further includes a further cavity into which a further gripping insert is at least partially inserted that is configured to interact with an inner element of the cap, said inner element being arranged internally of the cup body and connected to the inner surface of the base wall, said further gripping insert being movable along an axis of said support between a further work position in which said further gripping insert is nearer a bottom wall of said further cavity and interacts with said inner element of the cap, and a further rest position in which said further gripping insert is further from the cap bottom wall.

16. The cutting apparatus according to claim 15 , and further comprising a further elastic element connected with the cap bottom wall and with said further gripping insert and is arranged for pressing said further gripping insert against the cap inner element during operation.

17. The cutting apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said further gripping insert when in the further work position is so positioned that an end surface of said further gripping insert intended to contact the cap inner element is at a lower height of said contact surface and said further gripping insert when in the rest position is so positioned that said end surface is at a same height as said contact surface.

18. The cutting apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said contact surface has a circular crown shape having an inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the peripheral circular crown are of said end surface.

19. The cutting apparatus according to claim 15 , and further comprising a gripping insert at least partially inserted into said cavity for contacting a portion of the cap that is distinct from the protrusion, said gripping insert being axially movable along said spindle axis between a work position in which said gripping insert is nearer a bottom region of said cavity and contacts the outer surface of the base wall, and a rest position in which said gripping insert is further from said bottom region, and wherein when said spindle is in the work position said support is in the further work position to hold the cap in the preset position and when said spindle is in the rest position the support is in the further rest position.

20. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said cutting device is fitted to said spindle, is rotatable with said spindle around said spindle axis and includes a o

Assignees

• Sacmi
• Sacmi Cooperativa Mecc Imola

Inventors

• Penazzi Davide
• VENTURINI Matteo

Classifications

• B26F2210/04

  Making plastic pilferproof screw caps by cutting a tamper ring · CPC title

• B26D3/08

  Making a superficial cut in the surface of the work without removal of material, e.g. scoring, incising · CPC title

• B26D9/00

  Cutting apparatus combined with punching or perforating apparatus or with dissimilar cutting apparatus · CPC title

• B26D1/02

  having a stationary cutting member (B26D1/547 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B26F1/18 Primary

  Perforating by slitting, i.e. forming cuts closed at their ends without removal of material · CPC title