Device for holding a container, and closing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12503349-B2
Application number	US-202418759255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2024
Priority date	Jun 29, 2023
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A device for holding a container in a container handling device, for example for holding a bottle without a support ring while a screw closure or a press-on closure is applied, including a carrier and a first holding arm and a second holding arm, which are arranged on the carrier and are configured to hold the container, wherein the first holding arm and the second holding arm are arranged on the carrier in such a way that they can be moved between an open position for receiving and releasing the container and a closed position for holding the container, wherein, for movement between the closed position and the open position, the first holding arm and the second holding arm can each be pivoted about a pivoting axis and rotated about a rotation axis oriented transversely to the pivoting axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device for holding a container in a container handling device, comprising:
a carrier; a first holding arm; and a second holding arm, wherein: the first holding arm and the second holding arm are configured to hold the container, the first holding arm and the second holding arm are arranged on the carrier so that the first holding arm and the second holding arm are movable between an open position for receiving and releasing the container and a closed position for holding the container, for movement between the closed position and the open position, the first holding arm and the second holding arm are each pivotable about a respective pivoting axis and each rotatable about a respective rotation axis oriented transversely to the respective pivoting axis, during movement of the first holding arm and the second holding arm out of the closed position into the open position, the first holding arm and the second holding arm undergo only a rotary motion about their respective rotation axis in a first motion segment, and in a second motion segment following the first motion segment,
the first holding arm and the second holding arm undergo a pivoting motion about their respective pivoting axis, or
the first holding arm and the second holding arm undergo a pivoting motion about their respective pivoting axis and a further rotary motion about their respective rotation axis.

2 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a transmission assembly configured to move the first holding arm and the second holding arm, wherein the transmission assembly is arranged on and/or in the carrier.

3 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator unit configured to predetermine a position of the first holding arm and the second holding arm, wherein the actuator unit comprises a first actuator part configured to control a pivoting motion of the first holding arm and the second holding arm about their respective pivoting axis and a second actuator part configured to control a rotary motion of the first holding arm and the second holding arm about their respective rotation axis.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the first actuator part is controlled separately from the second actuator part.

5 . The device of claim 3 , wherein:
the first actuator part comprises a first plate-shaped main body comprising a first guide track configured to predetermine an angular position of at least one of the first holding arm or the second holding arm relative to their respective pivoting axis, and/or the second actuator part comprises a second plate-shaped main body comprising a second guide track configured to predetermine an angular position of at least one of the first holding arm or the second holding arm relative to their respective rotation axis.

6 . The device of claim 3 , wherein:
the actuator unit comprises at least one spring element configured to preload the first holding arm and the second holding arm into the closed position or into the open position, and/or the actuator unit comprises at least one spring element configured to preload the first actuator part and/or the second actuator part into a predetermined position.

7 . The device of claim 3 , wherein:
the actuator unit is pneumatically, hydraulically, and/or electrically controllable, and/or the actuator unit comprises a control element configured to interact with a track-type cam control system, a slotted guide, and/or a lobed cam control system.

8 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the first holding arm and the second holding arm are each connected for conjoint rotation to a transmission rod that is pivotable about their respective pivoting axis, and each transmission rod comprises at least one radial lever arm.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the first actuator part is connected via a first connecting rod to the at least one radial lever arm of the transmission rod, and the first connecting rod is rotatably connected, connected via a rotary joint, and/or connected via a ball joint to the at least one radial lever arm.

10 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the second actuator part is connected via a second connecting rod to each transmission rod, and the second connecting rod is connected via a rotary joint and/or a ball joint to each transmission rod.

11 . The device of claim 8 , wherein each transmission rod is guided in translation at a distance from its connection to the first holding arm or the second holding arm, and each transmission rod comprises a slide block guided in a guide arranged on the carrier.

12 . The device of claim 8 , wherein each of the first holding arm and the second holding arm is attached to a first side of a ball element of a ball joint, and a respective transmission rod is attached to the ball element on a second side of the ball element, opposite from the first holding arm and the second holding arm.

13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first holding arm and the second holding arm each comprise a collar-shaped supporting projection region configured to support the container on a retaining ring of the container in the closed position, and/or the first holding arm and the second holding arm comprise a clamping region that is oriented in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the container.

14 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a support section configured to support the container on a retaining ring or on a tamper-evident band of a container closure applied to the container when the first holding arm and the second holding arm have been moved into the open position, wherein:
the support section is arranged on the carrier, the support section is arranged at a predetermined distance below a holding plane defined by the first holding arm and the second holding arm in the closed position, and the predetermined distance is configured to be such that, in the closed position, the container closure is at a distance from the support section of 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first holding arm and the second holding arm each comprise a collar-shaped supporting projection region configured to support the container on a retaining ring of the container, the collar-shaped supporting projection regions define a holding plane in the closed position, in the open position, the collar-shaped supporting projection regions are radially outside a position of the collar-shaped supporting projection regions in the closed position in a direction of view of a reference axis oriented perpendicularly to the holding plane and arranged centrally between the collar-shaped supporting projection regions in the closed position, and in the open position, the collar-shaped supporting projection regions are at a lower height when viewed in a direction of the reference axis than the collar-shaped supporting projection regions in the closed position.

16 . The device of claim 1 , wherein, in the closed position, the first holding arm and the second holding arm define a holding plane, and their respective rotation axis is arranged perpendicularly to the holding plane.

17 . A closing device for closing a container with a container closure, comprising:
a closing member configured to apply the container closure to the container; and a device for holding the container in a container handling device, comprising:
a carrier;
a first holding arm; and
a second holding arm,
wherein: the first holding arm and the second holding arm are configured to hold the container, the first holding arm and the second holding arm are ar

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Schoenfelder Markus

Classifications

• B67B3/22

  by applying snap-on caps · CPC title

• B67B3/206

  Means for preventing rotation of the container or cap · CPC title

• B65G47/847

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• B67C3/242

  engaging with bottle necks (B67C3/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67C2007/0066

  Devices particularly adapted for container closing · CPC title