A method of, and an applying head for, applying a lid onto a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018282001-A1
Application number	US-201615765364-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2016
Priority date	Oct 5, 2015
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of applying a lid ( 1 ) onto a neck ( 9 ) of a container ( 10 ), the lid ( 1 ) having a side wall ( 3 ) extending around an axis and an end wall ( 2 ) extending transversely to said axis, comprises the following steps: —positioning the lid ( 1 ) onto the neck ( 9 ); —exerting on the end wall ( 2 ) a force directed towards the container ( 10 ), so as to level the lid ( 1 ) on the neck ( 9 ); —screwing the lid ( 1 ) onto the neck ( 9 ) by rotating the lid ( 1 ) in a screwing direction.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A method of applying a lid onto a neck of a container, the lid having a side wall extending around an axis of the lid and having an end wall extending transversely to the axis, the method comprising:
positioning the lid onto the neck, wherein the neck has threads extending around a side wall of the neck with respect to a neck axis; exerting on the end wall a force directed towards the container, so as to level the lid on the neck with respect to the neck axis; and screwing the lid onto the neck by rotating the lid in a screwing direction.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein, before screwing the lid onto the neck, the method comprises:
rotating the lid in an unscrewing direction that is opposite the screwing direction, in order to align a starting point of an internal thread provided on the lid with a starting point of an outer thread provided on the neck.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein exerting on the end wall the force directed towards the container further comprises:
pressing an abutment surface into contact with the end wall and to thereby push the lid towards the neck.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the screwing of the lid further comprises:
driving at least two gripping elements between an engagement position, in which the gripping elements are closer to one another, and a disengagement position, in which the gripping elements are farther apart from one another.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the exerting on the end wall the force directed towards the container further comprises:
driving the gripping elements, each having an abutment surface that impacts on the end wall, to cause the force directed towards the container.

21 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein during the exerting of the force on the end wall, the gripping elements are in the disengagement position.

22 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the lid comprises at least two appendages projecting from the side wall outside of the lid.

23 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein, after the exerting on the end wall the force directed towards the container, the method comprises:
moving the gripping elements towards one another to reach the engagement position; and rotating the gripping elements until an active screw surface of each gripping element abuts against at least one of the two appendages and to then thereby screw the lid onto the neck by the gripping elements abutting at least one of the two appendages.

24 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein the screwing of the lid onto the neck further comprises:
terminating the screwing when the at least two appendages are in a predetermined angular position relative to the neck.

25 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein, after the exerting on the end wall the force directed towards the container, the method comprising:
moving the gripping elements towards one another until the gripping elements contact the side wall in the engagement position, and wherein the screwing of the lid further comprises screwing the lid by the gripping elements that grip the side wall.

26 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the screwing of the lid onto the neck further comprises:
terminating the screwing when a preset screwing force has been applied on the lid.

27 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein, during the positioning of the lid onto the neck, the container strips the lid from a dispensing opening of a distribution unit.

28 . An applying head for applying a lid onto a neck of a container, the applying head comprising:
at least two gripping elements for gripping the lid; a driving device for displacing the gripping elements along in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the container, wherein the driving device is configured to displace the gripping elements towards and away from the lid and further configured to rotate the gripping elements around the longitudinal axis in order to screw the lid onto the neck, wherein each gripping element further comprises:
an abutment surface for abutting against an end wall of the lid in order to exert, on the end wall, a force directed towards the container causing a leveling of the lid on the neck; and
an active screw surface for engaging with the lid and screwing the lid onto the neck.

29 . The applying head according to claim 28 , wherein the abutment surface is a flat surface for impacting on the end wall and the active screw surface protrudes from the abutment surface away from the driving device, the active screw surface is on a screw component having a cylindrical sector shape extending around the longitudinal axis.

30 . The applying head according to claim 28 , wherein each gripping element further comprises a guiding component that slidingly engages in a corresponding seat made in a supporting component,
wherein each gripping element is movable between an engagement position, in which the gripping elements are closer to one another, and a disengagement position, in which the gripping elements are further from one another, wherein the supporting component includes a chamber for receiving a pneumatic fluid for acting on the guiding components of the gripping elements in order to displace the gripping elements between the engagement position and the disengagement position.

31 . A method of applying a lid onto a neck of a container, wherein the lid has (a) a side wall extending around a rotational axis of the lid, (b) an end wall extending transverse to the lid axis, and (c) first and second lid appendages projecting outward from the side wall on opposite sides of the lid, the method comprising:
positioning the lid onto the neck, wherein the neck has threads extending around a side wall of the neck; gripping the lid by use of two gripping elements disposed on opposite sides of the lid with respect to the lid axis, wherein each gripping element has (a) an abutment surface extending, when the gripping elements grip the lid, transverse to the lid axis and facing the lid and (b) an active screw surface that protrudes from the corresponding abutment surface towards the container; pressing the abutment surface of each gripping element on the end wall of the lid, such that a force on opposite sides of the lid ensures that the end wall of the lid is substantially perpendicular with respect to the lid axis and pushes the lid towards the container; moving, after pressing the abutment surface on the end wall, the gripping elements towards one another to reach an engagement position; rotating the gripping elements, in the engagement position, such that the active screw surface of each gripping element abuts against a respective least one of the first and second lid appendages; screwing the lid onto the neck by continuing to rotate the lid in a screwing direction; and terminating the screwing when the first and second lid appendages are in a predetermined angular position relative to the neck.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Canalini Pierluigi
• Zuccotti Alessandro
• Montorsi Maurizio
• Zanichelli Federico

Classifications

• B65B59/003

  Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material · CPC title

• B65D5/746

  Spouts formed separately from the container · CPC title

• B65B7/2835 Primary

  applying and rotating preformed threaded caps (for bottles or jars B67B3/20) · CPC title

• B65B61/186

  by applying or incorporating rigid fittings, e.g. discharge spouts · CPC title

• B29C65/542

  by injection · CPC title