GRIPPING APPARATUS FOR CAPPING ASSEMBLIES IN CONTAINER PACKAGING MACHINES

• US 20100186349A1
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche ACMA SPA (Is Company SRL)
• Original Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche ACMA SPA (Is Company SRL)
• Inventors: Zanini, Gianpietro, Baroni, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 8,375,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/317
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/04 Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2835 applying and rotating preformed threaded caps for bottles or jars B67B3/20
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 2201/10 Quick or easy connection means for connecting a capping head to a spindle
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/2066 Details of capping heads B67B3/2073 takes precedence

Abstract

Capping assemblies (2) of the type fitted to capping units (1a) in a machine for packaging containers filled with fluid or powdered products are equipped with a gripping apparatus (1) comprising a gripper (4) with three arms (5), each carrying an adapter (20) furnished with a pad (20b) offered in direct contact to the cap, through which the gripping action is applied. Each adapter (20) is secured to a fitting (17, 18) insertable into a socket (16) afforded by the bottom of a structural member (6) that forms the main part of each arm (5) and is hinged to the movable head of a relative capping assembly (2); when inserted into the structural member (6), the fitting (17, 18) is retained automatically by a snap lock mechanism (12) incorporated into the arm (5), which can be released subsequently by introducing the tip of a screwdriver into a slot (18a) created in the side of the fitting (17, 18) and levering the components apart.

Claims

1. A gripping apparatus (1) for capping assemblies (2) in container packaging machines, in particular of the type installed on capping units (1a) of such machines, comprising at least one gripper (4) capable of motion on a relative capping assembly (2) between a position of engagement, in which a cap is gripped and held by the gripper (4), and an at-rest position, in which no cap is engaged by the gripper (4), equipped with at least two retaining arms (5) each presenting at least one structural member (6) attached pivotably to the respective capping assembly (2), and at least one contact element (11) associated removably with the relative structural member (6), positioned to interact directly with a cap when the gripper (4) is in the position of engagement, characterized

in that each retaining arm (5) of the gripper (4) is furnished with automatic locking means (12) by which the relative structural member (6) and the corresponding contact element (11) are held securely and stably together when joined one to another;

in that the automatic locking means (12) can be separated forcibly by applying external pressure to disconnect and distance the structural member (6) and the contact element (11) one from another.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the automatic locking means (12) comprise a snap lock mechanism, operating in such a way that when the structural member (6) of the arm (5) and the respective contact element (11) are joined together, the contact element (11) will be secured to the selfsame structural member (6) by the snap locking action of the mechanism.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein automatic locking means (12) comprise a first locking member (13) associated with the structural member (6), and a second locking member (14) associated with the contact element (11), of which the first locking member (13) comprises at least one pair of coupling elements (13a) operatively associated with the relative structural member (6) and combining to fashion a yoke, and the second locking member (14) comprises at least one pair of coupling seats (14a) afforded by the relative contact element (11), occupying substantially a common plane and presenting symmetrical profiles on either side of a predetermined axis coinciding with an axis of symmetry of the coupling elements (13a) when the contact element (11) is joined to the corresponding structural member (11).

4. Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the coupling elements (13a) of the first locking member (13) are elastically deformable and capable of alternating between a first position, in which the contact element (11) has freedom of movement toward or away from the relative structural member (6), and a second position in which the freedom of the contact element (11) to move toward or away from the structural member (6) is impeded at least in part by the selfsame coupling elements (13a), whilst the coupling seats (14a) of the second locking member (14) are presented by a rigid portion (15) of the contact element (11), in such a way that the coupling elements (13a) are displaceable from the first position to the second position as a result of being parted forcibly by the contact element (11) when this same element is moved toward or away from the relative structural member (6), and displaceable from the second position to the first position as a result of recovering their shape elastically when encountering no further resistance from the second locking member (14).

5. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the contact element (11) incorporates an abutting portion (18) interfaced with the structural member (6) of the relative arm (5), and a gripping adapter (20) attachable removably to a side of the abutting portion (18) opposite to the side interfacing with the structural member (6), comprising at least one structural element (20a), and at least one contact pad (20b) embodied preferably in a material having a high coefficient of friction, designed to engage the outer surface of a cap.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the gripping adapter (20) is attachable to the abutting portion (18) by means of one or more threaded fasteners.

7. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the contact pad (20b) and the structural element (20a) are fashioned as a single piece, preferably by co-moulding.

8. A capping assembly (2), in particular for capping units (1a) of container packaging machines, comprising:

at least one anchored section fastenable to a supporting structure (1b) of a capping unit (1a) in a machine for packaging containers;

at least one movable section (3) translatable between a first position, distanced from a respective container, and a second position of close proximity to the container, and rotatable also about its own longitudinal axis (“

X”

),

characterized in that it is equipped with a gripping apparatus (1) as in claim 1, fitted to an end (3b) of the movable section (3) remote from the anchored section.

9. A capping unit (1a), in particular for container packaging machines, comprising:

a supporting structure (1b) turning on a central axis of rotation;

drive means operatively associated with the supporting structure (1b), by which the selfsame structure is set in motion about the axis of rotation,

characterized in that it comprises a plurality of capping assemblies (2) as in claim 8, mounted to the supporting structure (1b) and arranged circumferentially about the axis of rotation of the selfsame structure.

10. A machine for packaging containers, characterized in that it comprises at least one capping unit (1a) as in claim 9.