# US 11,897,745 B2 · Control cam for a clamping device, and clamping device for holding a container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,745 B2 - Document ID: US11897745B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/058,509 - Filed: 2022-11-23 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-25 - Assignees: Krones AG - Applicants: Krones AG - Inventors: Stefan Spandl; Bruno Landler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897745B2 ## CPC - B65G 47/847: {the article-engaging elements being grippers} - B67C 3/24: Devices for supporting or handling bottles (transport or storing devices in general B65G) - F16B 2/10: using pivoting jaws - F16B 2/185: {using levers} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A clamping device including a control cam and a control cam for controlling the position of clamping arms which are pivotable relative to one another, each with a holding portion in a clamping device, including a shaft portion for pivotable mounting of the control cam about a control cam pivot axis in a hub portion of a carrier plate of the clamping device, and at least one coupling element for coupling the control cam to a clamping arm of the clamping device, wherein the control cam is pivotable about the control cam pivot axis between a predefined open position and a predefined closed position, and the at least one coupling element is configured in the form of a slotted groove for receiving a control bolt arranged on a clamping arm, or in the form of a control bolt for penetration into a slotted groove arranged on a control arm. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control cam for controlling a position of clamping arms of a clamping device that are pivotable relative to one another, comprising: a shaft portion configured to pivotably mount the control cam about a control cam pivot axis in a hub portion of a carrier plate of the clamping device; and a first coupling element comprising: a first coupling face that extends in a direction of the control cam pivot axis and is configured to transmit a first switching force onto one of the clamping arms, and a second coupling face that is different from the first coupling face, extends in the direction of the control cam pivot axis, and is configured to transmit a second switching force that is directed opposite the first switching force onto the one of the clamping arms, wherein the control cam is pivotable about the control cam pivot axis between a predefined open position and a predefined closed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control cam of claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling faces are arranged on the first coupling element opposite one another with respect to a contour of the first coupling element or a cross-sectional contour of the first coupling agent that is perpendicular to the control cam pivot axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control cam of claim 2, wherein the first coupling element is in a form of a slotted groove configured to receive a control bolt arranged on the one of the clamping arms, or is in a form of the control bolt configured to penetrate into the slotted groove arranged on the one of the clamping arms. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control cam of claim 3, wherein the control bolt extends in the direction of the control cam pivot axis with a predefined height away from an end face of the shaft portion, or the slotted groove extends into the control cam in the direction of the control cam pivot axis with a predefined depth from the end face of the shaft portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The control cam of claim 3, wherein the first coupling element is in a form of the control bolt, and the control bolt is arranged eccentrically to the control cam pivot axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The control cam of claim 3, wherein: the control bolt comprises a curved portion relative to a longitudinal center axis of the control bolt that is oriented parallel to the control cam pivot axis, the control bolt comprises a cam portion that extends in a plane oriented perpendicularly to the control cam pivot axis, and/or the first coupling element comprises two control bolts that are connected by a connecting wall, and the first coupling face or the second coupling face is arranged in the curved portion and/or in the cam portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The control cam of claim 3, further comprising a radial locking groove configured to receive a fixing element that fixes the control cam axially relative to the control cam pivot axis, and/or the control bolt, viewed in the direction of the control cam pivot axis, at its free end opposite an end of the shaft portion, comprises a locking web configured to axially secure the control cam to the clamping device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control cam of claim 7, wherein the fixing element comprises a fitting key or a locking plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The control cam of claim 7, wherein: the locking web is in a form of a circular flange that is arranged concentrically or eccentrically to a longitudinal center axis of the control bolt, an outer diameter of the circular flange is greater than a radius of an arcuate portion of the control bolt, and/or the outer diameter of the circular flange is greater than a width of a slotted groove provided on the one of the clamping arms transversely to its longitudinal extent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control cam of claim 1, further comprising a second coupling element, wherein each coupling element is configured to couple the control cam to a respective clamping arm of the clamping device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control cam of claim 10, wherein: the first coupling element is in a form of a first control bolt having a first distance from the control cam pivot axis, the second coupling element is in a form a second control bolt having a second distance from the control cam pivot axis, and the second distance is greater than the first distance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The control cam of claim 1, further comprising: two arms extending radially outward relative to the control cam pivot axis, and an interaction part extending radially relative to the control cam pivot axis, wherein the interaction part is configured to: interact with an interaction bolt of a container treatment device, limit a scope of movement of the control cam about the control cam pivot axis, and cooperate with a stop element of the clamping device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The control cam of claim 1, further comprising a pretension element configured to interact with a stop element of the clamping device such that the control cam is pretensioned into the predefined open position when the control cam is in the predefined open position, and is pretensioned into the predefined closed position when the control cam is in the predefined closed position, wherein the pretension element is configured as an elastic pretension element and/or as a magnetic pretension element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control cam of claim 13, wherein the pretension element comprises an elastic spring element, and the spring element has a curvature relative to the control cam pivot axis that is greater than a curvature of a geometric pitch circle arranged concentrically to the control cam pivot axis at a level of the spring element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control cam of claim 14, wherein the spring element is configured as a curved leaf spring in a form of a bolt spring-mounted radially relative to the control cam pivot axis, or is in a form of a bending bar with a free end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The control cam of claim 13, wherein the pretension element comprises: a web extending radially outwardly relative to geometric pitch circle arranged concentrically to the control cam pivot axis, and a spring element extending from the web transversely to a radial direction relative to the control cam pivot axis, wherein: a respective spring element extends on each side of the web, and a distance is present between a free end of the spring element and an arm of the control cam lying opposite the free end so as to provide a receiver configured to receive a running roller of the clamping device in a circumferential direction relative to the control cam pivot axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The control cam of claim 13, wherein the pretension element is configured as a magnetic pretension element, and the magnetic pretension element comprises a magnetic element provided on an arm of the control cam. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The control cam of claim 17, further comprising two arms extending radially outward relative to the control cam pivot axis, wherein: the magnetic pretension element comprises two magnetic elements arranged in each of the two arms, and one magnetic element is arranged and configured so as to cooperate with a magnet of the clamping device when the control cam is fitted in the clamping device such that a magnetic attraction force is present between the magnet and the one magnetic element when the control cam is in the predefined closed position and/or when the control cam is in the predefined open position. ### Claim 19 A clamping device for holding a container in a container treatment device, comprising: two clamping arms, each clamping arm comprising a holding portion configured to hold the container; and a control cam comprising: a shaft portion configured to pivotably mount the control cam about a control cam pivot axis in a hub portion of a carrier plate of the clamping device; and a first coupling element comprising: a first coupling face that extends in a direction of the control cam pivot axis and is configured to transmit a first switching force onto one of the clamping arms, and a second coupling face that is different from the first coupling face, extends in the direction of the control cam pivot axis, and is configured to transmit a second switching force that is directed opposite the first switching force onto the one of the clamping arms, wherein the control cam is pivotable about the control cam pivot axis between a predefined open position and a predefined closed position and the two clamping arms are coupled to the control cam. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The clamping device of claim 19, wherein the control cam further comprises a second coupling element, wherein each coupling element is configured to couple the control cam to a respective clamping arm of the clamping device.