Coupling method and unit for coupling a component of a container to a container, an apparatus with such a coupling unit

A coupling method for coupling a component of a container to said container, the method comprising

• arranging a coupling unit comprising a coupling assembly, the coupling assembly comprising:
• a frame,
• a gripping device moveably constrained to said frame, the gripping device comprising a retaining element configured to selectively retain said component,
• a coupling device moveably constrained to said frame, the coupling device comprising a coupling element configured to constrain said component to said container at a predetermined coupling position of said component relative to said container, and
• a retaining seat constrained to said frame and configured to stably house said container;
• arranging (i) said container in said retaining seat and (ii) said component at least partially within said container, providing at least a predetermined minimum spacing between a bottom of said component and a base of said container;
• positioning said gripping device and said coupling device at an initial position in which said gripping device and said coupling device are at an initial spacing from said bottom of said component;
• moving said gripping device to a removal position in which said gripping device is positioned near or in contact with said component, and activating said retaining element to selectively constrain said component to said retaining element, maintaining at all times a safety spacing from said base, preventing said bottom from touching said base;
• moving said retaining element and said coupling element to a coupling position in which a predetermined couplable portion of said component is placed in contact with said container;
• deactivating said retaining element, thus deactivating a constraint between said gripping element and said component;
• activating said coupling element for a predetermined coupling time to produce a stable coupling between said couplable portion of said component and said container;
• deactivating said coupling element;
• and
• moving said retaining element and said coupling element away from said component to a final position.