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US 2003/0196519 A1Published application
Device for screwing on caps
AssigneeSerac Group
InventorAndre Graffin
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AssigneeSerac Group
InventorAndre Graffin
Estimating the term…
The device for screwing on a cap comprises a gripping head fixed to a rotary spindle, and a drive shaft connected to a drive member carried by a frame, the rotary spindle and the drive shaft are connected to each other on the same axis by a resilient coupling member, connected both to the rotary spindle and to the drive shaft, and the device further comprises a detector member for detecting relative rotation between the rotary spindle and the drive shaft, and a control member for interrupting tightening of the cap when the relative rotation reaches a predetermined threshold.
1/ A device for screwing on a cap, which screwing-on device comprises a gripping head fixed to a rotary spindle, and a drive shaft connected to a drive member carried by a frame, wherein the rotary spindle and the drive shaft are connected to each other on the same axis by a resilient coupling member, connected both to the rotary spindle and to the drive shaft, and wherein the device further comprises a detector member for detecting relative rotation between the rotary spindle and the drive shaft, and a control member for interrupting tightening of the cap when the relative rotation reaches a predetermined threshold.
2/ A screwing-on device according to claim 1, wherein the resilient coupling member is a spring disposed between two abutments.
3/ A screwing-on device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the abutments is adjustable.
4/ A screwing-on device according to claim 1, wherein the detector member comprises at least one disk having a position which is a function of a relative angular position between the drive shaft and the rotary spindle, and a position sensor for detecting the position of the disk.
5/ A screwing-on device according to claim 4, wherein the disk is constrained to rotate with the drive shaft, while being mounted to move axially relative thereto, and is provided with positioning studs coming into abutment against ramps that are constrained to rotate with the rotary spindle.
6/ A screwing-on device according to claim 5, wherein the ramp is formed by a frustoconical notch.
7/ A screwing-on device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping head comprises a housing fixed to the rotary spindle, a bell-shaped actuating member constrained to rotate with the housing and mounted to be movable axially relatively thereto, and gripping jaws mounted to move radially inside the actuating member, the actuating member and the jaws having ramps disposed facing one another to transform axial movement of the actuating member into radial movement of the gripping jaws.
8/ A screwing-on device according to claim 7, wherein the ramps are provided with grooves in which coupling balls are disposed.
9/ A screwing-on device according to claim 7, wherein the rotary spindle is hollow, and wherein the actuating member is connected by an actuating rod extending inside the rotary spindle to an actuator carried by the frame of the device.
10/ A screwing-on device according to claim 9, wherein the actuating rod is hollow and a cap presence detector rod extends inside the actuating rod to a detector carried by the frame.
11/ A screwing-on device according to claim 1, wherein the control member for interrupting tightening of the cap is disposed to interrupt rotation of the drive shaft.
12/ A screwing-on device according to claim 1, wherein the control member for interrupting tightening of the cap is disposed to cause the gripping head to open.
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Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps: applications of control, warning, or safety devices in capping machinery
By applying and rotating preformed threaded caps: comprising torque limiting means
Applying closure members to bottles jars, or similar containers
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates to a device for screwing on caps.
Numerous devices are known for screwing on caps, and in particular a device comprising a gripping head fixed to a rotary spindle connected to a drive shaft via a friction clutch whose adhesion limit corresponds to the tightening torque that is to be applied to the caps. Because of the way that type of device operates, the clutch is designed to slip while each cap is being tightened, and that gives rise rapidly to wear on the friction elements, which requires the screwing-on device to be stopped frequently to tighten up the friction elements in order to obtain the desired torque.
A pneumatic device is also known that includes an actuator whose rod carries a rack connected via deflector pinions to a rotary spindle carrying the gripping head. The tightening torque is determined by the feed pressure of the pneumatic actuator and that pressure can be adjusted once and for all for a given cap tightening torque. However, because of the mechanism for deflecting the movement of the rack connected to the pneumatic actuator, that device is voluminous, which limits the number of cap screwing-on devices that can be installed on any one machine.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear on reading the following description of a particular non-limiting embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the device of the invention when the jaws are in a closed position, the view being in section and on a vertical plane indicated by the lines I-I in FIGS. 2 and 3;
FIG. 2 is a view in section on line II-II of FIG. 1;
With reference to the figures, the device of the invention includes a frame 1 on which a drive shaft 2 is mounted to turn by means of bearings 3 carried by the frame. A drive cog 4 is mounted on the drive shaft 2 and is associated with a toothed wheel 5 which is itself connected to an electric motor 5 carried by the frame 1.
In addition, the frame 1 carries a rotary spindle 7 mounted on the frame via bearings 8 to turn on the same axis as the axis on which the drive shaft 2 turns. A gripping head 9 is fixed to the bottom end of the rotary spindle 7.
At its bottom end, the drive shaft 2 carries a coupling part 10, while, at its top end, the rotary spindle 7 carries a coupling part 11. As shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2, the coupling part 10 includes a hub 12 carrying an arm 13 on which a screw 14 is mounted that carries an abutment for one end of a spring 16. A blade 17 is fixed to the hub 12 and extends radially relative thereto. A plate 39 is fixed to the hub 12 perpendicularly thereto.