Method for removing a sealing film from a container and a device for actuating the method

A method for removing a sealing film from a container, which container exhibits an upper edge bent in an externalwise direction and a polygonal shape having corners of the bent edge that are rounded and with the sealing film sealed to the container at the bent edge and exhibiting flaps projecting from the rounded corners, wherein it comprises use and activation of a gripping device with two gripping jaws, a lower fixed jaw and an upper jaw which is movable in such a way as to be both clamped against the lower jaw and distanced therefrom, and wherein it comprises, in succession one after another, performing following operating steps:

• a first gripping step, in which the gripping device is moved with respect to the container and activated such that the gripping device can grip between the two jaws, once the upper jaw has been clamped against the lower jaw, the flap of film projecting from a rounded corner of the container;
• a step of partial detachment of the film, in which the gripping device is activated, with the upper jaw maintained clamped against the lower jaw gripping between them the flap of film, such as to be raised with respect to the rounded corner of the container by a run of an entity which is such as to perform a detachment of only a portion of the film which is at the rounded corner of the bent edge of the container;
• a step of adjusting the position of the gripping device with respect to the film, in which the gripping device is first activated such that the movable upper jaw is distanced from the fixed lower jaw and successively activated in such a way as to be moved towards the center of the container such as to capture, between the two jaws, also a portion of the film which has been previously detached from the rounded corner, so as between the two jaws there is interposed a surface of film that is larger with respect to the surface of the flap of film which projected from the rounded corner of the edge of the container;
• a second gripping step, in which the gripping device is commanded such that the upper jaw lowers and clamps against the fixed lower jaw in such a way as to clamp this surface of film, and lastly,
• a step of complete detachment, in which the gripping device, with the upper jaw maintained clamped against the lower jaw such as to achieve a vice grip of the surface of film, is commanded and moved in such a way that the two jaws are raised and distanced from the corner and moved towards the center of the container such as to carry out the complete detachment of the film from all the edge of the container.