# US 8,291,680 B2 · Apparatus and method for processing container closures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,291,680 B2 - Document ID: US8291680B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/601,775 - Filed: 2008-12-23 - Published: 2011-10-06 - Granted: 2012-10-23 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-23 - Assignees: Sidel - Inventors: Angelo Silvestri - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8291680B2 ## CPC - B67B 3/003: {Pretreatment of caps, e.g. cleaning, steaming, heating or sterilizing} - B67B 3/06: Feeding caps to capping heads - B67B 2201/08: Aseptic features - B67B: APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS (opening or closing devices attached to, or incorporated in, containers or container closures B65D) ## Abstract An apparatus (1) for processing container closures (2) comprises a sterilization unit (3), having a sterilization module (7) with means for spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid, a capping unit (4), having screwing means active on the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque, a guide member (5) configured in such a way to allow a plurality of closures (2) to be arranged therein and connected to the sterilization unit (3) and to the capping unit (4) to guide the closures (2) from the sterilization unit (3) to the capping unit (4), and means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4). A method for processing container closures (2) comprises the following steps: sterilizing the closures (2) by spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid, transferring the closures (2) from a sterilization unit (3) to a capping unit (4), by means of a guide member (5) interposed therein, screwing the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque to the closures (2) in the capping unit (4), and regulating the temperature of the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4). ## Claims ### Claim 1 Method for processing container closures (2), comprising the following steps: sterilizing the closures (2) by spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid; transferring the closures (2) from a sterilization unit (3) to a capping unit (4), by means of a guide member (5) interposed therein; screwing the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque to the closures (2) in the capping unit (4), characterized in that it comprises: a step of regulating the temperature of the closures (2) fed to the capping unit (4) arranged in the guide member (5), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4), the regulating step being a step of heating the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5); a step of sensing the transit of the closures (2) towards the capping unit (4), an activation of the heating step being triggered when the transit of the closures (2) is interrupted. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein the regulating step is a step of regulating the temperature of the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: holding for a predetermined time the closures (2) associated to the guide member (5); discharging the closures (2) contained in the sterilization unit (3). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization step comprises a step of drying the closures (2) after the spraying step and wherein the heating step entails the blowing of hot sterilized air on the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, comprising a step of counting the closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4), the heating step being stopped when the number of closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4) during the heating step is equal to or higher than the number of closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein the closures (2) are heated at the temperature (Tout) at which the closures (2) exit the sterilization unit (3). ### Claim 7 Method for processing container closures (2), comprising the following steps: sterilizing the closures (2) by spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid; transferring the closures (2) from a sterilization unit (3) to a capping unit (4), by means of a guide member (5) interposed therein; screwing the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque to the closures (2) in the capping unit (4), characterized in that it comprises: a step of regulating the temperature of the closures (2) fed to the capping unit (4) arranged in the guide member (5), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4); the regulating step being a step of heating the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5); a step of counting the closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4), the heating step being stopped when the number of closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4) during the heating step is equal to or higher than the number of closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 8 Apparatus (1) for processing container closures (2), comprising: a sterilization unit (3) having a sterilization module (7) with means for spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid; a capping unit (4) having screwing means (10) active on the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque; a guide member (5) configured in such a way to allow a plurality of closures (2) to be arranged therein and connected to the sterilization unit (3) and to the capping unit (4) to guide the closures (2) from the sterilization unit (3) to the capping unit (4), characterized in that it comprises: means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) fed to the capping unit (4), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4); said means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures arranged in the guide member comprising heating means; a sensor for detecting a transit of the closures (2) in the guide member (5); and control means connected to the heating means and to the sensor, configured to trigger the activation of the heating means when the transit of closures (2) is interrupted. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) are operatively active on the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the guide member (5) is inclined downward from the sterilization unit (3) to the capping unit (4). ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means (13) for regulating the temperature comprises a plurality of nozzles (14) arranged in proximity of the guide member (5) to spray a sterilized fluid on the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the nozzles (14) are equally spaced along the path defined by the guide member (5). ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the heating means is configured to heat the closures (2) coupled to the guide member (5), at the temperature (Tout) at which the closures (2) exit the sterilization unit (3). ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8, comprising: a counter for counting the closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4); control means connected to the heating means and to the counter, to stop the heating means when the number of closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4) while the heating means is active is equal or higher than the number of closures (2) coupled to the guide member (5). ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8, comprising drying means (8) active on the closures (2) downwards with respect to the sterilization module (7), said heating means comprising nozzles (14) configured to blow heated and sterilized air on the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said nozzles (14) are configured to blow hot air towards the concave surfaces of the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8, comprising means for holding for a predetermined time the closures (2) associated to the guide member (5) and discharging the closures (2) contained in the sterilization unit (3). ### Claim 18 Apparatus (1) for processing container closures (2), comprising: a sterilization unit (3) having a sterilization module (7) with means for spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid; a capping unit (4) having screwing means (10) active on the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque; a guide member (5) configured in such a way to allow a plurality of closures (2) to be arranged therein and connected to the sterilization unit (3) and to the capping unit (4) to guide the closures (2) from the sterilization unit (3) to the capping unit (4), characterized in that it comprises: means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) fed to the capping unit (4), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4); said means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures arranged in the guide member comprising heating means; a counter for counting the closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4); control means connected to the heating means and to the counter, to stop the heating means when the number of closures (2) transferred to the capping unit (4) while the heating means is active is equal or higher than the number of closures (2) coupled to the guide member (5). ### Claim 19 Apparatus (1) for processing container closures (2), comprising: a sterilization unit (3) having a sterilization module (7) with means for spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid; a capping unit (4) having screwing means (10) active on the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque; a guide member (5) configured in such a way to allow a plurality of closures (2) to be arranged therein and connected to the sterilization unit (3) and to the capping unit (4) to guide the closures (2) from the sterilization unit (3) to the capping unit (4), characterized in that it comprises: means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) fed to the capping unit (4), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4); said means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures arranged in the guide member comprising heating means; drying means (8) active on the closures (2) downwards with respect to the sterilization module (7), said heating means comprising nozzles (14) configured to blow heated and sterilized air on the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5), said nozzles (14) being configured to blow hot air towards the concave surfaces of the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5). ### Claim 20 Apparatus (1) for processing container closures (2), comprising: a sterilization unit (3) having a sterilization module (7) with means for spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid; a capping unit (4) having screwing means (10) active on the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque; a guide member (5) configured in such a way to allow a plurality of closures (2) to be arranged therein and connected to the sterilization unit (3) and to the capping unit (4) to guide the closures (2) from the sterilization unit (3) to the capping unit (4), characterized in that it comprises: means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) fed to the capping unit (4), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4); said means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) arranged in the guide member comprises cooling means, the cooling means comprise two sets of nozzles (14) arranged at opposite sides of the guide member (5) to spray a cooling sterilized fluid on the closures (2).