EP0639530A1 - Device for mechanically withdrawing threaded caps from bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for mechanically withdrawing threaded caps from bottles (2), such as caps (13) from juice or mineral water or even beer bottles, having at least one assembly which rotates the cap in the opening direction and at least one lifting assembly (6) which is used to transport the bottles is to be devised, by means of which it is possible to reduce the operations of the known devices and therefore to reduce the outlay on construction entailed by them. To achieve this, provision is made according to the invention for both a device (12) for holding and removing the bottles and a device (27) for rotating the caps (13) in the opening direction to be arranged coaxially with one another in the lifting assembly (6). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for the mechanical removal of screw caps from bottles, such as caps from juice mineral water or also beer bottles, with at least one unit rotating the lid in the opening direction and at least one lifting unit serving to transport the bottles.

These lids, which are usually put back on by the buying public after use, must be removed again in particular if the bottles are to be reused, in particular as deposit bottles. The lid must be removed so that the bottles inside can be cleaned hygienically for reuse. Such cleaned bottles are then again in the usual feed stations with the corresponding Liquid filled. After filling, they are provided in machines with a new screw cap produced by pressing, the walls of which, during the pressing process, engage in corresponding grooves in the bottle necks, which are generally provided with a catchy external thread.

In known opening devices of this type, the screw caps are held under static friction between two rollers arranged at a diagonal distance from one another, the rollers running in opposite directions exerting a rotational movement in the opening direction on the lid.

In another known device, a greater static friction is exerted on the flat bottom of the lid by means of a stamp which can be pressed onto the bottom of the bottle, the stamp having a friction pad which, when it rotates about a vertical axis, takes the lid with it and thus removes it from the bottle .

Devices are also known which consist of three separate units, the first unit being a lifting device which, by means of suction or clamping devices acting on the bottles, removes them from a rack-like collecting container and transfers them to a conveyor belt on which a third unit is arranged, which if necessary, grips the lid still on the bottle and unscrews it. If there are no covers, the third unit nevertheless performs a unscrewing movement.

A disadvantage of the known devices is that at least three separate units are required for conveying the bottles on the one hand and for unscrewing the lids on the other, namely the lifting and transfer device for the bottles from the rack to the conveyor belt, and secondly the conveyor belt for transferring the bottles into the unscrewing device and thirdly the unscrewing device itself.

The known arrangements are therefore complex and expensive, so that the invention has for its object to provide a device with which it is possible to reduce the operations of the known devices and thus their construction costs.

This object is achieved in that both a device for holding and removing the bottles and a device for rotating the lid in the opening direction is arranged coaxially to one another in the lifting unit.

With this arrangement it is achieved that both the lifting process and the process of twisting off the cover can be accomplished with a single unit. In addition to saving additional intermediate conveyors and separate devices, the device according to the invention thus has the particular advantage that the cover can be unscrewed at the same time as the lifting process. The attack of the individual parts of the unit on the bottle or on the lid can also take place simultaneously.

It is particularly advantageous if a plurality of lifting units anchored in a carrier plate are provided which have a common drive and are arranged at a distance from one another which corresponds to the distance between the longitudinal axes of the individual bottles located in the collecting container.

The device according to the invention can namely preferably be applied to bottles which are temporarily stored in the abovementioned collecting containers (“boxes”). In such a case, it can be particularly expedient if the distance and the number of lifting units of the type mentioned are used which correspond to the bottles arranged in the collecting container. The use of such a device means that the removal and replacement of the bottles can be carried out very quickly.

Other sets result from relatively large and heavy devices, since, for example, 24 units have to be used for a box that holds 24 beer bottles for the simultaneous exchange.

For this reason, it is particularly advantageous if one or more horizontally displaceable devices are used, in particular for containers with numerous bottles, in which the number of units is smaller than the number of bottles, so that the units are each assigned to only a part of the bottles . For example, in the case of a container that holds 8 bottles, which are arranged in two rows of four, the lids of four of these bottles, respectively, could be are square to each other, are removed one after the other by a device provided with correspondingly square lifting units. It is also possible to use devices that work at the same time, but only remove a limited number of bottles. In the example above, two units would be required, each with four lifting devices, which simultaneously grasp the existing bottles and unscrew the lids there. Such a division has the advantage that the device allows the existing bottles to be acted upon both in succession and simultaneously. In extreme cases, it may even be sufficient if a single movable unit is present, which detects the bottles one after the other and is horizontally movable in a frame assigned to the carrier plate on rails arranged there, the movement being fixable in its initial and final position by a switch or the like is.

If several units are used, these can be assigned a separate carrier which holds the units together and which carries out the shifting, it being possible for more than one unit to be shifted at the same time.

If several units are used at the same time, there is the same advantage as with an arrangement in which each bottle is assigned an unit, whereby it is also advantageous that in the event of a fault or repair, not the entire device, but in case of doubt, only a partial assembly of units must be replaced .

In a particularly advantageous manner, the individual units are each provided with a separate drive, which can be an electric motor. Of course, it is also possible to use a pneumatic or hydraulic motor here. But since the rotational speed of the shaft of the motor must be relatively low, intermediate gearboxes are required in an electric motor, while a hydraulic motor can be set from the start so that it runs slowly.

It is expedient here if the drive shaft of the electric motor, which runs centrally through a receiving bore of the support plate, extends perpendicularly through the receiving opening, the shaft being connected via a coupling member to a piston shaft, the inside of which the shaft runs coaxially. The piston shaft in turn sits coaxially in the interior of a cylinder housing, which makes it possible to provide such a device with a pneumatic drive, which presses the piston shaft relative to the cylinder housing when triggered appropriately downwards, i.e. against the bottle to be freed from the lid.

In this embodiment, the piston skirt is expediently provided with a cone arranged at its lower end, which enters between at least two support rollers, which are articulated on the cylinder housing and are fixedly connected to a lever, at the lower end of which another gripper or jaw or the like are pivotally arranged. So when the piston shaft moves down towards the bottle, the support rollers are pushed apart and with it the lever is turned counterclockwise or clockwise, so that the jaws are pressed against the neck of the bottle or the upper part of the bottle against the force of the springs provided here in such a way that the bottle is carried by the piston on a return stroke.

In this embodiment, a shaft section which is connected to the shaft of the drive motor or formed by the shaft itself is expediently provided coaxially within the piston shaft and rotates slowly within the piston shaft. This driven shaft section is also carried by the piston when the piston moves downward, roller bearings being provided between the shaft and the piston shaft. It is therefore necessary for the shaft or its section to perform a relative movement with respect to the motor drive or its shaft, which can come about, for example, by the fact that, in a manner known per se, two coupling sections are provided which interlock telescopically, the torque being made possible by longitudinal displacement Gearing is transferable.

In order to transmit the rotational movement of the shaft to the cover to be rotated, couplings of various types can be provided between the shaft end and cover in the event that these two parts come into contact. Such a coupling can - as described - consist, for example, that gripper-like jaws are connected to the shaft, which act on the cover under frictional force.

It is particularly advantageous if the connection between the shaft end and the cover is achieved in that there is at least one eccentrically arranged pointed pin at the shaft end, which penetrates the cover when the shaft moves downward and thus provides a fixed connection between the shaft pin and the shaft Lids. As soon as the pin has penetrated the cover, it is taken away by the shaft. Due to the low rotational speed, such a connection can be made while the shaft is running. Of course, it is also possible to carry out an additional switch-on by means of circulation contacts or the like, which brings about a coupling or the type described above at a standstill. The arrangement described above has the essential advantage that construction material is saved.

Finally, it is also possible to convey the cover, which may be adhering to a plurality of pins of this type, out of the device by means of an ejector, the ejector consisting of a pin which is located in the center of the shaft and is arranged there to be longitudinally displaceable. In the case of a pneumatic version, this ejector can be acted upon by a correspondingly small compressed air unit in the ejector direction, ie downwards; however, mechanical devices are also conceivable which are arranged in the interior of the piston skirt due to eccentrics or the like and which, in a specific position, strike the upper end of the ejector.

Instead of the pin or pins, grippers can also be provided for the cover, which provide frictional engagement with the shaft produce. Ejection may be simplified if an air flow is generated that is directed against the lid from above and separates it from the tips.

In order to improve the adhesion of the gripper jaws to the bottles and to prevent them from falling out of the device during the lifting process, the gripper jaws can be provided with adhesion-increasing bristles or the like which face the neck of the bottle. At this point, rubber coatings or coatings made of rubber-like plastic can also be provided.

In the case of a pneumatic drive, the essential parts of the pneumatic system can be arranged in the upper part of the cylinder head, which in turn is connected to the carrier plate via a flange which can be held by three screws and which thus reliably holds the unit. On the other hand, such a connection makes it possible to detach the entire assembly including the shaft, ejector and gripper and to remove it from the traverse with minimal downtime for the purpose of replacement.

Fig. 1

zeigt in schematischer perspektivischer Darstellung eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung, mit welcher gleichzeitig sämtliche Seiten eines Sammelbehälters beaufschlagt werden können.

Fig. 2

zeigt in schematischer Darstellung eine Ausführungsform von Greifern oder Backen, die dem Festhalten der Flaschen dienen.

Fig. 3

zeigt in schematischer Darstellung im Schnitt eine andere Ausführungsform für die Ausbildung der Greifer oder Backen.

Fig. 4

zeigt in schematischer Darstellung eine Ausführungsform zur pneumatischen Betätigung der Vorrichtung.

Fig. 5

ist der Schnitt V/V nach Fig. 6.

Fig. 6

zeigt einen Längsschnitt durch die Vorrichtung.

Fig. 7

zeigt die Vorrichtung nach Fig. 6 in Ansicht.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments in the drawing.

Fig. 1

shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention, with which all sides of a collecting container can be loaded simultaneously.

Fig. 2

shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of grippers or jaws, which serve to hold the bottles.

Fig. 3

shows a schematic representation in section of another embodiment for the formation of the gripper or jaws.

Fig. 4

shows a schematic representation of an embodiment for pneumatic actuation of the device.

Fig. 5

is the section V / V according to FIG. 6.

Fig. 6

shows a longitudinal section through the device.

Fig. 7

shows the device of FIG. 6 in view.

According to FIG. 1, a device part 1 is assigned to a collecting container 3, which accommodates eight surfaces 2 arranged next to one another in four rows, this collecting container 3 being customary and used for the simultaneous sale of several filled bottles 2.

The section 1 of the device according to the invention which is assigned to the collecting container 3 and shown in FIG. 1 consists of a frame 4 of the one according to the illustrated embodiment Carrier plate 5 can accommodate, the carrier plate 5 serving to hold (in the illustrated embodiment: eight) lifting units 6, one of which is assigned to one of the bottles 2 in the collecting container 3. The frame 4 and thus the carrier plate 5 are arranged displaceably on rails 7 and 8, the rails 7 and 8 being arranged at right angles to one another in the exemplary embodiment shown, but need not be. The rails 7 and 8 can engage above and below the frame 4 or the carrier plate 5 and can be locked in their respective setting position.

The rails 7 and 8 make it possible, for example, when using relatively few aggregates (for example four aggregates in the exemplary embodiment shown) to reach the number of bottles which has not been reached in each case by moving the carrier plate 5 with the frame 4 appropriately and quickly, the bottles which have not previously been gripped.

In Fig. 1, the upper part 1 of the device is seen from below, the individual units 6 protruding downwards from the carrier side 4, ie in the direction of the bottles 2. Of the units 6, the outer cylinder housing 9 is visible in FIG. 1, from each of which a piston shaft 10 emerges from below. This piston shaft 10 serves on the one hand to actuate a gripper 11 which holds the respective bottle 2 by means of articulated jaws 12, the lid 13 of which is to be removed (cf. FIG. 2). For this purpose, at least two double levers 14 can be provided in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, each pivotable about a fixed articulation point 15 are and at the ends pointing towards the bottle 2 over joints 16, the joint holders 17 of the jaws 12 are articulated.

The jaws 12 are thus brought into contact with the bottle 2 in the neck region 2a thereof when their upper ends 18 are pressed apart in the direction of the double arrow 19. This pushing apart can also be done pneumatically like all other operations.

3 shows a schematic representation of this actuation of the jaws 12, the spreading apart being carried out in the direction of the double arrow 19 by the piston shaft 10, at the end of which facing the jaws 12 there is an expansion cone 20 which acts on stationary support rollers 21 spread the double levers 14 apart and thus bring the jaws 12 of the gripper into contact with the bottle in the opposite direction.

In Fig. 3, the support plate 5 is still shown, which holds the entire lifting unit.

Fig. 4 shows the individual components in their single stage, i.e. at a time when the expansion cone 20 has not yet acted on the support rollers 21 in the opening direction and thus on the jaws 12 in the closing direction.

4 also shows a centrally arranged ejector pin, which serves to eject the twisted covers 13 (cf. FIG. 2). Like all other components, the pin can be pressurized with compressed air.

Fig. 6 shows the overall device with its details in section. Thereafter, the piston shaft 10 is arranged vertically displaceable and pneumatically acted upon in a cylinder housing 23, in the interior of which a shaft 26 is rotatably mounted about its vertical axis via roller bearings 25 and serves to unscrew the cover 13 (cf. FIG. 2). The driver for this is a pin 27 which is inserted into the cover 13 outside of the center from above, so that the continued rotation of the shaft 26 leads to a drive of the cover 13 and thus to a rotation in the opening direction. Of course, several carriers of this type can also be provided.

As can further be seen from FIG. 6, coaxial within the shaft 26 is the ejector pin 30, which can be moved vertically downward in the direction of arrow 35 via its air connections 30 and 31 (cf. FIG. 4), so that the removed and twisted cover 13 is promoted downwards.

FIG. 5 is the section V / V according to FIG. 6 and illustrates the coaxial engagement of the ejector pin 30, the shaft 26 of the piston shaft 10 and the cylinder housing 23.

As can further be seen from FIG. 6, the jaws 12 can additionally be acted upon by springs 36 in the contact direction.

FIG. 7 shows the overall unit in view and illustrates its mounting, in particular on the carrier plate 5.

Claims (34)

The invention relates to a device for the mechanical removal of screw caps from bottles, such as lids from juice, mineral water or also beer bottles, with at least one unit rotating the lid in the opening direction and at least one lifting unit serving to transport the bottles, characterized in that in the lifting unit (6) is arranged coaxially with each other both a device for holding and removing the bottles (2) and a device for rotating the lid (13) in the opening direction. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of lifting units (6) anchored in a carrier plate (4) are provided which have a common drive and are arranged at a distance from one another which corresponds to the distance between the longitudinal axes of the individual in the collecting container (3). located bottles (2) corresponds. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lid is unscrewed simultaneously with the lifting process, the attack of the individual parts of the unit (6) on the bottle (2) or on the lid (13) also taking place simultaneously. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the type and number of lifting units correspond to the bottles (2) arranged in the collecting container 3 (91 ...). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more horizontally displaceable devices are used for containers (3) with numerous bottles, in which the number of units (6) is smaller than the number of bottles (2). Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that a certain number of bottles (2) are loaded one after the other with the same units (6). Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the same units (6) are acted upon both in succession and simultaneously with the bottles (2) present. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that there is a single movable unit (6). Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the single unit (6) can be moved in a frame (4) assigned to the carrier plate (5) on rails (7, 8) arranged there. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the movement can be fixed in its starting and end positions by a switch or the like. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that in the case of a plurality of units (6), a separate carrier (5) holding the units (6) together is assigned to them, with more than one unit (6) being displaced simultaneously. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the individual units (6) are each provided with a separate drive (40), which can be an electric motor. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the separate drive (40) is a pneumatic or hydraulic motor. Apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the drive shaft (26) of the drive (40) extends vertically through a receiving bore in the carrier plate (5), the shaft (26) via a coupling member (27) with a piston shaft ( 10) is connected, inside which the shaft (26) extends coaxially. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the piston shaft (10) is arranged coaxially in the interior of the cylinder housing (23), the piston shaft (10) relative to the cylinder housing (20) vertically downwards, that is to say against the cover (13) freeing bottle (2) presses. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston shaft (10) is provided with a cone (20) arranged at its lower end, which enters between at least two support rollers (21) which are articulated on the cylinder housing (23) and are fixedly connected to a lever (14), at the lower end of which another gripper or jaw (12) is pivotally arranged via a further joint. Apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the jaws (12) are acted upon by springs (36) which press the jaws (12) against the bottle neck. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the jaws (12) rest against the neck of the bottle (2) in such a way that the bottle (2) is carried by the piston shaft (10) when the piston shaft (10) returns. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a shaft section is provided which is connected to the shaft (26) of the drive motor (40) or is formed by the shaft (26) itself and which rotates slowly within the piston shaft (10). Apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that the driven shaft section or the driven shaft (26) is also carried by the piston shaft (10) when the piston shaft (10) moves downwards. Device according to claim 20, characterized in that roller bearings (25) are provided between the shaft (26) and the piston shaft (10). Apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that coupling sections are provided between the shaft or the shaft section (26) and the piston shaft (10) which engage in one another telescopically. Apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that the coupling sections of the torque can be transmitted by means of a toothing which enables longitudinal displacement. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the lower end of the shaft (26) and the cover (13) to be removed, couplings in the form of gripper-like jaws are provided, which are arranged on the shaft end and under frictional force on the cover (13 ) attack. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the couplings between the end of the shaft (26) and the cover (13) consist of at least one pointed pin (27) which is arranged eccentrically at the end of the shaft (26) and which, at a downward movement of the shaft (26) penetrates the cover (13), whereby a fixed connection between the pin (27) and the shaft (26) and the cover (13) is established. Apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that the cover (13) adhering to the shaft end can be conveyed out by an ejector (30). Apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the ejector (30) consists of a pin which is located in the center of the shaft (26) and is arranged there to be longitudinally displaceable. Apparatus according to claim 27, characterized in that the ejector (30) in a pneumatic version is acted upon by a small compressed air unit in the ejector direction, ie downwards. Apparatus according to claim 27, characterized in that the ejector, in the case of a mechanical design, is acted upon by eccentrics or the like, which are arranged in the interior of the piston skirt (10), the eccentrics or the like being in a certain position on the upper end of the ejector pin ( 30) meet. Apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that the ejector (30) is actuated by an air flow directed against the cover (13) from above. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the jaws (12) of the grippers are provided on their side facing the bottle neck with bristles or the like which increase adhesion. Device according to one of claims 1 to 30, characterized in that gripper jaws are provided with adhesion-increasing rubber coatings or coatings made of rubber-like plastic. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the case of a pneumatic drive, the essential parts of the pneumatic system in the upper part of the Are arranged cylinder head, which in turn is connected to the carrier plate (5) via a flange. Apparatus according to claim 33, characterized in that the flange is held on the carrier plate by means of three screws distributed uniformly over its circumference, the overall assembly being exchangeable after the screws have been loosened.

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