Closure Delivery From Supply Through Top Of Header Patents (Class 53/309)
  • Patent number: 9388030
    Abstract: The device for processing a product has an element for processing the product and in particular the form of a device that is suitable for connecting a closure element to a container. The device contains means for receiving the product, means for advancing the product, and means for advancing the processing element that is supported on a corresponding shaft. The device contains means that are suitable for moving the carrier shaft of the processing element in the axial direction and means that are suitable for driving the processing element so that the processing element performs a processing rotation, said means acting on the carrier shaft of the processing element in such a way that the means are coordinated with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Automation GmbH
    Inventor: Andrea Barbolini
  • Publication number: 20110162332
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for closing containers (2), comprising an infeed device (4, 9, 10; 4, 14), wherein a closure element (5) is fed into the container (2) by means of the infeed device (4, 9, 10; 4, 14). In order to continuously apply the closure element (5) to the containers (2) in the same orientation, preferably to design features and/or labels or similar identification, the invention proposes that the infeed device (4, 9, 10; 4, 14) comprises a cap detecting system (8) receiving a random position of the closure element (5), wherein the infeed device (4, 9, 10; 4, 14) is designed such that the closure element (5) is held and can be transported in the random position thereof in a non-rotatable manner in the circumferential direction thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Peter Hecktor, Marius Michael Herrmann
  • Patent number: 7536839
    Abstract: For closing bottles with sterile caps, the caps are placed in a non-sterile environment in a vertical arrangement and are supplied vertically to a first sterile area. The interior of the caps is arranged to be accessible horizontally. The caps are sterilized in the first sterile area and transferred to a second sterile area where the caps are placed onto bottles. Subsequently, the bottle is closed with the cap. The machine for sterile closing of bottles with caps has a sterilization device with an individualization device for picking up caps and a vertical transport path feeding the caps to the sterilization chamber. A placing device receives the caps from the sterilization device and places the caps onto bottles. A closing device closes the bottles with the cap placed thereon. The sterilization device, the placing device, and the closing device operate as synchronized modules of a linear machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: SIG Technology AG
    Inventors: Berthold Kemper, Thomas Niehr
  • Publication number: 20080227612
    Abstract: A rotary transfer mechanism for transferring flat sleeve cartons (20) from a magazine (22) to a receiving station (23) on a conveyor (24), with opening of the cartons ready to receive end-loaded product, is characterized in that the path of suction cups (32) for holding the cartons during transfer is basically determined by a continuous stationary cam track (34) permanently engaged by a cam follower (37) on a gear segment (35) pivotally mounted on carrier means (29) rotatable by a drive shaft (26), the suction cups (32) being carried by a support shaft (30) rotatable on the carrier means and coaxial with a pinion (38) meshing with the gear segment. (35), and the support shaft being connected to a bracket (48) carrying a manifold (47) for the suction cups (32) by a crank arm (53), which is connected by a link arm (54) to a rocker arm (55) freely rotatable on the drive shaft (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventor: John Christopher Harston
  • Publication number: 20080216312
    Abstract: A plug insertion device for inserting a plug into a container. The device includes sides defining an opening therebetween. The opening receives a plurality of containers having openings at the upper end thereof. A platen having a plurality of insertion pins is pivoted over the sides. A sheet of plugs is positioned over the openings in the containers. The insertion pins engage the plugs and insert them into the containers upon application of a force to the platen. A return spring returns the insertion pins to their retracted position allowing for the removal of the plugged containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Lendell J. Williams, Mark L. Bannan
  • Publication number: 20080178561
    Abstract: An apparatus for capping bottles, comprising: gripping devices for bottles containing products, constrained to a transporter, each of which gripping devices exhibits on a side thereof a gripping means of a corresponding bottle, and on an opposite side thereof hooking-receiving-stabilizing organ of a cap; at least a channel for supplying caps, arranged superiorly of the transporter upstream of a capping zone overlying the hooking-receiving-stabilizing organs transiting below the channel, into which a row of caps is conveyed, a head cap of the row of caps being held elastically by a lower end of the supply channel in order to position an internal surface of a relative head such as to intercept a front head (96a) of an underlying hooking-receiving-stabilizing organ in order to enable the head cap, in combination with the advancing of the transporter and with the striking and guiding action exerted by the supply channel, to disengage from the supply channel in order to locate in the corresponding hooking-receivin
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: MARCHESINI GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe MONTI
  • Patent number: 7353643
    Abstract: System for feeding bottle-tops to a bottle closing machine, in particular for feeding caps to an automatic capping machine, comprising an accumulation device, an entrance channel for feeding caps to the accumulation device and an exit channel to discharge the caps from the accumulation device and feed the caps to the capping machine. The accumulation device comprises a drum rotating around a vertical axis and provided with a plurality of pipes distanced uniformly one from another in the circumferential direction and each having an upper extremity and a lower extremity respectively for the entrance and exit of the caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Arol SpA
    Inventor: Sergio Cirio
  • Patent number: 7290380
    Abstract: A packaging machine for closing containers (5) is provided having a supply device (1, 2) for supplying containers (5) to be closed; a removal device (11) for removing closed containers (5?); and a closing device (25) between the supply device (1, 2) and the removal device (11). The closing device (25) is arranged lateral of a main transport path (8) of the containers (5) from the supply device (2) to the removal device (11) and a device is provided which transports at least one container (5) to be closed into the closing device (25) by means of a linear motion while transporting at least one closed container (5?) out from the closing device (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmuller GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Johann Natterer
  • Patent number: 7010902
    Abstract: A capping mechanism comprising an active feeder (20) device in which caps (1, 10) are fed actively forward arranged top-to-bottom along a feeding axis (30), and a hollow rotatable and linearly movable chuck device (40) arranged at the feeder's outlet end (22) and devised to grip a cap and mount said cap to a container opening. The feeder device preferably comprises movable members working in pairs (23, 24 and 25, 26 resp.) alternating to influence a row or pile of caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Trepak International AB
    Inventor: Jens Pagh
  • Patent number: 6651405
    Abstract: An apparatus for mounting a tip cap having a maximum diameter over a syringe subassembly having a syringe body with an end carrying a needle has a holder holding the subassembly with the needle substantially on an axis and a tubular guide having a feed passage generally centered on the axis adjacent the holder, of an inside diameter greater than the maximum tip-cap diameter, and open toward the holder. A stop can move between a blocking position between the guide and the holder and an unblocking position offset therefrom. The tip cap is fed through the passage to a position arrested on the stop in the blocking position thereof. A nozzle opening into the passage injects pressurized gas into the passage and thereby spins the tip cap in the passage about the axis. The stop can then be moved from the blocking into the unblocking position for displacing the spinning tip cap from the guide onto the syringe subassembly in the holder. The nozzle opens tangentially into the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Arzneimittel GmbH Apotheker Vetter & Co. Ravensburg
    Inventors: Udo J. Vetter, Joachim Oliveira, Hubert Sauter
  • Patent number: 6464096
    Abstract: A fitment for use as a pour spout for a paper carton or flexible bag for liquids and powders has a flange which may be welded around a hole in the carton or bag. A spout projecting outward from the flange is provided with a removable membrane integral with the interior of the spout. Preferably the membrane is concave. A horizontally disposed pull ring is attached to the membrane by a connector so that pulling the ring removes the membrane by fracturing the tear line at the juncture of the outer edge of the membrane and the projection. A cap snaps over the spout and may be removed by unscrewing the complementary threads on cap and spout. Optionally, a tamper-evidencing band frangibly connected to the lower edge of the cap skirt engages the exterior of the spout so that the cap cannot be removed without breaking the frangible connection. Various means for detachably securing the fitment to a spud during delivery of the fitment from a chute to the interior of a carton are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Adams, Daniel Luch, Rodger A. Moody
  • Patent number: 5957312
    Abstract: A fitment for use as a pour spout for a paper carton or flexible bag for liquids and powders has a flange which may be welded around a hole in the carton or bag. A spout projecting outward from the flange is provided with a removable membrane integral with the interior of the spout. Preferably the membrane is concave. A horizontally disposed pull ring is attached to the membrane by a connector so that pulling the ring removes the membrane by fracturing the tear line at the juncture of the outer edge of the membrane and the projection. A cap snaps over the spout and may be removed by unscrewing the complementary threads on cap and spout. Optionally, a tamper-evidencing band frangibly connected to the lower edge of the cap skirt engages the exterior of the spout so that the cap cannot be removed without breaking the frangible connection. Various means for detachably securing the fitment to a spud during delivery of the fitment from a chute to the interior of a carton are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Adams, Daniel Luch, Rodger A. Moody
  • Patent number: 5842322
    Abstract: A closure member for crown cork applicators, which comprises a closure cone and an ejector engaging the longitudinal bore of said closure cone, is provided with an observation opening connecting the bore to the outside thereof, said observation opening having an aperture angle of at least 180.degree. and being dimensioned such that the ejector is located completely within said observation opening. The large observation opening defined in this way permits the best possible access to the particularly critical areas of the closure member for the purpose of examination, cleaning, disinfection or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Krones Aktiengesellschaft Hermann Kronseder Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Gerhard Heudecker
  • Patent number: 5471813
    Abstract: A ball placer device is provided for containers in a capping machine, which consists of a vertical tube assembly mounted to the capping machine to receive a series of balls therein. A feed assembly for the balls is retained above the vertical tube assembly on the capping machine, so that the balls can enter into the vertical tube assembly in a stacked relationship. A conveyor is to carry a series of the containers in upstanding positions under the vertical tube assembly. Each container is of the type having a neck with a collar thereon. A mechanism is for placing each ball from the vertical tube assembly upon each collar on the neck of each container, one at a time, as the containers are carried under the vertical tube assembly by the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Herzog
  • Patent number: 5152120
    Abstract: A latex lid mounting apparatus includes a seat body and a lid accommodating device with a replaceable lid container. A beverage cup is placed on a cup positioning plate. Lids are superposed in the container. An ascending assembly activates a lid holding unit to move up and down between an upper limit position and a lower limit position. The lid holding unit includes an outer ring, an inner ring journalled in the outer ring, several links connected to the inner and outer rings, and a plurality of paw elements carried on the inner and outer rings. A rotation control device regulates relative rotation between the inner and outer rings, so as to move the paw elements between an inner limit position and an outer limit position. Under the guidance of the rotation control device, the lid holding unit holds the lowermost lid immediately before reaching the upper limit position, while covering the open upper end of the cup with the lid immediately before reaching the lower limit position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Inventor: Chung-Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 5113636
    Abstract: A can lid feeder, for use with a can seamer, has a separator for can lids which projects into a drop hole provided in a cylindrical body at the bottom of a hopper and which separates dropped and stacked can lids one by one from the bottom of the stack. A rotary shaft of the separator extends in a gear box which is supported in the feeder in a freely swingable manner. The gear box is swingable so that the separator can move in the radial direction with respect to the cylindrical body having the drop hole. After a side surface of the swinging gear box has been brought into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body, the gear box is fixed in position by a clamp lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokata Mihara, Koichi Takagi, Teruo Shimizu, Katsunori Tashiro, Hideo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4571920
    Abstract: A keg capping machine primarily for use with beer kegs having protruding neck portions upon which flexible plastic caps are to be fitted. The machine has a capping head attached to the lower end of an inclined cap chute which is attached on its upper end to a cap storing hopper. The capping head has horizontal flanges on its bottom edge which serve as stops and guideways for caps sliding down the chute. The neck of a keg which is carried along a conveyor moves between the guideways and engages the lower portion of a cap forcing it through the capping head. A cap driving rocker within the capping head is employed to force the cap down tightly onto the neck of the keg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Assignee: APV Burnett & Rolfe, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry P. Roach, Jeffrey W. Gunn
  • Patent number: 4548668
    Abstract: This relates to a machine for assembling end units with container bodies. The container bodies have cylindrical open upper ends over which a cylindrical lower portion of an end unit or dome is telescoped with the overlapping portions being adhesively bonded together. The machine receives the end units serially and by way of a Ferris wheel type conveyor moves the end units first to an adhesive applicator where a band of adhesive is applied to the interior of each end unit, after which each end unit is then telescoped over and pressed into position relative to an associated body. The operation of the machine is continuous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald J. Roth, Charles S. Kubis, John Walter
  • Patent number: 4375144
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting lids (17, 18) on containers (12) of different types, for example cans, pails etc. The basis of the present invention resides in the object of mounting lids on filled containers in as simple and functionally reliable manner as possible. Furthermore, it is desirable that the container, after filling, need not be moved with a loosely recumbent lid thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1983
    Inventor: Knut N. A. Moller
  • Patent number: 4307557
    Abstract: A capping machine for application of sealing caps which cover the bungs of a variety of liquid containers which comprises a cap holder with a vertical cylindrical shape in which a plurality of sealing caps is piled up with the upward open ends to form a cylinder, a horizontal circular band made of a resilient material which is arranged at the bottom of the cap holder, making the internal surface thereof identical to that of the cap holder, a pneumatic system which intermittently inflates the internal surface of the resilient circular band toward the center thereof, a sucking member which takes down and holds a sealing cap located at the extreme bottom of the sealing cap pile in the cap holder during the period in which the resilient band holds a sealing cap second to the bottom, and a means which changes the direction of and carries sealing cap held by the sucking member and applies the same to a bung of a liquid container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Assignee: Asahi Breweries Ltd.
    Inventors: Isekazu Shimizu, Kuniaki Tamura, Minoru Takahashi, Masahiro Kobayashi, Katuhiro Watanabe, Hiroshi Nishidome, Hidetoshi Furuya, Minoru Yonaga
  • Patent number: 4222214
    Abstract: Chucking apparatus is disclosed for engaging articles such as screw-type caps for applying the caps to containers. Caps are bottom or center fed to a fluid operated chuck device which grips the caps and screws them onto a container. The chuck device comprises a plurality of jaw members pivotable to a cap gripping position. An annularly shaped, resilient member surrounds the jaw members. As fluid under pressure is introduced into a chamber in fluid communication with the resilient member, the member is compressed causing the jaw members to pivot to the cap gripping position. The chuck device, which is connected to a constantly operating motor through a torque clutch, screws the cap onto a threaded portion of the container. The torque clutch is set such that when the cap is properly tightened on the container, the resistance to further tightening causes the clutch to disengage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Peter G. Schultz, Robert H. Shea
  • Patent number: 4178732
    Abstract: Apparatus wherein a body includes a passageway having one end adapted to receive the neck of a container and the other end in communication with a closure magazine, and a roller mounted in the body generally tangential to the passageway for rolling engagement with a closure, the roller being configured with a reduced region for passing a closure into generally tangential relation, roller rotation in opposite directions serving to tangentially rotate a closure to closed and opened relation upon opposite directional roller rotation, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Inventor: Frederick W. Pfleger
  • Patent number: 4135347
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a disposable fluid dispensing tube. The apparatus includes a rotatably mounted turret which is adapted to receive tubes. Tubes mounted in the turret are indexed through stations positioned around the periphery of the turret. At each station an operation is performed on the tube and at the final station a filled and sealed dispenser tube is discharged from the turret.In the practice of the preferred method of the invention, operations performed upon the tube include mounting a nozzle on the end of the tube, securing the nozzle to the tube, sealing the end of the nozzle, filling the tube, positioning a plunger in the other end of the tube and releasably securing the plunger to the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: International Paper Co.
    Inventor: Loren L. Lowdermilk