Patents by Inventor Marco CAFFA

Marco CAFFA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11912510
    Abstract: A device for gripping containers is provided. The device includes clamps adapted to clamp a container and a centring cone adapted to receive a cap of the container. The centring cone has a longitudinal axis and comprises an inlet mouth, for entrance of the cap, and an inner lateral surface. The inner lateral surface comprises a first, substantially cylindrical portion and a second portion comprised between the first portion and the inlet mouth and diverging outwards in the direction from the first portion to the inlet mouth. The centring cone is a component separate from and independent of the clamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: FT SYSTEM S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani, Francesco Lanzone
  • Patent number: 11524882
    Abstract: An actuation unit for a capping head for the application of caps on containers or bottles, as well as to a capping head using such a unit, are provided. The actuation unit for a capping head for the application of caps on containers or bottles comprises at least two actuators, of which a first actuator is adapted to impart a translational displacement along a closing axis and a second actuator is adapted to impart a rotational movement about the closing axis, each actuator of the at least two actuators causing the rotation of a first shaft and a second shaft, respectively, both arranged coaxial to the closing axis, and is characterized in that the shafts of the at least two actuators are placed side by side along the axis and are mutually connected by means of at least one rotation decoupling joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: AROL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani, Marco Forno, Diego Amerio
  • Patent number: 11492242
    Abstract: A capping head for applying caps on containers or bottles and a capping assembly are provided. The capping head comprises a gripping assembly having a hollow body longitudinally extending along a vertical axis and internally defining a seat for the cap, the seat being delimited at its lower end by an inlet mouth for the introduction of the cap. A moving assembly is connected to the gripping assembly for controlling the movements thereof and is hermetically separated therefrom, and an ejector member is housed inside the hollow body of the gripping assembly, in such a manner that it is free to axially slide. The ejector member carries first and second magnetic elements such that a relative axial approach of the second magnetic element towards the first magnetic element results in a translation of the ejector member towards the lower inlet mouth of the gripping assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: AROL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Patent number: 11374481
    Abstract: A magnetic coupling device (1) is provided for coupling a first member (10) and a second member (11), coaxial with each other, so that they can jointly rotate about a common axis and/or translate along such axis or can perform relative rotary and/or translatory movements depending on the intensity of a torque or an axial force applied to one of the members. At least one of the members (10) has axially extending magnetized areas (12) each consisting of a row of axially aligned magnets (12?), the magnets (12?) in one area (12i) being axially offset relative to the magnets of an adjacent area (12j).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: AROL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Diego Amerio, Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Patent number: 11242235
    Abstract: A gripping assembly for a capping head for applying caps on containers, as well as a capping head, are provided. The gripping assembly comprises a hollow body longitudinally extending along a vertical axis and internally defining a seat delimited at its lower end by an inlet mouth for the introduction of a cap. An ejector member is housed inside the hollow body such that the ejector member is free to slide axially. The gripping assembly further comprises a suspension member made of magnetic material or magnetizable material, and the ejector member carries a first magnetic element that interacts with the suspension member to determine a suspension condition of the ejector member. The magnetic interaction between the first magnetic element and the suspension member is such that the suspension condition is determined only when the ejector member is brought in close proximity of or, in contact with, the suspension member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: AROL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Patent number: 11192767
    Abstract: A capping head for the application of caps on containers or bottles, as well as a capping assembly, are provided. The capping head comprises a hollow housing internally defining at least a first chamber in which a shaft rotating about a longitudinal axis is housed, the rotating shaft being coupled with the hollow housing through the interposition of a magnetic or electromagnetic decoupling assembly comprising at least a rotor and a stator. The decoupling assembly being suitable to allow a relative rotation between the hollow housing and the rotating shaft when the rotating shaft is subjected to a braking torque exceeding a threshold torque. Means for enhancing the thermal dissipation power generated by the decoupling assembly is located inside the hollow housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: AROL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Patent number: 11162853
    Abstract: An assembly for measuring torque and/or axial load for capping heads includes a containing body torque and/or load sensor housed within the body, and an interface that connects a capping head to the body. The interface is coupled to the torque/load sensor to transfer torque applied on the interface to the torque sensor and/or to transfer load applied on the interface to the load sensor. The interface has a first part fixedly constrained to the capping head such that the first part is brought into rotation and/or translation by the capping head, and a second part coupled to the torque sensor for transferring a torque thereto and/or to the load sensor for transferring a load thereto. The torque and/or load are applied by the first part to the second part and the first part transfers a torque to the second part in the absence of a reciprocal contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: AROL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani, Alberto Cirio
  • Patent number: 10994976
    Abstract: A self-adjusting capping chuck includes a support having a longitudinal axis, a guide element fixed with respect to the support and having guides, jaws which engage respective guides and are movable with respect to the support between release and gripping positions, the jaws have respective gripping surfaces and first cam surfaces, and a control ring movable relative to the support along the longitudinal axis between lowered and raised positions and having second cam surfaces cooperating with first cam surfaces of the jaws, so that the movement of the control ring from the lowered to the raised position moves the jaws from the release to the gripping position. The control ring has an abutment wall arranged to abut on a head surface of a closure element so that, during movement of the chuck along the longitudinal axis, the closing element moves the control ring from the lowered to the raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: AROL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Publication number: 20210101758
    Abstract: Device for gripping containers, comprising clamps (8) adapted to clamp a container (20), and a centring cone (5) adapted to receive a cap (23) of the container (20). The centring cone (5) has a longitudinal axis (A) and comprises an inlet mouth (10), for entrance of said cap (23), and an inner lateral surface (11). Said inner lateral surface (11) comprises a first, substantially cylindrical portion (12) and a second portion (13) comprised between the first portion (12) and the inlet mouth (10) and diverging outwards in the direction from the first portion (12) to the inlet mouth (10). The centring cone (5) is a component separate from and independent of the clamps (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Marco CAFFA, Marco CIPRIANI, Francesco LANZONE
  • Publication number: 20200186020
    Abstract: A magnetic coupling device (1) is provided for coupling a first member (10) and a second member (11), coaxial with each other, so that they can jointly rotate about a common axis and/or translate along such axis or can perform relative rotary and/or translatory movements depending on the intensity of a torque or an axial force applied to one of the members. At least one of the members (10) has axially extending magnetised areas (12) each consisting of a row of axially aligned magnets (12?), the magnets (12?) in one area (12i) being axially offset relative to the magnets of an adjacent area (12j).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Diego Amerio, Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Publication number: 20200087129
    Abstract: An actuation unit for a capping head for the application of caps on containers or bottles, as well as to a capping head using such a unit, are provided. The actuation unit for a capping head for the application of caps on containers or bottles comprises at least two actuators, of which a first actuator is adapted to impart a translational displacement along a closing axis and a second actuator is adapted to impart a rotational movement about the closing axis, each actuator of the at least two actuators causing the rotation of a first shaft and a second shaft, respectively, both arranged coaxial to the closing axis, and is characterized in that the shafts of the at least two actuators are placed side by side along the axis and are mutually connected by means of at least one rotation decoupling joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani, Marco Forno, Diego Amerio
  • Publication number: 20200048061
    Abstract: A capping head for the application of caps on containers or bottles, as well as a capping assembly, are provided. The capping head comprises a hollow housing internally defining at least a first chamber in which a shaft rotating about a longitudinal axis is housed, the rotating shaft being coupled with the hollow housing through the interposition of a magnetic or electromagnetic decoupling assembly comprising at least a rotor and a stator. The decoupling assembly being suitable to allow a relative rotation between the hollow housing and the rotating shaft when the rotating shaft is subjected to a braking torque exceeding a threshold torque. Means for enhancing the thermal dissipation power generated by the decoupling assembly is located inside the hollow housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Publication number: 20200048060
    Abstract: A gripping assembly for a capping head for applying caps on containers, as well as a capping head, are provided. The gripping assembly comprises a hollow body longitudinally extending along a vertical axis and internally defining a seat delimited at its lower end by an inlet mouth for the introduction of a cap. An ejector member is housed inside the hollow body such that the ejector member is free to slide axially. The gripping assembly further comprises a suspension member made of magnetic material or magnetizable material, and the ejector member carries a first magnetic element that interacts with the suspension member to determine a suspension condition of the ejector member. The magnetic interaction between the first magnetic element and the suspension member is such that the suspension condition is determined only when the ejector member is brought in close proximity of or, in contact with, the suspension member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Publication number: 20200025636
    Abstract: An assembly for measuring torque and/or axial load for capping heads comprises a containing body, a torque and/or load sensor housed within the body, and an interface that connects a capping head to the body. The interface is coupled to the torque/load sensor to transfer torque applied on the interface to the torque sensor and/or to transfer load applied on the interface to the load sensor. The interface comprises a first part fixedly constrained to the capping head such that the first part is brought into rotation and/or translation by the capping head, and a second part coupled to the torque sensor for transferring a torque thereto and/or to the load sensor for transferring a load thereto. The torque and/or load are applied by the first part to the second part, and the first part transfers a torque to the second part in the absence of a reciprocal contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani, Alberto Cirio
  • Publication number: 20190248636
    Abstract: A capping head for applying caps on containers or bottles and a capping assembly are provided. The capping head comprises a gripping assembly having a hollow body longitudinally extending along a vertical axis and internally defining a seat for the cap, the seat being delimited at its lower end by an inlet mouth for the introduction of the cap. A moving assembly is connected to the gripping assembly for controlling the movements thereof and is hermetically separated therefrom, and an ejector member is housed inside the hollow body of the gripping assembly, in such a manner that it is free to axially slide. The ejector member carries first and second magnetic elements such that a relative axial approach of the second magnetic element towards the first magnetic element results in a translation of the ejector member towards the lower inlet mouth of the gripping assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Marco Caffa, Marco Cipriani
  • Publication number: 20190177145
    Abstract: A self-adjusting capping chuck includes a support having a longitudinal axis, a guide element fixed with respect to the support and having guides, jaws which engage respective guides and are movable with respect to the support between release and gripping positions, the jaws have respective gripping surfaces and first cam surfaces, and a control ring movable relative to the support along the longitudinal axis between lowered and raised positions and having second cam surfaces cooperating with first cam surfaces of the jaws, so that the movement of the control ring from the lowered to the raised position moves the jaws from the release to the gripping position. The control ring has an abutment wall arranged to abut on a head surface of a closure element so that, during movement of the chuck along the longitudinal axis, the closing element moves the control ring from the lowered to the raised position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Marco CAFFA, Marco CIPRIAN