DIE GUIDE FOR A CONTAINER NECKER
The present disclosure provides methods and a necking apparatus to reduce a first diameter of an open end of a container body to a second diameter. The necking apparatus includes a necking die and a die guide. The die guide is selectively moveable relative to the necking die to guide the open end of the container body into engagement with the necking die. The die guide includes a flange that extends into a cylindrical bore of the die guide. The flange is configured to engage a shoulder of the container body when the die guide is in a first clamping position relative to the necking die. After engaging the container shoulder with the flange, the die guide moves toward the necking die into a second necking position such that the open end contacts the necking die and the first diameter of the open end is reduced to the second diameter.
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/987,201, filed Mar. 9, 2020, entitled “DIE GUIDE FOR A CONTAINER NECKER,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to the manufacture of metallic containers. More specifically, the present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for necking the open end of a metallic container.
BACKGROUNDMetallic beverage containers offer distributors and consumers many benefits. The metallic body of a beverage container provides enhanced protection properties for beverages and foodstuffs. The surfaces of metallic containers are also ideal for decorating with brand names, logos, designs, product information, and/or other preferred indicia for identifying, marketing, and distinguishing the metallic container and its contents from other products and competitors. Thus, metallic containers offer bottlers, distributors, and retailers an ability to stand out at the point of sale.
Additionally, many consumers prefer metallic containers compared to containers made of glass or plastic. Metallic containers are particularly attractive to consumers because they are recyclable, lightweight, and efficient. Metallic containers are particularly suitable for use in public places and outdoors because they are more durable than glass containers. Further, some consumers avoid plastic containers due to concerns that the plastic may leach chemicals into consumable products.
As a result of these and other benefits, sales of metallic containers were valued at approximately $53 billion globally in 2014. A large percentage of the metallic container market is driven by beverage containers. According to one report, approximately 290 billion metallic beverage containers were shipped globally in 2012. One U.S. trade group reported that 126 billion metallic containers were shipped in the U.S. alone in 2014. To meet this demand, metallic container manufacturing facilities operate some of the fastest and most efficient production lines in the container industry. Accordingly, specialized equipment is required for many of the high-speed operations performed to form the metallic containers. For example, container neckers often operate at speeds of 2,000 to 3,000 or more metallic containers per minute.
Metallic containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Many metallic containers are cylindrical, although other shapes are known. Common sizes range from about 6 ounces to about 32 ounces or larger. Exemplary diameter sizes for metallic beverage containers are 2 2/16 inches, 2 4/16 inches, and 2 11/16 inches, which are commonly known as 202, 204, and 211 containers, respectively. Numerous other diameter sizes exist and are well known in the art.
Two popular types of metallic beverage containers are metallic bottles and two-piece cans. A metallic bottle generally has a closed bottom end which can have a dome for improved strength characteristics, a cylindrical body extending upwardly from the closed end, a neck with a reduced diameter extending up from the body, and an open end. An upper end of the neck is typically threaded so that the open end of the metallic bottle can be closed with a Roll-On Pilfer Proof (ROPP) closure or another closure known in the art.
A two-piece can generally includes a cylindrical body with a closed end and an inwardly oriented dome, a neck that has a reduced diameter and which extends up from the body, and an open end opposite to the closed end. A flange is frequently formed at the open end of the container body so that an end closure can be double seamed to the body after filling the container with a product.
For pressurized contents such as carbonated beverages or beer, the end closure must be made of a metal with a thickness that is on the order of at least twice the thickness of body. To minimize the overall container weight and inherent costs, the end closure should be diametrically as small as possible and yet maintain the structural integrity of the container and the functionality of the end. By forming a neck on a container body, the diameter of the end closure used to seal the open end is significantly decreased which ultimately saves material and costs.
Bodies of two-piece cans used for beverages frequently have an outside diameter of 2 11/16 inches (“a 211 container”) which is necked down to have an open end with a diameter of 2 9/16 inches (“a 209 neck”), 2 6/16 inches (“a 206 neck”) or even less. Some two-piece cans have necks with an even smaller diameter, such as 204, 202, 200 or less.
The machine that forms a neck in a container body is known as a “necker” and is typically located downstream from container decorators in the metallic container production lines. After the container body is formed into its cylindrical shape and decorated, dies of the necker apply pressure to the upper end of the container body to reshape the open end and form the neck. To form the neck, the container body typically passes progressively through several neckers arranged in series. For example, bodies of two-piece cans typically pass through six or more neckers. In some production lines, 14 neckers are used to successively decrease the diameter of the open end to form the neck. Metallic bottles typically require more necking operations and production lines for metallic bottles may include more than 30 necking operations. The dies of the neckers gradually reduce the diameter of the open end of the container body to a final diameter.
Prior art neckers for two-piece cans and metallic bottles have several deficiencies which decrease the operating efficiency of metallic container production lines. For example, prior art neckers include a necking die with a cylindrical guide which slides along the body of a container as the cylindrical guide aligns the open end of the container with a necking surface of the necking die. The cylindrical guide can scratch the container body as the cylindrical guide slides toward the closed end of the container. This contact between the cylindrical guide and the container body produces friction and the accumulation of metal particles on the cylindrical guide. Further, the accumulation of metal particles on the cylindrical guide reduces production and increases costs.
These problems are illustrated in
The necking die 24 has a free end 26, a cylindrical guide 28, a necking surface 30, and a second cylindrical wall 32. The necking surface 30 is adapted to reduce the diameter of the open end 18 of the container body 6 by a predetermined amount.
The cylindrical guide 28 is fixed to the second cylindrical wall 32 and the necking surface 30. The free end 26 of the necking die is spaced from the necking surface 30 by the cylindrical guide. More specifically, the cylindrical guide 28 is positioned between the free end 26 and the necking surface 30. The prior art necking die 24 can be formed as a unitary piece.
The cylindrical guide 28 has a first interior diameter approximately equal to the exterior diameter of the container body 4. In some prior art neckers 20, the clearance between the cylindrical guide 28 and the container body 4 is only about 0.006 inch or less. The second cylindrical wall 32 has a second interior diameter that is less than the first interior diameter. The second interior diameter is equal to the external diameter of the neck that will be formed by the first necking operation.
Referring now to
The cylindrical guide 28 and the knockout 34 work together to help maintain concentricity of the container body relative to the prior art necker 20 and to the central axis 22. Some prior art neckers 20 have cylindrical guides 28 with a greater length parallel to the central axis 22 to increase the amount of time the cylindrical guides 28 contact the container body 4 in an attempt to improve the alignment of the container body with the necker. However, the increased stroke length required to operate longer cylindrical guides 28 decreases the cycle rate of the necker 20.
In addition, some prior art cylindrical guides 28 have an interior diameter which provide less than 0.006 inch clearance with the container body. Unfortunately, this minimal clearance leads to contact between the cylindrical guide and the container body which can cause several problems and decrease efficiency of the container production line. The contact of the cylindrical guide with the container body generates friction. The friction may decrease the accuracy of alignment of the necking die 24. Moreover, the contact and friction cause metal particles from the container body to build up on the cylindrical guide 28. The buildup of particles on the cylindrical guide can damage container bodies by forming scratches. The sliding contact of the cylindrical guide may also damage decorations printed on the container body 4. Container production lines have experienced decreased efficiency due to stoppages causes by damaged containers and the need to clean or replace the prior art necking dies 24. Moreover, these problems may become worse in neckers that have longer cylindrical guides 28 because of the increased amount of time the cylindrical guides contact the container body.
Another problem is that in some prior art neckers, there is predetermined space or clearance between the exterior diameter of the container neck 14 and the interior diameter of the cylindrical guide 26. The clearance can cause the container neck 14 to be improperly aligned with the necking surface 30 of the necking die 24. More specifically, the container neck 14 may not be co-axially aligned with the necking surface due to the clearance between the exterior surface 6 of the container neck and the interior surface of the cylindrical guide 26. This improper alignment will cause the neck to be formed offset from a central axis of the metallic container. As the metallic container moves to subsequent neckers, the neck will be progressively formed offset from the central axis. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, a metallic container with an offset neck is weaker compared to a metallic container with a cylindrical neck that is aligned with the central axis.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new and improved necker which is reliable and which includes a guide that does not slide along the exterior surface of the container body to improve the efficiency of metallic container production lines.
SUMMARYOne aspect of the present disclosure is an improved die guide for a necking apparatus to form a neck on a container body in a manner which is more efficient, has less wear than conventional necking tools, and ultimately reduces operating costs by improving efficiency in a high speed metallic container production plant. The die guide generally includes a body with a first end which is positioned opposite to a second end. The body of the die guide is configured to be fixed to a housing of the necking apparatus and is selectively moveable relative to the housing between a first clamping position and a second necking position.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is a novel die guide to align an open end of a container body with a necking die of a necking apparatus. The die guide generally includes a cylindrical bore formed through a body of the die guide. The cylindrical bore has an interior wall with an interior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the container body. Accordingly, during operation of the necking apparatus, the interior wall of the die guide is spaced from an exterior surface of the container body.
A flange of the die guide extends from the body into the cylindrical bore. In one embodiment, the flange is integrally formed with the body of the die guide. Alternatively, the flange is formed separately from the body of the die guide. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the flange is formed of a different material than the die guide body.
The flange has an inner diameter that is less than the exterior diameter of the container body. However, the inner diameter of the flange is greater than an exterior diameter of a neck of the container body. Accordingly, during a necking operation of the necking apparatus, the container neck and the open end of the container body will pass through the cylindrical bore past a first end of the die guide until the flange engages a shoulder of the container body. The die guide will then move from the first clamping position to the second necking position while guiding the open end of the container body into engagement with the necking die positioned in a housing of the necking apparatus.
A first aspect of the present disclosure is a necking apparatus for reducing a diameter of an open end of a container body, comprising: (1) a housing having a body with an interior cavity and having a center axis; (2) a necking die positioned in the interior cavity about the center axis, the necking die configured to reduce the diameter of the open end of the container body in a necking operation; (3) a knockout positioned in the interior cavity and concentrically aligned with the necking die; (4) an outer guide with a first end operably interconnected to a free end of the housing, a central bore that extends through the first end and a second end, and a ring that extends into the central bore proximate to the first end; (5) a die guide operably engaged to the housing and selectively moveable relative to the housing and into the central bore of the outer guide from a first clamping position to a second necking position, the die guide including a first end facing the free end of the housing, a cylindrical bore, and a flange extending inwardly into the cylindrical bore, the flange configured to engage a shoulder of the container body; (6) a biasing element operably engaged to the housing with a first end contacting the outer guide and a second end contacting the die guide; and (7) a keeper interconnected to the second end of the outer guide, the keeper configured to limit a stroke of the die guide to a predetermined length.
In one embodiment of the necking apparatus of the first aspect, the cylindrical bore of the die guide has an interior wall with an interior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the container body.
Additionally, or alternatively, the flange has an inner diameter that is less than an exterior diameter of the container body.
Additionally, or alternatively, in another embodiment of the necking apparatus of the first aspect, during the necking operation, the die guide engages the shoulder of the container body to align the open end of the container body with the necking die before a forming surface of the necking die contacts the open end of the container body.
In one embodiment of the necking apparatus of the first aspect, the die guide includes a protrusion extending from the first end facing the necking die. When present, the protrusion has an exterior diameter that is less than an interior diameter of the ring of the outer guide. The flange extends inwardly from an interior surface of the protrusion.
In another embodiment of the necking apparatus of the first aspect, the biasing element is a spring. The first end of the spring extends into a hole formed in the ring and the second end is positioned in a first passage extending into the first end of the die guide.
Additionally, or alternatively, the die guide may further comprise a second passage with a second depth that is different than a first depth of the first passage. In this manner, a force applied to the die guide by the spring is adjusted by positioning the second end of the spring in the second passage.
In another embodiment of the necking apparatus of the first aspect, the die guide includes a first flute that extends from a second end of the die guide toward the first end of the die guide that is proximate to the necking die. The keeper has a projection positionable in the first flute to limit movement of the die guide to the stroke of the predetermined length.
Additionally, or alternatively, the die guide may further comprise a second flute with a second height that is different than a first height of the first flute. In this manner, the length of the stroke is altered by positioning the projection of the keeper in the second flute.
In one embodiment, the outer guide includes an aperture for a fastener, the aperture extending from through the first and second ends. The aperture is oriented approximately parallel to the center axis. Optionally, the aperture is offset from the central bore of the outer guide.
In one embodiment, the keeper includes an aperture alignable with the fastener aperture of the outer guide. Accordingly, to interconnect the outer guide and the keeper to the housing, a fastener is positioned through the aperture of the keeper, through the aperture of the outer guide, and into a hole formed in the housing.
In one embodiment, the necking apparatus according to the first aspect includes one or more of the previous embodiments and the body of the die guide is spaced a first distance from the necking die in the first clamping position and the body is spaced a second distance from the necking die in the second necking position, the second distance being less than the first distance.
In one embodiment, the outer guide is formed of a first material and the die guide is formed of the first material. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the outer guide is formed of the first material and the die guide is formed of a second material that is different from the first material.
In one embodiment, the flange is integrally formed with the die guide. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the flange is formed separately from the die guide and is subsequently interconnected to the die guide.
In one embodiment, the flange is formed of a first material and the die guide is formed of the first material. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the flange is formed of the first material and the die guide is formed of a second material that is different from the first material.
In one embodiment, the central bore of the outer guide has an interior diameter that is substantially constant. Additionally, or alternatively, the cylindrical bore of the die guide has an interior diameter that is optionally substantially constant.
A second aspect of the present disclosure is a method of reducing a diameter of an open end of a container body, comprising: (1) positioning the container body in a necking apparatus comprising: (a) a housing with a body, an interior cavity, and a center axis; (b) a necking die retained in the interior cavity; (c) a knockout retained in the interior cavity, the knockout concentrically aligned with the necking die and the center axis; (d) an outer guide operably interconnected to the housing and which has a first end facing a free end of the housing, a second end, and a central bore that extends through the first and second ends; (e) a die guide operably engaged to the housing and selectively moveable into the central bore from a first clamping position to a second necking position, the die guide including a first end facing the housing and a flange which extends inwardly into a cylindrical bore formed through the die guide; (f) a biasing element secured to the housing to apply a force to the die guide; and (g) a keeper interconnected to the second end of the outer guide; (2) engaging a shoulder of the container body with the flange of the die guide in the first clamping position; (3) moving the die guide from the first clamping position to the second necking position relative to the housing such that the open end of the container body engages the necking die to perform a necking operation to reduce the diameter of the open end; and (4) discharging the container body from the necking apparatus.
In one embodiment of the method of the second aspect, an interior wall of the cylindrical bore of the die guide has an interior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the container body such that the interior wall does not contact the container body during operation of the necking apparatus.
Additionally, or alternatively, the flange has an inner diameter that is less than the exterior diameter of the container body. In this manner, the container body is clamped by the flange to impede unintended movement of the container body relative to the necking die.
In one embodiment, the method of the second aspect optionally includes altering the force applied by the biasing element to the die guide.
Altering the force applied by the biasing element may further comprise one or more of: (i) removing the keeper from the outer guide to separate the die guide from the central bore of the outer guide; (ii) removing the biasing element from a first passage extending into the first end of the die guide, the first passage having a first depth; (iii) positioning the biasing element in a second passage extending into the first end of the die guide, the second passage having a second depth that is different than first depth; (iv) returning the die guide to the central bore of the outer guide; and (v) interconnecting the keeper to the outer guide to interconnect the die guide to the housing.
The method of the second aspect may include any of the previous embodiments and, additionally or alternatively, further comprises adjusting a length of a stroke of the die guide.
In one embodiment, the length of the stroke is adjusted by one or more of: (i) removing the keeper from the outer guide to withdraw a projection of the keeper from a first flute of the die guide, the first flute having a first height to limit the stroke of the die guide to a first length; (ii) positioning the projection in a second flute of the die guide that has a second height that is different than the first height; and (iii) interconnecting the keeper to the outer guide with the projection in the second flute such that the stroke of the die guide is limited to a second length that is different than the first length.
Optionally, the method of the second aspect further comprises injecting a gas into the container body at a predetermined pressure to enhance rigidity of the container body during a necking operation.
In one embodiment, the first end of the die guide is spaced a first distance from the necking die in the first clamping position. In the second necking position, the first end is spaced a second distance from the necking die, the second distance being less than the first distance.
A third aspect of the present disclosure is a die guide to align an open end of a container body with a necking die of a necking apparatus, comprising: (1) a body with a first end and a second end; (2) a cylindrical bore extending through the first and second ends which is sized to receive the container body; (3) a flange extending from the body of the die guide into the cylindrical bore, the flange configured to engage a shoulder of the container body; (4) a first passage extending into the first end that is adapted to receive a biasing element; and (5) a first flute extending from the second end toward the first end, the flute having a first height to limit a stroke of the die guide to a first length when a projection of a keeper interconnected to the necking apparatus is positioned in the flute.
The first passage is optionally oriented approximately parallel to a central axis of the die guide. In one embodiment, the first passage is offset from the cylindrical bore. Additionally, or alternatively, the first passage may extend between an exterior surface of the body and an interior wall of the cylindrical bore. In one embodiment, the first passage is offset from the first flute.
Additionally, or alternatively, the first flute may be oriented approximately parallel to a central axis of the die guide. In one embodiment, the first flute is offset from the cylindrical bore. Optionally, the first flute is recessed into the exterior surface of the body.
In one embodiment, the die guide of the third aspect further comprises a second passage that extends into the first end to a second depth. The second depth is different than a first depth of the first passage. In this manner, a force applied to the die guide by the biasing element is altered by moving the biasing element from the first passage to the second passage.
In one embodiment, the second passage is oriented approximately parallel to the first passage.
In another embodiment, the die guide further comprises a third passage that extends into the first end to a third depth. The third depth is different than the first depth and the second depth.
In one embodiment, the third passage is oriented approximately parallel to the first passage.
The body has a body height. In one embodiment, the first, second and third depths are less than the body height such that the first, second, and third passages do not extend through the second end of the body.
The die guide of the third aspect optionally includes four of the first passages, four of the second passages, and four of the third passages.
In one embodiment, the first flute extends between a first flute opening and a first flute end. In one embodiment, the first flute opening is at the second end of the body. The first flute end defines a stop that is engaged by the projection to limit the stroke to the first length.
In one embodiment, the first flute end is spaced from the first end of the body. Optionally, the first flute end is closer to the first end than to the second end of the die guide.
Additionally, or alternatively, the die guide of the third aspect may further comprise a second flute with a second height. The second height is different than the first height to limit the stroke to a second length that is different than the first length when the projection of the keeper is in the second flute.
In one embodiment, the second flute is oriented approximately parallel to the first flute. Additionally, or alternatively, the first passage extends between the first and second flutes.
In one embodiment, the second flute has a second flute opening and a second flute end. Optionally, the second flute end is closer to the first end than to the second end of the die guide.
In another embodiment, the die guide of the third aspect optionally includes a third flute with a third height. The third height is different than the first height and the second height to limit the stroke to a third length that is different than the first and second lengths when the projection of the keeper is in the third flute.
In one embodiment, the third flute has a third flute opening and a third flute end. Optionally, the third flute end is closer to the second end than to the first end of the die guide.
In one embodiment, the first, second and third heights are less than the body height such that the first, second, and third flutes do not extend to the first end of the body.
The die guide of the third aspect optionally includes four of the first flutes, four of the second flutes, and four of the third flutes.
In one embodiment, the cylindrical bore is defined by an interior wall. The interior wall has an interior diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the flange. In another embodiment, the cylindrical bore is concentrically aligned with a central axis of the die guide.
The die guide of the third aspect may include any of the previous embodiments and optionally further comprises a protrusion extending from the first end. In this embodiment, the flange is formed on the protrusion.
In one embodiment, the flange is integrally formed with the die guide. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the flange is formed separately from the die guide and is subsequently interconnected to the die guide. Optionally, the flange is releasably fixed to the die guide.
In one embodiment, the flange is formed of a first material and the die guide is formed of the first material. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the flange is formed of the first material and the die guide is formed of a second material that is different from the first material.
One aspect of the present disclosure is a necking apparatus including a die guide and a necking die. The die guide is spaced from the necking die and configured to move from a first clamping position to a second necking position. A flange of the die guide is adapted to engage a shoulder of a container body. After the flange engages the shoulder, the die guide moves from the first clamping position to the second necking position such that the necking die will engage an open end of the container body. The necking die is configured to reduce a diameter of a neck of the container body by a predetermined amount.
Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is a method of forming a neck on an open end of a container body. The container body is positioned in a necking apparatus of the present disclosure. The necking apparatus includes a die guide and a necking die. During a necking operation, a neck of the container body is advanced through a cylindrical bore of the die guide until a flange of the die guide engages a shoulder of the container body. The die guide then moves from a first clamping position to a second necking position relative to the necking die while guiding an open end of the container body into contact with a transition surface of the necking die. The transition surface is configured to reduce the diameter of the open end of the container body.
One aspect is a necking apparatus for reducing a diameter of an open end of a container body, comprising: (1) a housing defined by a body with an interior cavity and having a center axis; (2) a necking die positioned in the interior cavity of the housing about the center axis, the necking die configured to reduce the diameter of the open end of the container body in a necking operation; (3) a knockout positioned in the interior cavity and concentrically aligned with the necking die; (4) a biasing element operably engaged to the housing with a first end and a second end, the second end contacting a die guide; and (5) the die guide operably interconnected to the housing and selectively moveable relative to the housing from a first clamping position to a second necking position, the die guide including a cylindrical bore and a flange extending inwardly into the cylindrical bore, the flange configured to engage a shoulder of the container body.
In one embodiment, the cylindrical bore of the die guide has an interior wall with an interior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the container body.
In another embodiment, the flange has an inner diameter that is less than the exterior diameter of the container body.
The inner diameter of the flange is greater than an exterior diameter of the open end of the container body.
In some embodiments, the necking die is retained in the interior cavity by a retention ring. In one embodiment, the retention ring is positioned on a post extending from an open end of the housing. Optionally, the retention ring includes an aperture, and the post extends through the aperture.
In further embodiments, the biasing element is positioned with the first end in contact with the retention ring.
The die guide may be formed of any suitable material. In one embodiment, the die guide is formed of an engineered plastic, such as a polyether ether ketone (PEEK). Optionally, the die guide is formed of a polymer. For example, in some embodiments, the die guide is formed of a polyethylene, a polypropylene, or a nylon material. Alternatively, the die guide is formed of a metal or a ceramic. Optionally, the die guide is formed of a bronze alloy. The die guide may also be formed of a carbide, including but not limited to a tungsten carbide.
In one embodiment, the flange is integrally formed with the die guide. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the flange is formed separately from the die guide and is interconnected to the die guide.
Optionally, the flange is formed of a material that is different than a material of the die guide. In one embodiment, the flange is formed of the same material as the die guide.
Optionally, the flange is formed of a metal (such as a bronze alloy or a carbide), a plastic (for example, a PEEK), or a ceramic. The flange may also be formed of a polymer, including one or more of a polyethylene, a polypropylene, or a nylon material.
In one embodiment, during the necking operation, the die guide engages the shoulder of the container body to align the open end of the container body with the necking die before a transition surface of the necking die contacts the open end of the container body.
Optionally, the biasing element is a spring. Any suitable spring known to one of skill in the art may be used with the necking apparatus. For example, the biasing element may be a compression spring, including a coil spring.
In another embodiment, the biasing element biases the die guide to the first clamping position.
In one embodiment, in the first clamping position, the die guide is a first distance from a free end of the knockout. In the second necking position, the die guide is a second distance from the free end of the knockout, the second distance being less than the first distance.
In one embodiment, the necking apparatus includes a transmission line to inject a gas into the container body at a predetermined pressure before the necking die performs the necking operation. Optionally, the shaft positioned within the housing includes a bore to inject the gas into the container body. The gas may be compressed air. Alternatively, the gas may be any suitable gas known in the art.
It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a method of reducing a diameter of an open end of a container body. The method generally includes, but is not limited to, one or more of: (1) positioning the container body in a necking apparatus including (a) a housing with a body, an interior cavity, and a center axis; (b) a necking die retained in the interior cavity; (c) a knockout retained in the interior cavity, the knockout concentrically aligned with the necking die and the center axis; (d) a die guide operably interconnected to the housing and selectively moveable from a first clamping position to a second necking position, the die guide including a flange which extends inwardly into a cylindrical bore formed through the die guide; and (e) a biasing element secured to the housing to apply a force to the die guide; (2) engaging a shoulder of the container body with the flange of the die guide in the first clamping position; (3) moving the die guide from the first clamping position to the second necking position relative to the housing such that the open end of the container body engages the necking die to perform the necking operation to reduce the diameter of the open end of the container body; and (4) discharging the container body from the necking apparatus.
In one embodiment, an interior wall of the cylindrical bore has an interior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the container body such that the interior wall does not contact the container body during operation of the necking apparatus.
In another embodiment, the flange has an inner diameter that is less than the exterior diameter of a shoulder of the container body. In this manner, the shoulder is clamped by the flange to impede unintended movement of the container body relative to the necking die.
In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the flange is greater than an exterior diameter of the open end of the container body. In this manner, the open end does not contact the flange.
The necking apparatus optionally includes a post extending from an open end of the housing. In one embodiment, the necking die is retained in the interior cavity by a retention ring. The retention ring may be positioned on the post. The retention ring is adapted to be retained in a predetermined position with respect to the housing. In one embodiment the retention ring includes an aperture. The post may extend through the aperture to retain the retention ring in the predetermined position. Optionally, the post is oriented approximately parallel to the center axis.
The post can be interconnected to the housing in any suitable manner. Optionally the post is threadably engaged to the housing. In one embodiment, the housing includes a threaded aperture to receive a threaded portion of the post.
The post may include a head opposite to the threaded portion. In one embodiment, a distance between the head and the housing may be adjusted by rotating the post. For example, rotating the post in a first direction will move the head closer to the housing. Alternatively, rotating the post in a second direction will move the head further away from the housing.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises injecting a gas into the container body at a predetermined pressure to enhance rigidity of the container body during a necking operation.
Yet another aspect is a die guide to align an open end of a container body with a necking die of a necking apparatus, comprising: (1) a body with a first end and a second end; (2) a cylindrical bore extending through the first and second ends which is sized to receive the container body; and (3) a flange extending from the body of the die guide into the cylindrical bore; and (4) an aperture extending into the first end of the body to receive a biasing element.
In one embodiment, the aperture does not extend through the second end of the body.
The aperture of the body may be configured to receive a guide post extending from an open end of a housing of the necking apparatus to moveably interconnect the die guide to the necking apparatus.
Optionally, the aperture includes a seat to engage the biasing element to bias the die guide in a first clamping position relative to the housing of the necking apparatus. For example, the aperture may optionally include a first portion with a first diameter. A second portion of the aperture may have a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.
In one embodiment, the cylindrical bore is concentrically aligned with a center axis of the die guide.
In another embodiment, the aperture extends in a direction that is approximately parallel to the center axis.
In one embodiment, the aperture is offset from the cylindrical bore.
In another embodiment, the cylindrical bore defines an interior wall of the die guide, the interior wall having an interior diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the flange.
The die guide may be formed of any suitable material. In one embodiment, the die guide is formed of an engineered plastic, such as a polyether ether ketone (PEEK). Optionally, the die guide is formed of a polymer. For example, in some embodiments, the die guide is formed of a polyethylene, a polypropylene, or a nylon material. Alternatively, the die guide is formed of a metal or a ceramic. Optionally, the die guide is formed of a bronze alloy. The die guide may also be formed of a carbide, including but not limited to a tungsten carbide.
In one embodiment, the flange is interconnected to the body of the die guide. Alternatively, the flange can be integrally formed with the die guide body.
In one embodiment, the flange is formed of a material that is different than a material of the die guide body. In another embodiment, the flange is formed of a material that is the same as the material of the body of the die guide.
Optionally, the flange can be formed of a ceramic, a metal (such as a bronze alloy), or a plastic (for example, a PEEK).
In another embodiment, the flange protrudes from one end of the body of the die guide. For example, the flange may protrude from the first end.
The Summary is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description and no limitation as to the scope of the present disclosure is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary. Additional aspects of the present disclosure will become more clear from the Detailed Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings.
The terms “metal” or “metallic” as used hereinto refer to any metallic material that may be used to form a container, including without limitation aluminum, steel, tin, copper, and any combination thereof.
Although generally referred to herein as a “container body” or a “metallic container,” it should be appreciated that the methods and apparatus described herein may be used to form a neck on a container of any size, shape, or type, including without limitation a metallic beverage bottle, a metallic beverage container or can, an aluminum bottle, a two-piece container, a two-piece can, or a can.
As used herein, a “container body” can be formed into a two-piece can or a metallic bottle.
The phrases “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or,” as used herein, are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.
The term “a” or “an” entity, as used herein, refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, dimensions, conditions, ratios, ranges, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about” or “approximately”. Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, dimensions, conditions, ratios, ranges, and so forth used in the specification and claims may be increased or decreased by approximately 5% to achieve satisfactory results. Additionally, where the meaning of the terms “about” or “approximately” as used herein would not otherwise be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the terms “about” and “approximately” should be interpreted as meaning within plus or minus 5% of the stated value.
All ranges described herein may be reduced to any sub-range or portion of the range, or to any value within the range without deviating from the invention. For example, the range “5 to 55” includes, but is not limited to, the sub-ranges “5 to 20” as well as “17 to 54.”
The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Accordingly, the terms “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof can be used interchangeably herein.
It shall be understood that the term “means” as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C., Section 112(f). Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term “means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials, or acts and the equivalents thereof shall include all those described in the Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, Abstract, and Claims themselves.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosed system and together with the general description of the disclosure given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed system(s) and device(s).
The drawings are not necessarily (but may be) to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosure or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the embodiments illustrated herein. As will be appreciated, other embodiments are possible using, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described below. For example, it is contemplated that various features and devices shown and/or described with respect to one embodiment may be combined with or substituted for features or devices of other embodiments regardless of whether or not such a combination or substitution is specifically shown or described herein.
The following is a listing of components according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and as shown in the drawings:
Referring now to
The tooling assembly 42A generally includes a housing 46 with a body 47 and an interior cavity 48 concentrically aligned with a center axis 44. The interior cavity 48 has a shape which is generally cylindrical.
A knockout shaft 50 is engaged to the housing and extends within the cavity 48. The knockout shaft 50 may include an interior bore 51. The interior bore 51 of the knockout shaft may be configured to transmit a compressed gas to an interior of a container body 4.
A locating diameter 52 of the knockout shaft 50 aligns the knockout shaft with the housing 46. More specifically, the locating diameter 52 is configured to accurately align the knockout shaft substantially concentrically within the housing 46. In one embodiment, the knockout shaft 50 and its locating diameter 52 are substantially concentrically or coaxially aligned with the center axis 44.
In one embodiment, a pressurized gas is directed through the interior bore 51 of the knockout shaft 50 and into the container body 4 during the necking operation to enhance the rigidity of the metal sidewalls and temporarily strengthen the container body. Additionally, or alternatively, a pressurized gas can optionally be used to separate or strip the container body 4 from the tooling assembly 42A after completion of the necking operation. For example, the housing 46 optionally includes a port 55 to direct a pressurized gas into the interior cavity 48 of the housing and into a metallic container 2 engaged by the necker 40A. The port 55 may be connected to a source of pressurized gas, such as a compressor or a pressure vessel. The pressurized gas can be directed through the port 55 during a necking operation to increase the rigidity of the metallic container 2. Additionally, or alternatively, pressurized gas can be directed through the port 55 after completion of the necking operation to facilitate separation of the metallic container 2 from the tooling assembly 42A. In one embodiment, the pressurized gas is compressed air. In alternative embodiments, the pressurized gas may be any suitable gas known in the art.
A knockout 66 is fixed within the cavity 48 of the housing 46 to facilitate alignment of the container body 4 with a necking die 78. More specifically, the knockout 66 helps guide the open end 18 of the container body 4 to engagement with the necking die 78.
In one embodiment, the knockout 66 is interconnected to the knockout shaft 50, for example, by a head 54 of the knockout shaft 50. Optionally, a knockout spacer 65 engages the knockout 66. In one embodiment, the knockout spacer 65 is positioned on the knockout shaft 50. The knockout spacer 65 has a body that is generally cylindrical and has a length selected to hold the knockout 66 in a predetermined position within the interior cavity 48 of the housing 46.
The knockout 66 is optionally mounted in such a manner that it is immobile relative to the housing 46. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the knockout 66 does not move during operation of the necker 40A. Alternatively, the knockout 66 may be moveably retained within the housing 46 by the knockout shaft 50.
In some embodiments, the knockout 66 may be integrally formed with the knockout shaft 50. In other embodiments, the knockout 66 may be selectively connected to the knockout shaft 50.
The knockout 66 has a cylindrical sidewall 68 with an exterior diameter 72 that is less than an interior diameter of a neck 14 of the container body 4. In one embodiment, the cylindrical sidewall 68 is approximately parallel to the center axis 44.
Optionally, the knockout 66 has a guide surface 70 (best seen in
The exterior diameter of the guide surface 70 increases from the end wall 76 to an intersection of the guide surface 70 with the cylindrical sidewall 68. Accordingly, the guide surface 70 has a maximum exterior diameter 72 defined by the cylindrical sidewall 68. The guide surface 70 has a minimum exterior diameter 74 at a point proximate to the end wall 76. In one embodiment, the guide surface 70 is generally convex in cross-section. However, the guide surface 70 may have other shapes. In one embodiment, the guide surface 70 has a cross-section that is approximately linear.
A necking die 78 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is retained within the housing cavity 48. The necking die can be secured to the housing 46 in any suitable manner known to those of skill in the art. In one embodiment, a retention ring 62 secures the necking die 78 within the housing cavity 48.
The retention ring 62 can be secured to the housing 46 in any suitable manner known to those of skill in the art. In one embodiment, a post 58 is used to secure the retention ring 62 to the housing. The post 58 may extend through an aperture 63 formed through the retention ring. Optionally, the post 58 has a shoulder 59 (shown in
The post 58 optionally extends from an open end 56 of the housing 46. For example, the post 58 can extend from the housing end 56 approximately parallel to the center axis 44. In one embodiment, the post 58 is a bolt or a screw with threads that engage threads of a hole 57 formed in the housing 46.
The post 58 optionally includes a head 61 spaced from the housing. Optionally, a distance between the head 61 and the housing 46 may be adjusted by rotating the post. For example, rotating the post in a first direction will move the head 61 closer to the housing. Alternatively, rotating the post in a second direction will move the head 61 further away from the housing 46. In this manner, a stroke length of the die guide 94A can be adjusted. More specifically, for a metallic container with a long neck 14, the stroke length of the die guide 94A may be increased by rotating the post in the second direction. Alternatively, for a metallic container with a short neck, the stroke length of the die guide can be decreased by rotating the post in the first direction.
Optionally, the retention ring 62 prevents movement of the necking die 78 relative to the housing 46. More specifically, in one embodiment, an inner end 80 of the necking die 78 engages a portion of the housing 46. For example, the inner end 80 may engage a projection or shoulder 49 of the housing 46 which projects inwardly into the interior cavity 48. The retention ring 62 can then engage a free end 82 of the necking die. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the necking die 78 is substantially immobily secured or interconnected to the housing 46 by the retention ring 62.
In some embodiments, the retention ring 62 is generally circular. In alternative embodiments, the retention ring has an asymmetrical shape.
The retention ring 62 may have a central hole with an interior wall 77 (best seen in
The interior wall 77 has an interior diameter 89. In one embodiment, when the interior wall 77 is approximately perpendicular to the end of the retention ring, the interior diameter is approximately constant.
Alternatively, the interior diameter 89 of the interior wall 77 varies. For example, in one embodiment the interior diameter 89 increases from a minimum interior diameter 89 at a first end of the retention ring (illustrated in
Optionally, the inner end 80 of the necking die 78 may engage a spacer 64 within the housing cavity 48. In one embodiment, one or more spacers 64A-64E are positioned within the interior cavity 48 of the housing 46. The spacers 64 may be of different sizes and shapes. For example, in some embodiments, a first spacer 64A has a first height that is less than a second height of a second spacer 64B. Moreover, a fifth spacer 64E has a diameter that is less than the diameters of spacers 64A-64D.
One or more of the spacers 64 can include a hollow interior. Optionally, an interior diameter of the spacers 64 is greater than the exterior diameter of the knockout 66. In one embodiment, the interior diameter of a spacer 64 is greater than an interior diameter 86 of a cylindrical wall 90 of the necking die 78.
Any number of spacers 64 can be positioned within the housing to arrange the necking die 78 in a predetermined position of the interior cavity 48. For example, the number and sizes of the spacers 64 can be altered to move the necking die 78 closer to (or away from) the retention ring 62. Optionally, a spacer 64 can be positioned between the free end 82 of the necking die 78 and the retention ring 62. It will be understood by one of skill in the art that in some embodiments the spacer 64 is not used, for example based on the size or shape of the metallic container 2.
The necking die 78 generally includes the free end 82 opposite to the inner end 80, a transition surface 84, and a hollow interior that defines a cylindrical wall 90. The cylindrical wall 90 is approximately parallel to the center axis 44.
Notably, compared to the prior art necking die 24 described in conjunction with
The transition surface 84 is adapted to reduce the diameter of the open end 18 of the container body by a predetermined amount. The transition surface 84 has an interior diameter that varies from a maximum interior diameter 86 proximate to the free end 82 and decreases to a minimum interior diameter 88 proximate to the cylindrical wall 90. The minimum interior diameter 88 of the transition surface 84 is equal to the diameter of the cylindrical wall 90 of the necking die. Moreover, the minimum interior diameter 88 of the necking die transition surface 84 is greater than the maximum exterior diameter 72 of the knockout guide surface 70 to define a clearance 92 (best seen in
In one embodiment, the transition surface 84 has a cross-sectional shape that is curved or arcuate. Optionally, the cross-sectional shape of an exterior of the transition surface 84 is convex. Other shapes for the transition surface 84 are contemplated.
The transition surface 84 is adapted to form a shoulder 12 in the container body 4 during a necking operation. More specifically, the maximum interior diameter 86 of the transition surface is greater than an exterior diameter 16 of a neck 14 of the container body 4, and the minimum interior diameter 88 is less than the neck exterior diameter 16. Accordingly, during the necking operation, the open end 18 of the container neck 14 contacts the transition surface 84. The transition surface 84 then directs the open end 18 inwardly toward the center axis 44 to form (or reform) the shoulder 12. The cylindrical wall 90 of the necking die 78 and the cylindrical sidewall 68 of the knockout 66 then guide the open end 18 back approximately parallel to the center axis 44 to reduce the diameter of the neck 14.
The diameter of the cylindrical wall 90 of the necking die 78 is approximately equal to an external diameter of the neck 14 that will be formed during the necking operation. However, the diameter of the cylindrical wall 90 can be increased or decreased as necessary to account for springback of the metal material of the container neck 14 which occurs after the necking operation as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art.
A die guide 94A according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is interconnected to an end 56 of the housing. The die guide is retained in a spaced relationship to the housing end 56 and to the necking die 78. The die guide 94A is configured to engage a shoulder 12 of the container body 4 and align the container body 4 with the knockout 66 and the necking die 78 of the necker 40A of the present disclosure. More specifically, the die guide 94A aligns the open end 18 of the container body 4 with the forming profile (for example, the transition surface 84) of the necking die 78.
The die guide 94A is moveably interconnected to the housing 46. Specifically, the die guide 94A is moveable from a first clamping position (shown in
In one embodiment, in the first clamping position, a first end 98 of the die guide 94A is separated from the retention ring 62 by a predetermined distance 114. The distance 114 may be up to approximately 1 inch. Optionally, the distance 114 is between approximately 0.05 inch and approximately 0.85 inch. In one embodiment, the distance is less than about 0.82 inch. Additionally, or alternatively, the die guide 94A can move between approximately 0.5 inch and 0.9 inch, or about 0.76 inch, from the first clamping position to the second necking position.
The first clamping position of the die guide 94A is associated with initiation of the necking operation. In the first clamping position, the die guide 94A contacts the container shoulder 12 before the necking die 78 contacts the open end 18 of the container body.
In both the first clamping position and the second necking position the die guide 94A is spaced from the necking die 78 by the retention ring 62. More specifically, in the first clamping position, the first end 98 of the die guide 94A is spaced from the free end 82 of the necking die 78 by a first distance 120. In one embodiment, the first distance is equal to the distance 114 plus the thickness of the retention ring 62. The first distance 120 is greater than a second distance 122 between the die guide 94A and the necking die 78 when in the second necking position (generally illustrated in
The die guide 94A can be interconnected to the housing 46 in any suitable manner known to those of skill in the art. In one embodiment, the die guide 94A is secured to the housing 46 by the post 58. For example, the post 58 can include a head 61 that engages a second end 99 of the die guide 94A.
A biasing element 60 can optionally be positioned between the retention ring 62 and the die guide 94A. In this manner, the die guide 94A remains spaced from the housing end 56 and the necking die 78 by the retention ring.
In one embodiment, the biasing element 60 is a helical spring, such as a compression spring, although any suitable biasing element can be used with the necker 40A of the present disclosure. Optionally, the biasing element 60 is positioned on the post 58. In one embodiment, the biasing element 60 biases (or urges) the die guide 94A into the first clamping position.
Referring now to
The flange 106 of the die guide 94A extends from the body 96 into the cylindrical bore 100. In one embodiment, the flange extends from the first end 98 of the body 96. Optionally, the flange 106 extends continuously around the cylindrical bore 100. Alternatively, the flange 106 comprises a plurality of individual flanges that project into the cylindrical bore 100.
In one embodiment, the first end 98 of the die guide has a protrusion 109. The protrusion extends away from the first end 98 in a direction generally parallel to the center axis 44. In some embodiments, the flange 106 extends inwardly from the protrusion and into the cylindrical bore 100.
The protrusion 109 has an exterior diameter 111. In one embodiment, the interior diameter 89 of the retention ring interior wall 77 is greater than the protrusion exterior diameter 111. In this manner, when the die guide 94A is in the second necking position, the protrusion 109 can fit into the clearance 93 (illustrated in
An inner diameter 108 of the flange 106 is less than the interior diameter 104 of the interior wall 102 and less than the exterior diameter 8 of the container body 4. In this manner, the flange 106 will engage a shoulder 12 of the container body 4 while the interior wall 102 of the die guide 94A remains spaced from the exterior surface 6 of the container body 4 by the recess 118. The minimum interior diameter 88 of the transition surface 84 of the necking die 78 is less than the inner diameter 108 of the flange 106.
The inner diameter 108 of the flange 106 is greater than the exterior diameter 16 of the container neck 14. Accordingly, the container neck 14 and the open end 18 of the container body 4 will pass through the cylindrical bore 100 of the die guide 94A without contacting the flange 106.
In one embodiment, the flange 106 is integrally formed with the die guide 94A. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the flange 106 is formed of the same material as the die guide 94A.
Alternatively, the flange 106 is formed separately from the die guide 94A. In one embodiment, the flange 106 is joined to the die guide 94A. Optionally, the flange 106 can be removably fixed to the die guide 94A. For example, the flange may be joined to the die guide by a mechanical fastener 184 (such as a screw or bolt), by welding, by a friction fit, by a threaded engagement, or by any other suitable method known to those of skill in the art.
Additionally, or alternatively, in one embodiment, the flange 106 is formed of a different material than the die guide. For example, in one embodiment, the flange is formed of a nylon, a plastic or a rubber. Optionally, the flange can be formed of a polymetric material. Alternatively, the flange can be formed of a metal or a ceramic. The flange may be formed of a plastic, such as PEEK. Alternatively, the flange is formed of a bronze alloy.
In one embodiment, the die guide 94A is formed of a first material and the flange 106 is formed of a second material. Optionally, the die guide 94A is formed of a metal.
The flange 106 has an inner wall 107 (generally illustrated in
In one embodiment, the inner wall 107 of the flange 106 is the only portion of the die guide 94A that will contact the container body during a necking operation performed by the tooling assembly 42A. Accordingly, the die guide 94A of the present disclosure does not slide along (or rub against) the container body (such as the exterior surface 6) during operation of the necker 40A.
The die guide 94A reduces or eliminates the generation of friction compared to prior art neckers. Further, the die guide eliminates the buildup of metal particles and the detrimental effects the metal particles cause in prior art neckers. Additionally, in the embodiments in which the flange 106 is removably fixed to the die guide 94A, longevity is further increased as the flange 106 may be replaced once it has worn.
The die guide 94A improves alignment of the container body 4 with the necking die 78 to improve aesthetics of the container body 4 by reducing wrinkles and by eliminating non-conical and irregular shapes of the container neck 14. Specifically, the die guide 94A of embodiments of the present disclosure forms container necks 14 that or more accurately aligned (i.e., substantially coaxially aligned) with a longitudinal axis 44 of the metallic container 2 than prior art neckers 20. In addition, the die guide 94A can help guide “thin” walled (or “lightweight”) metallic container bodies into the necking die 78 which reduces spoilage. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, lightweight metallic container bodies reduce the amount of material and the cost of metallic containers.
In one embodiment, an aperture 110 is formed through the body 96 of the die guide. The aperture 110 is adapted to receive the post 58 extending from the housing 46. Optionally, a seat 112 is formed in the aperture 110 to engage the biasing element 60. For example, the aperture 110 may include a first portion 110A with a first diameter and a second portion 110B with a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.
In one embodiment, the die guide 94A can be used for all necking operations required to form a neck 14 with a desired diameter. More specifically, the flange 106 of the die guide 94A can have an inner wall 107 with an inner diameter 108 and a height 113 selected to engage a shoulder 12 formed on a metallic container 2 in a first necking operation. Thereafter, the flange 106 can engage the shoulder 12 regardless of how many necking operations are performed to reduce the exterior diameter 16 of the container neck 14. This is beneficial because a single die guide 94A can be used in different neckers 40A without changing the geometry or dimensions of the flange 106. More specifically, two die guides 94A with the same geometry and dimensions may be used in two different neckers 40A that perform necking operations that form necks 14 of different dimensions on container bodies. However, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a different necking die 78 will be used for each necking operation.
As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the flexibility of using a die guide 94A of a single design will decrease the cost of spare parts required for a metallic container production line which may have 14 different neckers to form a neck on a two-piece can or 30 or more different neckers to form a neck on a metallic bottle. The use of a single design of the die guide 94A may also decrease the time required to service or replace the die guide because maintenance personnel will not need to obtain different die guides for different neckers. This will also eliminate the possibility of installing an improper die guide on a necker.
Alternatively, the dimensions or geometry of the die guide 94A of the present disclosure may be altered for different necking operations. For example, in one embodiment a flange 106 of a first die guide 94A used in a first necking operation has a first inner diameter 108. A second die guide 94A used in a subsequent second necking operation has a second inner diameter that is greater than the first inner diameter.
In one embodiment, the height 113 of the inner wall is based on a stage of a necking operation performed by the necker 40A. For example, a first die guide 94A associated with a second stage necker 40A may have a flange inner wall 107 with a first height 113. A second die guide interconnected to a third stage necker 40A can have a flange inner wall 107 with a second height 113 that is greater than the first height. This is because after each necking operation, the height of the shoulder will increase. Accordingly, the height 113 of the flange inner wall 107 may be larger to provide more engagement with the container shoulder 12. In one embodiment, the height 113 of the flange inner wall 107 increases successively from a first height for a first die guide 94A used in a second stage necker to a final height for a final stage necker, the final height being greater than the first height. As previously discussed, some container production lines include from 2 to 14 neckers. Metallic bottles typically require more necking operations and a metallic bottle production line may include 30 or more neckers. Accordingly, in some embodiments, thirty or more different die guides 94A according to the present disclosure may be formed which each have flanges 106 with an inner wall 107 having a height 113 adapted to engage a shoulder of a metallic container during one stage of thirty or more different necking operations.
Referring now to
The open end 18 of the container body 4 passes through the cylindrical bore 100 and past the first end 98 of the die guide 94A toward the necking die 78. The open end 18 then contacts the transition surface 84 of the necking die 78. As described previously, the transition surface 84 directs the open end 18 inwardly toward the center axis 44 to reduce the diameter of the open end and extend the shoulder 12 inwardly. The container open end 18 then contacts the cylindrical sidewall 68 of the knockout 66 which directs the open end 18 substantially parallel to the exterior surface 6 of the container body and the center axis 44 to form the neck 14 with a reduced diameter. In one embodiment, in the second necking position, the first end 98 of the die guide 94A is separated from the retention ring 62 by a distance 116 of at least approximately 0.03 inch. Optionally, the distance 116 is between approximately 0.03 inch and approximately 0.07 inch. In one embodiment, the distance is less than about 0.057 inch. Notably, in the second necking position, the first end 98 of the die guide 94A remains separated from the free end 82 of the necking die 78 by a predetermined second distance 122.
After the necking operation is complete, such as when the die guide reaches the second necking position, one or more of the tooling assembly 42A and the container body 4 move away from each other along the center axis 44. The container body 4 is subsequently removed from the tooling assembly 42A. Thereafter, another container body is positioned in the tooling assembly 42A to be necked.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The body has an outer diameter 150 and a predetermined height 152. Optionally, the height 152 is between about 1.0 inch and about 1.6 inches. However, the height and other dimensions of the outer guide 140 may be altered in other embodiments to accommodate neckers for metallic containers 2 of any diameter and height.
In one embodiment, a dowel pin 146 extends from the upper end 144. The dowel pin 146 is oriented approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis 44. Optionally, the dowl pin is positioned in an aperture extending into the cylindrical body 142. The dowel pin 146 is positioned to fit into a hole formed in the open end 56 of the housing to orient the outer guide 140 with respect to the housing 46. In one embodiment, the outer guide 140 includes two dowel pins 146. However, the outer guide 140 may have any number of apertures to receive dowel pins.
A fastener aperture 166 extends through the body from the first end to the second end. The fastener aperture 166 is oriented approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis 44. Optionally, the outer guide 140 has from two to six fastener apertures. In one embodiment, there are four fastener apertures 166 substantially evenly spaced around the cylindrical body 142.
The central bore 154 has an inner wall 156 with a predetermined interior diameter 158. In one embodiment, the interior diameter 158 is between about 3.19 inches and about 3.23 inches, or about 3.21 inches.
A ring 160 extends into the central bore 154 proximate to the upper end 144. The ring 160 is configured to engage the necking die 78 in a manner similar to the retention ring 62 of the necker 40A described in conjunction with
A hole 162 is formed through the ring to retain a biasing element 60A, such as a spring. The hole 162 is oriented approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis 44. In one embodiment, the outer guide 140 has from two to fourteen of the holes 162. Optionally, the outer guide may have twelve holes 162.
Referring now to
The die guide 94B has a flange 106 configured to engage a shoulder 12 of a container body 4 and align the container body 4 with the knockout 66 and the necking die 78 of the necker 40B. The die guide 94B is moveably interconnected to the housing 46 and moves from a first clamping position to a second necking position during operation of the necker 40B similar to the die guide 94A. In this way, the die guide 94B aligns the open end 18 of the container body 4 with the forming profile (for example, the transition surface 84) of the necking die 78.
The die guide 94B generally has a body 96B with a cylindrical bore 100 and a flange 106. The body 96B has an exterior diameter 124 that is less than the interior diameter 158 of the central bore 154 of the outer guide 140. Accordingly, the body 96B can fit in, and move relative to, the outer guide as generally illustrated by comparing
The cylindrical bore 100 is coaxially aligned with the center axis 44 and has an interior wall 102 that is approximately parallel to the center axis 44. In one embodiment, the interior wall 102 has an interior diameter 104 that is substantially constant. The wall interior diameter 104 is greater than an exterior diameter 8 of the container body 4. Accordingly, the interior wall 102 is spaced from the exterior surface 6 of the container body 4 by a recess 118 (such as generally illustrated in
The protrusion 109 has an exterior diameter 111 of between about 2.77 inches and about 2.83 inches, or about 2.80 inches. In one embodiment, the ring interior diameter 164 of the outer guide 140 is greater than the protrusion exterior diameter 111. In this manner, when the die guide 94B is in the second necking position, the protrusion 109 can fit into the interior of the ring 160 as generally illustrated in
The protrusion 109 may have any desired height 126. In one embodiment, the height 126 is determined based on the size of the metallic container 2 the necker 40 is configured to receive. Additionally, or alternatively, the height 126 may be related to a necking stage performed by the necker. In one embodiment, the height is between about 0.09 inches and about 0.15 inches or about 0.12 inches. However, other heights 126 are contemplated for the protrusion 109.
A passage 128 extends into the first end 98 of the body 96B. The passage 128 is alignable with the hole 162 in the outer guide ring 160 and has a closed end. A biasing element 60A may be positioned with a first end in the hole 162 and a second end within the passage 128 as generally illustrated in
The body 96B may include any number of the passages 128. In one embodiment, the body 96B has from two to fourteen, or twelve, of the passages 128. The passages 128 have a predetermined depth 130.
Optionally, one or more of the passages 128 have different depths 130. For example, and referring now to
In one embodiment, the die guide 94B includes two pairs of each of the passages 128A, 128B, 128C. The first depth 130A is optionally between about 0.66 inches and about 0.69 inches, or about 0.675 inches. The second depth 130B may be between about 0.535 inches and about 0.565 inches, or about 0.550 inches. Similarly, the third depth 130C is optionally between about 0.285 inches and about 0.315 inches, or about 0.300 inches. However, other depths 130 of the passages 128 are contemplated.
Referring now to
An inner diameter 108 of the flange 106 (illustrated in
The inner diameter 108 of the flange 106 is greater than the exterior diameter 16 of the container neck 14. Accordingly, the container neck 14 and the open end 18 of the container body 4 will pass through the cylindrical bore 100 of the die guide 94B without contacting the flange 106.
In one embodiment, the flange 106 is integrally formed with the die guide 94B. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the flange 106 is formed of the same material as the die guide 94B.
Alternatively, the flange 106 is formed separately from the die guide 94B. In one embodiment, the flange 106 is joined to the die guide 94B. Optionally, the flange 106 can be removably fixed to the die guide 94B. For example, the flange may be joined to the die guide by a mechanical fastener (such as a screw or bolt), by welding, by a friction fit, a snap fit, by a threaded engagement, or by any other suitable method known to those of skill in the art.
Additionally, or alternatively, in one embodiment, the flange 106 is formed of a different material than the die guide. For example, in one embodiment, the flange is formed of a nylon, a plastic or a rubber. Optionally, the flange can be formed of a polymetric material. Alternatively, the flange can be formed of a metal or a ceramic. The flange may be formed of a plastic, such as PEEK. Alternatively, the flange is formed of a bronze alloy.
In one embodiment, the die guide 94B is formed of a first material and the flange 106 is formed of a second material. Optionally, the die guide 94B is formed of a metal.
The flange 106 has an inner wall 107 (generally illustrated in
In one embodiment, the inner wall 107 of the flange 106 is the only portion of the die guide 94B that will contact the container body during a necking operation performed by the tooling assembly 42B. Accordingly, the die guide 94B of the present disclosure does not slide along (or rub against) the container body (such as the exterior surface 6) during operation of the necker 40B.
Referring now to
As shown in
The die guide 94B may have any number of flutes 132. In one embodiment, the body 96B has from two to fourteen of the flutes 132. Optionally, the body 96B has twelve flutes. The flutes are offset from the passages 128. More specifically, in one embodiment and as generally illustrated in
The flutes 132 have a predetermined height 138. Optionally, one or more of the flutes 132 have different heights 138. For example, and referring now to
In one embodiment, the die guide 94B includes two pairs of each of the flutes 132A, 132B, 132C. The first height 138A is optionally between about 0.95 inches and about 1.25 inches, or about 1.10 inches. The second height 138B may be between about 0.70 inches and about 1.00 inch, or about 0.850 inches. Similarly, the third height 138C is optionally between about 0.45 inches and about 0.75 inches, or about 0.60 inches. However, other heights 138 of the flutes are contemplated to work with container bodies that require a greater or lesser stroke length during a necking operation.
The die guide may be formed of any suitable material. In one embodiment, the die guide 94B is formed of a first material and the outer guide 140 is formed of a second material. In one embodiment, the first and second materials are the same. Alternatively, the second material is different from the first material.
Optionally, the die guide 94B is formed of a metal (including, but not limited to, a bronze alloy or a carbide, such as a tungsten carbide) a polymer, or a plastic (such as a PEEK) and the outer guide 140 is formed of a ceramic. Alternatively, the die guide 94B is formed of a ceramic and the outer guide 140 is formed of a metal, a polymer, or a plastic. Other suitable materials known to those of skill in the art may be used to form the die guide and the outer guide of embodiments of the present disclosure.
Referring now to
An aperture 178 extends through the keeper between the exterior 172 and the central cutout 174. The aperture 178 is adapted to align with the fastener aperture 166 of the outer guide 140. Accordingly, the outer guide and the keeper can be interconnected by a fastener, such as a screw or a bolt, that extends through apertures 166, 178 and into the housing 46.
A projection 180 extends into the central cutout 174. The keeper 170 optionally includes two to six projections 180 that are substantially evenly spaced apart. In one embodiment, the keeper has four projections 180. The projections 180 have a shape that generally corresponds to a shape of the flutes 132. More specifically, the projections are adapted to fit into the flutes 132 as generally illustrated in
An interior diameter 176 between two opposing projections is less than the exterior diameter of the die guide 94B at a flute end 136. Accordingly, the die guide 94B can move between the first clamping position and the second necking position through the central cutout 174 of the keeper. However, the keeper 170 and its projection 180 prohibit movement of the die guide 94B away from the housing 46 and its necking die 78 by a predetermined amount based on which of the flutes 132A, 132B, or 132C the projection is positioned within.
To increase the stroke length of the die guide 94B relative to the housing 46, the keeper 170 can be removed from the outer guide 140 and rotated axially (clockwise or counterclockwise) such that the projection 180 is positioned within a flute 132 of a desired height 138. For example, for a stroke of a first length or amount, the projection 180 may be positioned in flute 132A. If a shorter stroke length is desired, the projection 180 is positioned in flute 132B. Finally, the projection 180 may be positioned in flute 132C to provide a stroke with a length that is less than the stroke length possible using flute 132B.
In operation, the necker 40B performs similar to the necker 40A. More specifically, and referring again to
After the necking operation is complete, such as when the die guide 94B reaches the second necking position, one or more of the tooling assembly 42B and the container body 4 move away from each other along the center axis 44. The container body 4 is subsequently removed from the tooling assembly 42B. Thereafter, another container body is positioned in the tooling assembly 42B to be necked.
Referring now to
Referring now to
While various embodiments of the system have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. It is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Further, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein are meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as, additional items.
To provide additional background, context, and to further satisfy the written description requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112, the following references are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,403,493; 4,693,108; 4,732,027; 4,774,839; 5,138,858; 5,297,414; 5,448,903; 5,469,729; 5,497,900; 5,713,235; 5,737,958; 5,778,723; 6,032,502; 6,094,961; 6,167,743; 6,343,496; 6,484,550; 7,140,223; 7,418,852; 7,530,445; 8,601,843; 8,807,325; 9,290,329; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2004/0099036; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2008/0295558; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2014/0061212; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2016/0214164; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2018/0207705; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2019/0344325; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2019/0344326; U.S. Pat. Pub. 2019/0345958; and U.S. Pat. Pub. 2020/0254506.
Claims
1. A necking apparatus for reducing a diameter of an open end of a container body, comprising:
- a housing having a body with an interior cavity and having a center axis;
- a necking die positioned in the interior cavity about the center axis, the necking die configured to reduce the diameter of the open end of the container body in a necking operation;
- a knockout positioned in the interior cavity and concentrically aligned with the necking die;
- an outer guide with a first end operably interconnected to a free end of the housing, a central bore that extends through the first end and a second end, and a ring that extends into the central bore proximate to the first end;
- a die guide operably engaged to the housing and selectively moveable relative to the housing and into the central bore of the outer guide from a first clamping position to a second necking position, the die guide including a first end facing the free end of the housing, a cylindrical bore, and a flange extending inwardly into the cylindrical bore, the flange configured to engage a shoulder of the container body;
- a biasing element operably engaged to the housing with a first end contacting the outer guide and a second end contacting the die guide; and
- a keeper interconnected to the second end of the outer guide, the keeper configured to limit a stroke of the die guide to a predetermined length.
2. The necking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical bore of the die guide has an interior wall with an interior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the container body.
3. The necking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flange has an inner diameter that is less than an exterior diameter of the container body.
4. The necking apparatus of claim 1, wherein during the necking operation, the die guide engages the shoulder of the container body to align the open end of the container body with the necking die before a forming surface of the necking die contacts the open end of the container body.
5. The necking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biasing element is a spring with the first end extending into a hole formed in the ring and the second end positioned in a first passage extending into the first end of the die guide.
6. The necking apparatus of claim 5, wherein the die guide further comprises a second passage with a second depth that is different than a first depth of the first passage such that a force applied to the die guide by the spring is altered by positioning the second end of the spring in the second passage.
7. The necking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the die guide includes a protrusion extending from the first end facing the necking die, and wherein the flange extends inwardly from an interior surface of the protrusion.
8. The necking apparatus of claim 7, wherein the protrusion has an exterior diameter that is less than an interior diameter of the ring of the outer guide.
9. The necking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the die guide includes a first flute that extends from a second end of the die guide toward the first end of the die guide that is proximate to the necking die, and wherein the keeper has a projection positionable in the first flute to limit movement of the die guide to the stroke of the predetermined length.
10. The necking apparatus of claim 9, wherein the die guide further comprises a second flute with a second height that is different than a first height of the first flute such that the length of the stroke is altered by positioning the projection of the keeper in the second flute.
11. The necking apparatus of claim 1, wherein a body of the die guide is spaced a first distance from the necking die in the first clamping position and the body is spaced a second distance from the necking die in the second necking position, the second distance being less than the first distance.
12. A method of reducing a diameter of an open end of a container body, comprising:
- positioning the container body in a necking apparatus comprising: a housing with a body, an interior cavity, and a center axis; a necking die retained in the interior cavity; a knockout retained in the interior cavity, the knockout concentrically aligned with the necking die and the center axis; an outer guide operably interconnected to the housing and which has a first end facing a free end of the housing, a second end, and a central bore that extends through the first and second ends; a die guide operably engaged to the housing and selectively moveable into the central bore from a first clamping position to a second necking position, the die guide including a first end facing the housing and a flange which extends inwardly into a cylindrical bore formed through the die guide; a biasing element secured to the housing to apply a force to the die guide; and a keeper interconnected to the second end of the outer guide;
- engaging a shoulder of the container body with the flange of the die guide in the first clamping position;
- moving the die guide from the first clamping position to the second necking position relative to the housing such that the open end of the container body engages the necking die to perform a necking operation to reduce the diameter of the open end; and
- discharging the container body from the necking apparatus.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein an interior wall of the cylindrical bore of the die guide has an interior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the container body such that the interior wall does not contact the container body during operation of the necking apparatus.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the flange has an inner diameter that is less than the exterior diameter of the container body, wherein the container body is clamped by the flange to impede unintended movement of the container body relative to the necking die.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising altering the force applied by the biasing element to the die guide by:
- removing the keeper from the outer guide to separate the die guide from the central bore of the outer guide;
- removing the biasing element from a first passage extending into the first end of the die guide, the first passage having a first depth;
- positioning the biasing element in a second passage extending into the first end of the die guide, the second passage having a second depth that is different than first depth;
- returning the die guide to the central bore of the outer guide; and
- interconnecting the keeper to the outer guide to interconnect the die guide to the housing.
16. The method of claim 12, further comprising adjusting a length of a stroke of the die guide by:
- removing the keeper from the outer guide to withdraw a projection of the keeper from a first flute of the die guide, the first flute having a first height to limit the stroke of the die guide to a first length;
- positioning the projection in a second flute of the die guide that has a second height that is different than the first height; and
- interconnecting the keeper to the outer guide with the projection in the second flute such that the stroke of the die guide is limited to a second length that is different than the first length.
17. A die guide to align an open end of a container body with a necking die of a necking apparatus, comprising:
- a body with a first end and a second end;
- a cylindrical bore extending through the first and second ends which is sized to receive the container body;
- a flange extending from the body of the die guide into the cylindrical bore, the flange configured to engage a shoulder of the container body;
- a passage extending into the first end that is adapted to receive a biasing element; and
- a flute extending from the second end toward the first end, the flute having a first height to limit a stroke of the die guide to a first length when a projection of a keeper interconnected to the necking apparatus is positioned in the flute.
18. The die guide of claim 17, further comprising a second passage that extends into the first end to a second depth that is different than a first depth of the passage such that a force applied to the die guide by the biasing element is altered by moving the biasing element from the passage to the second passage.
19. The die guide of claim 17, further comprising a second flute with a second height that is different than the first height to limit the stroke to a second length that is different than the first length when the projection of the keeper is in the second flute.
20. The die guide of claim 17, wherein the cylindrical bore is concentrically aligned with a central axis of the die guide, and wherein the cylindrical bore is defined by an interior wall that has an interior diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the flange.
21. The die guide of claim 17, further comprising a protrusion extending from the first end, wherein the flange is formed on the protrusion.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 9, 2021
Publication Date: Sep 9, 2021
Inventors: Dean L. Johnson (Littleton, CO), Mark A. Jacober (Arvada, CO), Kevin Reed Jentzsch (Woodland Hills, UT)
Application Number: 17/196,362
