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BR-102025013924-A2 - CUTTING METHODS FOR LIDS

BR102025013924A2BR 102025013924 A2BR102025013924 A2BR 102025013924A2BR-102025013924-A2

Abstract

This paper describes a cutting method for a "clamped" type cap, in which a spindle carrying a cap is moved towards a cutting device with one or more horizontal blades and at least one vertical or oblique blade. During cutting, the spindle rotates and the cap rolls over the cutting device. The spindle, which is fed several times to the cutting device, each time carrying a different cap comprising a portion made of a softer material than the blades, therefore, when cutting, the blades penetrate the cap material and thus sink into the softer portion of the spindle. The feeding of the spindle carrying the cap towards the cutting device is coordinated with the spindle rotation so that the vertical or oblique blade, each time the spindle is fed to the cutting device, always encounters the same area of the softer portion of the spindle. The method involves a preliminary step in which the blades are moved in order to gradually increase the depth to which they sink into the soft portion, starting from an initial position far from a nominal working position and reaching a final position in which the blades sink into the soft portion to a greater depth than the depth to which they sink when they are in the nominal working position.

Inventors

  • Davide Penazzi
  • Matteo VENTURINI
  • Ruggero MENZOLINI

Assignees

  • SACMI COOPERATIVA MECCANICI IMOLA SOCIETA' COOPERATIVA

Dates

Publication Date
20260310
Application Date
20250704
Priority Date
20240705

Claims (19)

  1. 1. CUTTING METHOD FOR CAPS, characterized by said method comprising the steps of: - feeding a spindle (6) that carries a cap (2) to a cutting device (3), the spindle comprising a soft portion (7) into which at least one blade (5) of said cutting device (3) can sink; - rotating the spindle (6) to move the cap (2) over the cutting device (3) so that at least one vertical or oblique blade (5), positioned in the nominal working position, penetrates the cap (2) and sinks into said soft portion (7) to a desired depth; - coordinating the rotation of the spindle with the advance of the spindle so that the vertical or oblique blade (5), each time the spindle (6) is fed to the cutting device (3), always encounters the same vertical or oblique area of said soft portion (7); a preliminary step being provided in which the spindle (6) is fed several times to the cutting device (3) and in which, during said step In the said preliminary stage, said method, at least one vertical or oblique blade (5) is moved so as to gradually increase the depth to which it sinks into said soft portion (7), starting from an initial position distant from said nominal working position and reaching a final position; wherein said method, in said final position of said preliminary stage, said at least one vertical or oblique blade (5) sinks into said soft portion (7) to a greater depth than the depth to which it sinks when it is in said nominal working position.
  2. 2. METHOD, according to claim 1, characterized in that said preliminary step is carried out without transporting the lid (2), i.e., “empty”.
  3. 3. METHOD, according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one vertical or oblique blade (5), starting from the final position of the preliminary step, is retracted so as to reach the nominal working position, after which the cover (2) is moved in the cutting device (3) and the at least one vertical or oblique blade (5) penetrates the cover (2) and sinks into the soft portion (7) to the desired depth.
  4. 4. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the vertical or oblique area of the soft portion (7) is a linear area with a shape corresponding to the shape of the vertical or oblique blade.
  5. 5. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, during said preliminary step, said at least one vertical or oblique blade (5) generates a groove in said soft portion (7) of the spindle, said groove having a lower part (12) located at a distance greater than or equal to 0.05 mm from said at least one vertical or oblique blade (5) in said nominal working position.
  6. 6. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the spindle (6) is carried by a carousel (8) rotating around a carousel axis (X), and in that the ratio between the number of revolutions per unit time of the carousel axis (X) and the spindle axis (Y) is equal to 1 : N, with N equal to an integer.
  7. 7. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by a carousel (8) carrying two or more spindles (6), each with a respective soft portion (7), said carousel (8) being driven in rotation by means of drive, said two or more spindles (6) being driven in rotation around their respective spindle axes (Y) by a single motor, distinct from said carousel drive means, connected to said spindle axes (Y) by means of a mechanical drive system.
  8. 8. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by a carousel (8) carrying two or more spindles (6), each with a respective soft portion (7), and wherein a mechanical drive system connects a carousel shaft (X) with the shafts (Y) of said two or more spindles (6).
  9. 9. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by a carousel (8) carrying two or more spindles (6), each with a respective soft portion (7), the rotation and feed of each spindle being coordinated by means of a coordinated movement of a carousel axis (X) and the axes (Y) of said two or more spindles (6) controlled synchronously by means of electronic control.
  10. 10. METHOD, according to claim 9, characterized in that the carousel (8) is rotated by means of drive and each spindle axis (Y) is driven in rotation by its own drive motor distinct from the drive motors of the other spindle axes (Y) and distinct from the drive means of the carousel (8).
  11. 11. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by comprising the step of providing means for preventing rotation of said soft portion (7) relative to the rest of the spindle (6).
  12. 12. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a cutting apparatus is used comprising: - said cutting device (3) configured to obtain an easy-opening device for a lid (2); and - feeding means for feeding a lid (2) to said cutting device (3), said feeding means comprising said spindle (6) with said soft portion (7) configured so that at least one blade (5) of said cutting device (3) penetrates the lid (2) with a through cut and sinks into said soft portion (7) of the spindle.
  13. 13. METHOD, according to claim 12, characterized in that said cutting device (3) comprises said at least one vertical or oblique blade (5), in particular for obtaining a “clamp” type cover (2), said feeding means being configured so that the spindle (6) passes several times in front of said cutting device (3), each time carrying a different cover, said apparatus comprising control means configured to coordinate a spindle rotation with a spindle feed movement to the cutting device, so that said vertical or oblique blade (5), each time the spindle (6) passes in front of said cutting device (3), always encounters the same vertical or oblique area of said soft portion (7), said control means being configured to control said preliminary step in which said at least one vertical or oblique blade (5) sinks into said soft portion (7) to a greater depth than the depth to which it sinks when in said nominal working position.
  14. 14. METHOD, according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by comprising the step of detecting a position of the cutting device (3) and controlling said position as a function of at least one operational parameter so as to modify a cutting penetration of the cutting device (3) based on a variation of at least one operational condition.
  15. 15. CUTTING METHOD FOR CAPS, characterized by said method comprising the steps of: - feeding a spindle (6) that carries a cap (2) to a cutting device (3), the spindle comprising a soft portion (7) in which at least one blade (5) of said cutting device (3) can sink; - rotating the spindle (6) to move the cap (2) over the cutting device (3) so that at least one vertical or oblique blade (5), positioned in the nominal working position, penetrates the cap (2) and sinks into said soft portion (7) to the desired depth; - coordinating the rotation of the spindle with the advance of the spindle so that the vertical or oblique blade (5), each time the spindle (6) is fed to the cutting device (3), always encounters the same vertical or oblique area of said soft portion (7); - detecting a position of said cutting device (3) and controlling said position as a function of at least one operational parameter in order to modify a cutting penetration of said cutting device (3) based on a variation of at least one operating condition.
  16. 16. METHOD, according to any one of claims 14 to 15, characterized in that the cutting penetration is modified as a function of the degree of wear of the cutting device (3).
  17. 17. METHOD, according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that said shear penetration is modified as a function of the temperature of the lid (2).
  18. 18. METHOD, according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that said shear penetration is modified depending on the material of which the cap (2) is made, in particular depending on the amount of recycled plastic material present in the cap material (2).
  19. 19. METHOD, according to any one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that the cutting device (3) comprises one or more horizontal blades (4) and a support block to which are fixed at least one vertical or oblique blade (5) and one or more horizontal blades (4), the position of the cutting device (3) that is detected and controlled comprises a relative position of the support block with respect to a fixed element.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [001] The invention relates to a method for cutting caps or capsules that can be used to close containers, such as bottles, in particular caps or capsules made of plastic. [002] Specifically, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a cutting apparatus and method suitable for obtaining the device which is easy to open and with which a cap or capsule of the type called “tethered” is provided, that is, a cap or capsule which remains attached to the container after opening. [003] The state of the art comprises methods for providing an easy-opening device for a “clamped” capsule forming in the capsule one or more horizontal cuts and at least vertical or oblique cuts, wherein “horizontal”, “vertical” and “oblique” refer to the capsule arranged with its geometric axis vertical. In general, the methods of the state of the art provide that the capsule is moved, along a cutting path with fixed blades, by a rotating axis that supports the capsule and that acts as a support element to reduce the effective cut of the fixed blades. [004] Patent publication EP 4324761 A2 discloses a cutting method according to the preamble of claim 1. This method does not allow a significant reduction in wear on the softest part of the spindle because the vertical or oblique blade penetrates the softest part of the spindle always in the same position, so that, in the first movements of the spindle, the vertical or oblique blade will engrave a kind of vertical or oblique groove or crack in the material of the softest part of the spindle and, therefore, in subsequent movements, it will always interact with that previously engraved groove or crack, which is always in the same (linear) area, without further damaging the spindle. [005] Therefore, the method disclosed by EP 4324761 A2 allows the wear of the soft portion of the spindle to be located only in a vertical or oblique area, without affecting other areas which, therefore, can remain intact and without wear for a long period, thus optimally performing the support function in relation to the closing during the cutting operation. The support function performed by the spindle is particularly effective, since the vertical or oblique blade of the cutting device only interferes in an extremely limited area of the spindle, that is, in the vertical or oblique linear area in the soft portion of the spindle in which the vertical or oblique blade sinks, leaving the rest of the soft portion of the spindle intact and whole, especially the areas located in the vicinity of the worn area and where the cutting is performed. Therefore, being worn and contiguous to the actual cutting area, such areas can act as a support element for cutting with the maximum possible functions. [006] One improvable aspect of the state of the art described above is that it would be desirable to further reduce the interaction between the vertical or oblique blade and the material of the soft portion of the spindle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [007] One objective of the invention is to provide a method for cutting lids for containers capable of meeting the need mentioned above. [008] Another objective is to provide a suitable cutting method for forming caps of the type known as “fastened”. [009] One advantage is providing a cutting method capable of ensuring that, when cutting the capsules, the vertical or oblique blade does not touch the bottom of the groove or slot engraved by the blade. [0010] One advantage is ensuring that, when cutting the capsules, the horizontal blade (or horizontal blades, if there is more than one) does not touch the bottom of the circumferential groove or slot engraved by the blade. [0011] One advantage is ensuring the effectiveness and quality of capsule cutting over a long working period, even in the event of wear on one or more blades. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] The invention will be clearer and better implemented with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an exemplary and not limiting embodiment thereof, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical elevation section of a part of an example of a cutting apparatus that can be used to implement a cutting method according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlargement of a detail of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view of another example of a cutting apparatus that can be used to implement a cutting method according to the present invention; and Figure 5 is an enlargement of a detail of Figure 2 showing the groove or slot engraved by the vertical or oblique blade to implement a cutting method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0013] With reference to the figures mentioned above, an apparatus for cutting lids or capsules that can be used to close containers, such as bottles, in particular lids or capsules made of plastic, has been indicated in its entirety by (1). The cutting apparatus (1) can