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CN-117177916-B - Device and method for producing a closure system for a container

CN117177916BCN 117177916 BCN117177916 BCN 117177916BCN-117177916-B

Abstract

A device (10) and method for producing a closure system (100) for a container is described, comprising a tamper-resistant strip (101) configured to be attached to an opening of a container, and a reclosable closure (102) configured to hermetically close the container. The device (10) comprises a welding and deforming station (11), wherein it is arranged to weld the blocking element (108) to the reclosable closure (102) and to fold the flexible annular portion (109) of the tamper-proof strip (101) back towards the inside of the closure system (100) while the closure system is stationary in the same predetermined position in the welding and deforming station (11).

Inventors

  • Matteo Bignano
  • Pierre Luigi Castellari

Assignees

  • I·M·A·工业机械自动装置股份公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220419
Priority Date
20210420

Claims (14)

  1. 1. A device (10) for producing a closure system (100) for a container, the closure system comprising a tamper-resistant strip (101) and a reclosable closure (102), the device (10) comprising: -a forming station (12) configured to form a barrier element (108) from a blank (a), wherein the barrier element (108) is laminar, having a shape and a size related to the shape and size of the closure (102); -a transport system (30) comprising at least one gripping unit (34) configured to hold the closed system (100) and to move along a feeding path (P) extending between an inlet station (S') and an outlet station (s″); -a welding and deforming station (11) arranged along the feed path (P) between the inlet station (S') and the outlet station (s″); -a handling element (13) configured to pick up the blocking element (108) in the forming station (12) and to introduce the blocking element into the welding and deforming station (11), followed by attaching the blocking element (108) to the closure (102); -a deformation element (14) configured such that it can be driven between an inactive position remote from the closure system (100) and an active position in which it is in pressing contact with the flexible annular portion (109) of the tamper-resistant strip (101) so as to fold the latter back inside the closure system (100), wherein the deformation element (14) is shaped as an annular deformation element arranged around the handling element (13), wherein the deformation element (14) and the handling element (13) extend coaxially with respect to each other about a common longitudinal axis (X), the deformation element and the handling element being movable with respect to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (X), and -A control unit (28) connected to the handling element (13) and the deformation element (14), programmed to command at least the operation of the handling element (13) and the deformation element (14) in a coordinated manner, so that the handling element (13) and the deformation element (14) attach the blocking element (108) to the closure body (102) and exert pressure on the flexible ring (109) respectively in the welding and deformation station (11) while the gripping unit (34) is stationary in maintaining the same predetermined position of the closure system (100).
  2. 2. The device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a support plane (20) for the closed system (100) arranged in the welding and deforming station (11), wherein in the vicinity of the support plane (20) electromagnetic induction welding means (21) are arranged, which are configured to attach the blocking element (108) to the closed body (102) by induction welding when the blocking element (108) is placed in contact with the closed body (102) and held pressed against the closed body (102) by the handling element (13).
  3. 3. Device (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the support plane (20) and possibly the head (15) of the handling element (13) are made of a heat-resistant non-magnetic plastic or metallic material selected from the group consisting of PEEK, teflon, titanium coated with a non-stick material.
  4. 4. The device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises one or more centring elements (22) arranged in correspondence of the welding and deforming stations (11), each centring element being configured to laterally grip a respective closing system (100) at least when the latter is resting in said same predetermined position.
  5. 5. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, further comprising a support arm (18) configured to move the handling element (13) and the deforming element (14) between the forming station (12) and the welding and deforming station (11).
  6. 6. Device (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the handling element (13) and the deformation element (14) are attached to the support arm (18).
  7. 7. The device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the handling element (13) is further configured to hold the blocking element (108) by suction during the movement from the forming station (12) to the welding and deforming station (11).
  8. 8. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, wherein the forming station (12) is configured to simultaneously form a plurality of the blocking elements (108) arranged along a line inclined with respect to the feeding direction of the slab (a), wherein the blocking elements (108) are obtained from the slab (a).
  9. 9. The apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the forming station (12) comprises one or more gripping elements (27) configured to temporarily grip the slab (a) at least during the forming operation, wherein the blocking element (108) is obtained from the slab (a), and one or more shearing punches (25) movable with respect to the gripping elements (27) and configured to shear the blocking element (108) and to hold the blocking element resting on the shearing punches by suction and to move the blocking element towards the handling element (13).
  10. 10. A method of manufacturing a closure system (100) for a container, the closure system comprising a tamper-resistant strip (101) and a reclosable closure (102), wherein the method is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: -forming, in a forming station (12), a blocking element (108) from a slab (a), said blocking element having a shape and a size related to the shape and size of the closure (102); -transporting a plurality of said closed systems (100) along a feed path (P) extending between an inlet station (S') and an outlet station (s″); picking up a blocking element (108) from the forming station (12) by means of a handling element (13), -Introducing the blocking element (108) picked up in the forming station (12) towards a welding and deforming station (11) arranged along the feeding path (P) between the inlet station (S') and the outlet station (s″); -welding the barrier element (108) to the reclosable closure (102) by means of the handling element (13) in the welding and deforming station (11), wherein the welding step is arranged to attach the barrier element (108) to an inner wall (106) of the closure (102) in a stable manner, Shaping at least one flexible loop (109) of the tamper-resistant strip (101) in the welding and deforming station (11) by means of a deforming element (14), the deforming element (14) being shaped as a loop-shaped deforming element and being arranged around the handling element (13) to fold the flexible loop (109) back inside the closure system (100), Wherein the handling element (13) and the deformation element (14) are arranged to extend coaxially with respect to each other about a common longitudinal axis (X) when the closing system (100) is stationary in the welding and deformation station (11) in the same predetermined position, and are movable with respect to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) to attach the blocking element (108) to the closing body (102) and to apply pressure to the flexible ring (109), respectively.
  11. 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the handling element (13) holds the blocking element (108) by suction when it introduces the blocking element (108) picked up in the forming station (12) towards the welding and deforming station (11).
  12. 12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the blocking element (108) is attached to the closure body (102) by the handling element (13) while the flexible ring-shaped part (109) is folded back into the closure system (100) by the deformation element (14).
  13. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the barrier element (108) is attached to the inner wall (106) of the enclosure (102) by electromagnetic induction welding.
  14. 14. The method according to any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the closure (102) is hinged to the tamper-resistant strip (101) along a hinge region (111) such that the closure is rotatable between an open position in which the closure is moved away from the tamper-resistant strip (101) and a closed position in which the closure is coupled to the tamper-resistant strip (101) without being completely separated from the tamper-resistant strip (101) at all times.

Description

Device and method for producing a closure system for a container Technical Field The present invention relates to a device and a method for producing a hermetically sealed system (preferably reclosable) for containers (preferably made of laminated multilayer materials) capable of containing (as non-limiting examples) liquid, semi-liquid or pasty substances, preferably having food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical properties. The device and method of the present invention enable the formation of a closed system provided with a blocking element arranged inside the system facing the mouth of the container, and a tamper-proof ring detecting the first opening of the container. Background Machines for producing closure systems for containers are known in the prior art, which are generally configured as reclosable caps that engage with a neck surrounding an opening of the container from which the product contained in the container can be discharged. The interengagement between the cap and the container neck can be obtained by threads in the case of screw caps, or by mechanical interference in the case of caps with pressure closure. Generally, it is provided that the cover is produced by means of a moulding operation of plastic or metallic material capable of deforming, by compression, a certain amount of resin or metal blank, respectively, so as to give the cover the desired shape and characteristics. Machines suitable for manufacturing these products with very low economic unit values operate at high speeds or very high speeds in order to be economically and conveniently produced. The cap in question comprises a barrier element, also called "liner", configured for keeping the container hermetically sealed, so as to prevent oxygen from entering the interior of the container, resulting in the induction of degradation of the product and the destruction of its organoleptic characteristics. Examples of this type of cap are described in U.S. patent documents US2008/0035600 and US 10556403. Typically, the barrier element may consist of a thin layer of aluminium, in particular shaped like a disc, or of an element made of plastic material. In both cases, the blocking element is generally adhered to the inner face of the lid, which faces the opening of the container when the container is in the closed condition, so as to hermetically seal it. Adhesion of the barrier element to the cap is typically obtained by the action of heat, which allows activation of the adhesive substance layer arranged thereon in order to adhere it to the surface of the cap underneath it. This operation is particularly delicate, since on the one hand the heat must be sufficient to ensure a firm adhesion of the blocking element to the cover and on the other hand excessive heat must be prevented, which can damage the blocking element and/or the cover itself. Another feature of caps known in the prior art is that they comprise tamper-resistant strips (anti-TAMPERING STRIP) which characterize the integrity of the container. Typically, the tamper-resistant strip is configured as a ring-shaped element that is attached around the neck of the container and connected to the reclosable lid by a plurality of breakable connections (denoted by the term "bridges"). When the container is first opened, the breakable element breaks open and the cap separates from the tamper-resistant strip which remains anchored to the neck of the container so as to allow an immediate visual confirmation indicating whether the container has been opened for the first time. The production of tamper-resistant strips and the association of the blocking element with the cover are operations requiring dedicated processing steps corresponding to the respective processing stations. Obviously, the creation of these closed systems increases the complexity of the system, the overall size and the overall cost for its production, ultimately increasing its unit cost. Accordingly, there is a need to develop an apparatus and method for manufacturing a closure system for a container that overcomes at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art. Disclosure of Invention In particular, it is an object of the present invention to obtain a device for producing closed systems, which has a limited overall size and can be easily integrated into a plant to produce such a system, if necessary. Another object of the present invention is to make available a device for producing a closed system for containers and perfecting the method thereof, capable of achieving high or very high productivity, producing at least several hundred units per minute or even more. Another object is to obtain a device for manufacturing a closure system for containers and a perfect method thereof, capable of ensuring optimal adhesion of the barrier element to the closure system. Another object is to obtain a device and a method of perfecting the same that allow to effectively intervene on the tamper-resistant strip of the closure system in