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EP-4543766-B1 - INDEXING SYSTEM FOR A MULTI-STATION PROCESSING APPARATUS

EP4543766B1EP 4543766 B1EP4543766 B1EP 4543766B1EP-4543766-B1

Inventors

  • DE RIDDER, Maarten

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230616

Claims (15)

  1. An indexing system (10) for a multi-station apparatus for processing work products, the indexing system comprising: a multi-position indexing platform (20) having a plurality of stations arranged along an arcuate path about an axis, the stations comprising: a receiving station (44) for receiving work products for processing, at least two processing stations (48, 50) where work products are processed, a second processing station (50) positioned on the arcuate path extending counterclockwise from the receiving station (44) toward a discharge station (46) from which work products that have been processed are removed from the platform (20), the discharge station (46) located on the arcuate path downstream from the processing stations (48, 50); characterized by a first processing station (48) positioned on the arcuate path extending clockwise from the receiving station (44) toward the discharge station (46), and a pivot arm assembly (60) rotatable about the axis to move the work products from the receiving station (44) in a clockwise direction to the first processing station (48) and in a counterclockwise direction to the second processing station (50).
  2. The indexing system of claim 1, wherein the pivot arm assembly (60) when rotating about the axis to move the work products from the receiving station (44) to a processing station, also moving processed work products from the processing station to the discharge station (46).
  3. The indexing system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pivot arm assembly (60) comprises a first pivot arm (64) rotatable about the axis in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to move work products from the receiving station (44) to the processing stations (48, 50) and from the processing stations (48, 50) to the discharge station (46).
  4. The indexing system of claim 3, wherein the first pivot arm (64) is rotatable about the central axis in the clockwise direction to push work products from the receiving station (44) to the first processing station (48) and is rotatable about the central axis in the counterclockwise direction to push work products from the receiving station (44) to the second processing station (50).
  5. The indexing system of claim 4, wherein when the first pivot arm (64) is rotated about the axis in the clockwise direction to move work products from the receiving station (44) to the first processing station (48) , the first pivot arm (64) is in position without further movement, to rotate about the central axis in the counterclockwise direction to move work products from the receiving station (44) to the second processing station (50).
  6. The indexing system of any one of clam 3-5, wherein the first pivot arm (64) has portions defining a contact surface for bearing against the work products when pushing the work products from the receiving station (44) to the first and second processing stations (48, 50).
  7. The indexing system of Claim 3, wherein the pivot arm assembly (60) comprises a second pivot arm (70) extending laterally from the first pivot arm (64) and rotatable about the axis in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions to retain the work products against the first pivot arm (64) as the work products move from the receiving station (44) to the first and second processing stations (48, 50).
  8. The indexing system of Claim 7 wherein the second pivot arm (70) moves the work product from the first and second processing stations (48, 50) to the discharge station (46) as the first pivot arm (64) moves the work products from the receiving station (44) to the first and second processing stations (48, 50).
  9. The indexing system of Claim 7 or 8, wherein the second pivot arm (70) is extendable relative to the first pivot arm (64) to be disposed relative to the first pivot arm (64) in a rotationally leading position as the first pivot arm (64) rotates in the clockwise or counterclockwise directions.
  10. The indexing system of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the path along which the plurality of stations are arranged is a circular path about the axis,
  11. A method of presenting work products to be processed to a multi-station processing apparatus and removing the processed work products from the processing apparatus, comprising: receiving work products to be processed at a receiving station (44) from a stream of work products to be processed, characterized by moving work products to be processed from the receiving station (44) along an arcuate path in a clockwise direction to a first processing station (48) and in a counterclockwise direction to a second processing station (50); and moving the work products after being processed along the arcuate path from the first processing station (48) to the discharge station (46) and from the second processing station (50) to the discharge station (46).
  12. The method of claim 11, wherein the work products are moved from the receiving station (44) to the first and second processing stations (48, 50) along the arcuate path by a swing arm assembly rotatable about an axis.
  13. The method of Claim 12, wherein the swing arm assembly rotates in a first direction about the axis to move work products from the receiving station (44) to the first processing station (48) and rotates about the axis in a second direction to move work products from the receiving station (44) to the second processing station (50).
  14. The method of any one of claims 12-13, further comprising retaining the work products to the swing arm assembly as the swing arm assembly moves the work products from the receiving station (44) to the first and second processing stations (48, 50).
  15. A multi-head seamer apparatus for sealing the tops of containers with covers, the apparatus comprising an indexing system of any of claims 1-10, comprising: the receiving station (44) being configured for receiving containers to which covers are to be sealed, and the discharge station (46) from which containers with covers sealed thereto are configured to be removed from the platform, the receiving station (44) and discharge station (46) being located on the arcuate path diametrically opposite to each other relative to the axis; and at least two sealing stations where at covers are sealed to the containers, a first sealing station positioned on the arcuate path extending clockwise from the receiving station toward the discharge station, and a second sealing station positioned on the arcuate path extending counterclockwise from the receiving station (44) toward the discharge station (46); and the pivot arm assembly (60) being configured to rotatably toggle about the pivot axis to move the containers from the receiving station (44) in a clockwise direction to the first sealing station and in a counterclockwise direction to the second sealing station.

Description

BACKGROUND The present invention pertains to an indexing system for positioning or distributing work products that the arrive in a single file stream to multiple workstations. One example of this situation is to distribute filled containers or cans to two side-by-side closure stations. The closure station can be in the form of two seaming head that seam a cover to the top of the container. Current technology for this function includes pneumatic cylinders that push the containers along on different tracks, one for each workstation. However, with pneumatic cylinders dead or lost time occurs due to the need to retract the cylinders in preparation to push the next container forward. US 1 034 153A discloses a can ending machine. The present disclosure seeks to provide a solution to the need to feed the workstations with work product, wherein: The feed mechanism uses a minimum of components, and so provides a cost-effective solution.No lost/dead time is present; the only non-functional movement of the mechanism is established as soon as the previous can is on its position and can be executed very fast.The spacing in between the arriving work products, e.g., containers, is of no importance.The feed mechanism is flexible: when only one workstation is operating, the indexing mechanism can be replaced by a turret with pockets for the work product, that simply rotates to feed the single workstation. SUMMARY This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. According to the invention an indexing system for a multi-station apparatus is provided for processing work products. The indexing system includes a multi-position indexing platform having a plurality of stations arranged along an arcuate path about an axis, the stations comprising a receiving station for receiving work products for processing, at least two processing stations where work products are processed, a first processing station positioned on the arcuate path extending clockwise from the receiving station toward the discharge station, and a second processing station positioned on the arcuate path extending counterclockwise from the receiving station toward the discharge station, and a discharge station from which work products that have been processed are removed from the platform, the discharge station located on the arcuate path downstream from the processing stations, and a pivot arm assembly rotatable about the axis to move the work products from the receiving station in a clockwise direction to the first processing station and in a counterclockwise direction to the second processing station. In any of the embodiments described herein, wherein the pivot arm assembly when rotating about the axis to move the work products from the receiving station to a processing station, also moving processed work products from the processing station to the discharge station. In any of the embodiments described herein, wherein the pivot arm assembly comprises a first pivot arm rotatable about the axis in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to move work products from the receiving station to the processing stations and from the processing stations to the discharge station. In any of the embodiments described herein, wherein the first pivot arm is rotatable about the central axis in the clockwise direction to push work products from the receiving station to the first processing station and is rotatable about the central axis in the counterclockwise direction to push work products from the receiving station to the second processing station. In any of the embodiments described herein, wherein when the first pivot arm is rotated about the axis in the clockwise direction to move work products from the receiving station to the first processing station, the first pivot arm is in position without further movement, to rotate about the central axis in the counterclockwise direction to move work products from the receiving station to the second processing station. In any of the embodiments described herein, wherein the first pivot arm has portions defining a contact surface for bearing against the work products when pushing the work products from the receiving station to the first and second processing stations. In any of the embodiments described herein, wherein the pivot arm assembly comprises a second pivot arm extending laterally from the first pivot arm and rotatable about the axis in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions to retain the work products against the first pivot arm as the work products move from the receiving station to the first and second processing stations. In any of the embodiments described herein, wherein the second pivot arm moves the work product from the first and second processing stations to the discharge station as the first pivot arm moves the work products from the receiving station to the first and second processing stations. In any of the em