EP2993053A1

EP2993053A1 - A container handling machine

Info

Publication number: EP2993053A1
Application number: EP14183838.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matteo Vignali
Original assignee: Sidel SpA
Current assignee: Sidel SpA
Priority date: 2014-09-05
Filing date: 2014-09-05
Publication date: 2016-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-05
Also published as: EP2993053B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a container handling machine (1) comprising:
- at least one operative unit (19) configured to receive a container (3) filled with a consumable, in particular a pourable product, and closed by a cap (5) in turn having at least one region (17) provided with colouring pigments (18) set in a deactivated state, in which they are transparent;
- transportation means (7) for advancing the operative unit (19) along a given path (P); and
- activation means (35) selectively actuated while the operative unit (19) is advanced along said path (P) to supply an activation energy to at least a zone of the region (17) with pigments (18) of the cap (5) so as to set at least a part of such pigments (18) in an activated state, in which the pigments (18) have predetermined colours.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a machine for handling containers, such as for example plastic bottles.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a machine for labelling containers filled and closed by respective caps as well as for printing such caps in a customized way.

BACKGROUND ART

As known, many consumables, in particular liquid or powder products, including not only liquid food products, such as milk, fruit juices or beverages in general, but also mineral lubricating oils, detergents, etc, are sold in a wide range of plastic bottles or containers.
In particular, these containers are blown from respective preforms, filled with a consumable, closed with respective caps and labeled in container handling plants typically including a plurality of processing stations or machines, such as blowers, fillers, cappers and labelling machines.
These processing stations can be defined by linear machines or, more frequently, by carousel-type machines. The containers to be handled are generally fed to and removed from these machines by means of a transport system including star wheels and linear conveyors.
Known container handling plants are therefore fairly bulky and allow little freedom of choice in terms of layout; moreover, this kind of plants requires quite complicated adjustments to synchronize the different processing stations and entails relatively high operating and maintenance costs.
It is therefore a long felt need in this field to reduce the overall space occupied by the container handling plants by reducing the number of machines employed therein, which would immediately translate into a corresponding reduction of the number of conveyors for transferring the containers from a machine to another.
This need is in contrast with another need felt in this field, i.e. to increase the operations carried out on containers to improve their appearances or their attractiveness towards the consumers.
For instance, there is a general demand from the market to exploit all possible spaces or areas on the containers for inserting new patterns, messages to the consumers, indications about the consumable contained therein, etc.
It is also establishing a new trend towards customizing the containers by adding one or more distinctive elements, in particular printings or markings, such as person names, so making each container different from the others of the same type.
A possible space where to apply the distinctive elements is the cap of each container; this would therefore require to add new machines and conveyors in the container handling plants, so increasing their complexity and bulk.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to find a simple and cost-effective solution to meet the above-mentioned needs.
This object is achieved by a container handling machine as claimed in claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment is hereinafter disclosed for a better understanding of the present invention, by mere way of non-limitative example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of a container handling machine according to the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a larger-scale, perspective view of a portion of Figure 1 machine, with parts removed for clarity;
Figure 3 shows a larger-scale, section along line III-III in Figure 2;
Figure 4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Figure 3; and
Figure 5 shows a larger-scale, exploded perspective view of some components of the Figure 1 machine.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to Figure 1, numeral 1 indicates as a whole a handling machine suitable for applying labels 2 on filled and closed containers, in particular plastic bottles 3, and for printing given patterns 4 (see Figure 5) on respective removable caps 5 closing the bottles 3 themselves.
In practice, machine 1 is suitable for performing both a labelling operation on a lateral surface 3a of each bottle 3 and a printing operation on the cap 5 thereof.
Machine 1 comprises a support structure 6 (only partially visible in Figure 1) and a carousel 7 mounted on support structure 6 in a rotatable manner about a vertical central axis A.
In particular, carousel 7 is continuously moved about axis A.
Carousel 7 receives a sequence of bottles 3 to be labelled and printed by an inlet star wheel 8, which cooperates with carousel 7 at a first transfer station 9 and is mounted to rotate about a longitudinal axis B parallel to axis A.
Carousel 7 also receives a sequence of rectangular or square labels 2 from a labelling unit 10 (known per se and only diagrammatically shown), which cooperates with carousel 7 at a second transfer station 11.
Carousel 7 releases a sequence of labelled and printed bottles 3 to an outlet star wheel 12, which cooperates with carousel 7 at a third transfer station 13 and is mounted to rotate about a longitudinal axis C parallel to axes A and B.
As may be seen in detail in Figures 2 and 3, each bottle 3 has a longitudinal axis D, is delimited at the bottom by a base 15 and has a top neck 16 closed by removable cap 5.
Cap 5 of each bottle 3 advantageously has at least one region 17 including a plurality of colouring pigments 18 (schematically represented in Figure 5), normally set in a deactivated state, in which they are transparent. Colouring pigments 18 are mixed with plastic material constituting cap 5.
In the example shown, colouring pigments 18 are present in a disk-shaped region 17 of cap 5.
As a possible alternative not shown, colouring pigments 18 may be also included in the entire cap 5.
As it will be explained later on in greater details, colouring pigments 18 can be set in an activated state, in which they have predetermined colours so as to define a predetermined pattern 4 on the cap 5 itself.
Bottles 3 are fed to carousel 7 in a condition in which they have been filled with a consumable, in particular a pourable product, such as a liquid food product, and closed, at their top necks 16, with respective caps 5 having the colouring pigments 18 in the deactivated state.
Each bottle 3 reaches carousel 7 in a vertical position, i.e. with its base 15 arranged on the bottom with respect to neck 16 and to cap 5 and with axis D parallel to axes A, B and C.
Carousel 7 comprises a plurality of operative units 19, which are uniformly distributed about axis A and are mounted at a peripheral portion of carousel 7.
Operative units 19 are displaced by carousel 7 along a circular processing path P which extends about axis A and through transfer stations 9, 11 and 13. In particular, by considering path P (Figure 1), transfer station 9, in which bottles 3 are fed to carousel 7, is arranged upstream of transfer station 11 for feeding labels 2, and this latter station is clearly arranged upstream of transfer station 13, in which labelled and printed bottles 3 are fed to outlet star wheel 12.
As may be seen in Figure 2, operative units 19 are fixed to a horizontal rotating table 20 of carousel 7, have respective axes E parallel to axes A, B, C and orthogonal to path P, and extend coaxially through respective through-holes 21 of rotating table 20 and on both sides thereof.
Each operative unit 19 is adapted to receive a relative bottle 3 in a vertical position, i.e. having its axis D coaxial to relative axis E with neck 16 and cap 5 placed above base 15, and to retain this bottle 3 in the above said position along path P from transfer station 9 to transfer station 13.
Since operative units 19 are identical to one another, only one will be disclosed in detail hereinafter for clarity and simplicity; it is evident that the features that will be explained and disclosed are common to all operative units 19.
In particular, operative unit 19 comprises, above rotating table 20, a resting plate 22 adapted to define a horizontal support for base 15 of a relative bottle 3. In greater detail, resting plate 22 extends orthogonally to axis E and has, on top, a horizontal resting surface 23 for supporting base 15 of a relative bottle 3.
As shown in Figure 2, resting plate 22 is provided with an upper central recess 24 for receiving base 15 of a relative bottle 3 as well as for centering such bottle 3 with respect to the relative axis E, i.e. with its axis D coaxial to the axis E.
Resting plate 22 is also fixed to a rotating member 25 (known per se and only partly shown in Figure 2) of a relative electric motor 26, so as to be rotated about axis E when relative bottle 3 receives a label 2 from labelling unit 10.
As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, each bottle 3, when housed on the relative operative unit 19, is also locked on top by a retainer 27 cooperating with cap 5 of the bottle 3.
In particular, retainer 27 comprises a hollow head 28 defining a receiving seat 29 adapted to be engaged in use by cap 5 of the relative bottle 3.
More specifically, head 28 has an overturned cup shape with an upper disk-shaped wall 30, a bottom axial through opening 31, defining the seat 29 for receiving a relative cap 5, and a lateral wall 32, which, in the example shown, has a cylindrical configuration of axis E and which is provided with a lateral window 33, whose function will be explained hereafter.
Retainer 27 is advantageously moved along axis E between a retracted or rest position, in which its head 28 is arranged at a maximum distance from resting surface 23 of resting plate 22 along the axis E itself, and an advanced or operative position (Figures 2 and 3), in which its head 28 is closer to the resting surface 23 than in the rest position and locks the relative bottle 3 in its vertical position on resting plate 22.
Displacements of retainer 27 between the rest position and the operative position are controlled in a known manner by relative actuator means, such as a fluidic actuator 34 (only partially visible in Figure 2) or a cam system (not shown), both carried by support structure 6 of machine 1.
The actuator means for moving retainer 27 are connected to upper disk-shaped wall 30 of head 28.
Retainer 27 is set in the operative position during movement of operative unit 19 along path P from transfer station 9 to transfer station 13 and is set in the rest position from transfer station 13 to transfer station 9. More specifically, retainer 27 is moved from the rest position to the operative position, after a relative bottle 3 is received on resting plate 22, and is moved from the operative position to the rest position to release the bottle 3 at transfer station 13.
With reference to Figures 1 to 5, machine 1 further comprises pigment activation means 35 selectively actuated while operative units 19 are advanced along path P to perform a printing operation on each cap 5, i.e. to supply an activation energy to at least a zone of region 17 of each cap 5 so as to set at least a part of the relative pigments 18 in an activated state, in which such pigments 18 have predetermined colours.
Pigment activation means 35 preferably comprise:

at least one emitter 36 arranged in a fixed position on one side of path P and adapted to generate electromagnetic radiations, in particular laser radiations, defining the above-mentioned activation energy; and
radiation conveying means 37 carried by each operative unit 19 and adapted to direct the electromagnetic radiations received by emitter 36 towards the predetermined zone of region 17 of the relative cap 5.

In particular, in the example shown, emitter 36 comprises a laser generation head 38 arranged between stations 11 and 13 with respect to path P, i.e. after supply of labels 2 to carousel 7 and before release of bottles 3 to outlet star wheel 12.
As a possible alternative not shown, emitter 36 may be arranged along path P from station 9 to station 13; this means that activation of pigments 18 of each cap 3, i.e. the printing operation, may be performed before, during or after the labelling operation of the relative bottle 3.
Laser generation head 38 is actuated each time as an operative unit 19 passes by emitter 36.
As visible in Figure 5, laser generation head 38 comprises a matrix of laser diodes 39 singularly actuated as a function of the desired pattern 4 to print on each cap 3.
With particular reference to Figures 3 to 5, radiation conveying means 37 are advantageously housed within head 28 of retainer 27 of each operative unit 19.
Radiation conveying means 37 comprise:

a mirror 40 facing both window 33 and the relative cap 5 and adapted to reflect the radiations received from emitter 31 towards the cap 5 itself; and
a lens 41 arranged between mirror 40 and opening 31 and adapted to focus the radiations received from the mirror 40 itself to the predetermined zone of region 17 of the cap 5.

Window 33 is conveniently sealed by a material, such as a glass 42, transparent to laser radiations at the required wavelenght.
As visible in the enclosed Figures, the radiations are emitted by emitter 36 in a direction F orthogonal to path P and to the axis E of the operative unit 19 facing the emitter 36 itself; mirror 40 of each operative unit 19 is advantageously inclined with respect to the relative axis E as well as to direction F.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, mirror 40 has an inclination of 45° with respect to the relative axis E as well as to direction F.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention (see Figures 4 and 5), mirror 40 has a concave curved surface 43 to compensate the angular movement of each bottle 3 along circular path P with respect to fixed emitter 36.
Lens 41 is delimited by a plane surface 44 facing mirror 40 and a convex surface 45 facing the relative cap 5 so as to focus the radiations received from mirror 40 on the predetermined zone of region 17 of the cap 5 itself.
With reference to Figures 2 to 4, head 28 of each operative unit 19 further comprises a lateral exhaust outlet 46 adapted to be connected to a suction device (known per se and not shown) for sucking possible exhaust fumes produced during activation of pigments 18 of the relative cap 5 by the laser radiations.
In use, after being filled with a consumable, in the example shown a pourable product, and closed with a respective cap 5 provided with pigments 18 in the transparent deactivated state, bottles 3 sequentially reach the different operative units 19 of machine 1.
In particular, at transfer station 9, inlet star wheel 8 feeds bottles 3 to machine 1 in vertical positions, i.e. with axes D parallel to central axis A and coaxial to axes E of respective operating units 19.
In particular, each bottle 3 is arranged resting on plate 22 of a relative operating unit 19, centered within recess 24 and locked on top by head 28 of the relative retainer 27.
At transfer station 11, each operative unit 19 receives, from labelling unit 10, a relative label 2 provided with adhesive or glue on one of its sides.
In order to obtain winding of each label 2 on lateral surface 3a of a corresponding bottle 3, i.e. in order to perform a labelling operation on the bottle 3 itself, electric motor 26 of the relative operative unit 19 is actuated to impart an angular movement about relative axis E to relative rotating member 25; in this way, resting plate 22 of the same operative unit 19 is also rotated about axis E so as to transmit a corresponding rotation to bottle 3 borne thereby.
The application of each label 2 on the relative bottle 3 is completed along an arc of path P following transfer station 11.
After completion of the labelling operation, each operative unit 19 passes by emitter 36, which generates a beam of laser radiations along direction F; these radiations enter head 28 of relative retainer 27 through glass 42 of window 33, are reflected by relative mirror 40 towards lens 41 and are then focused by the latter on the relative cap 5.
During this step, only the diodes 39 corresponding to the desired pattern 4 to be impressed on the relative cap 5 are activated (see the white ones in Figure 5). Each diode 39 acts on one or more predetermined pigments 18 of the cap 5 to be printed so as to activate them (see the blackcoloured pigments 18 in Figure 5).
As already mentioned previously, the printing operation on each cap 3 may be also performed before or during the labelling operation on the same bottle 3.
After completion of both labelling and printing operations, bottles 3 are released to outlet wheel 12 at transfer station 13.
The advantages of machine 1 according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description.
In particular, the described solution allows to feed machine 1 with the same type of neutral caps 5, i.e. with caps 5 having the same appearance and the same number of pigments 18 in the deactivated state, and to print such caps with individually predetermined patterns 4, even different from each other; as a matter of fact, the transparent pigments 18 present in each cap 5 can get predetermined colors as a result of singular activations of given diodes 39 in the laser generator head 38. In practice, the claimed solution allows to customize the patterns 4 printed on each cap 5 during operation of machine 1, without stopping the machine 1 itself or changing the types of caps 5 applied on bottles 3.
In addition, machine 1 is configured to perform both the labelling operation of bottles 3 and the printing operation on the caps 3 closing the bottles 3 themselves. This is obtained without modifying the path normally performed by operative units 19 on a typical labelling machine and without any intervention on the sequence of the operations traditionally performed to apply labels 2 on bottles 3.
Furthermore, the adoption of machine 1 within a normal processing plant of bottles 3 allows to obtain, the same operations being performed, a reduction both of the number of machines employed and of the number of conveyors for transferring the above said bottles 3 from a machine to another. This also translates into a significant reduction of the overall space occupied by the resulting processing plant with respect to what expected by using known solutions.
Clearly, changes may be made to machine 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope as defined in the accompanying claims.
In particular, pigment activation means 35 may be also arranged on carousel 7 in front of each operative unit 19 or directly within each retainer 27.
Furthermore, pigment activation means 35 may be defined by a heat generator housed within each retainer 27.

Claims

A container handling machine (1) characterized by comprising:
- at least one operative unit (19) configured to receive a container (3) filled with a consumable, in particular a pourable product, and closed by a cap (5) in turn having at least one region (17) provided with colouring pigments (18) set in a deactivated state, in which they are transparent;

- transportation means (7) for advancing said operative unit (19) along a given path (P); and

- activation means (35) selectively actuated while said operative unit (19) is advanced along said path (P) to supply an activation energy to at least a zone of said region (17) of said cap (5) so as to set at least a part of said pigments (18) in an activated state, in which said pigments (18) have predetermined colours.
The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activation means (35) comprise at least one emitter (36) for generating electromagnetic radiations defining said activation energy.
The machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said activation means (35) comprise at least one emitter (36) for generating laser radiations defining said activation energy.
The machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said emitter (36) comprises a matrix of laser diodes (39) singularly actuated as a function of the desired pattern (4) to print on said cap (5).
The machine as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said emitter (36) is arranged in a fixed position on one side of said path (P) and is actuated as the operative unit (19) passes by said emitter (36), and wherein said operative unit (19) further comprises radiation conveying means (37) for receiving the radiations generated by said emitter (36) and for directing said radiations towards said zone of said region (17) of said cap (5).
The machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said operative unit (19) comprises at least a resting plate (22), configured to support a base (15) of said container (3) opposite said cap (5), and a retainer (27), configured to cooperate with said cap (5) to lock said container (5) on said resting plate (22) in a vertical position, in which said container (3) is coaxial to an axis (E) of said operative unit (19) transversal to said path (P) and to said resting plate (22); and wherein said radiation conveying means (37) are carried by said retainer (27).
The machine as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said radiation conveying means (37) comprise a mirror (40) facing in use said cap to be printed as well as said emitter (36) when said operative unit (19) passes by the emitter (36) itself.
The machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said radiations are emitted by said emitter (36) along a direction (F) transversal to said path (P) and to said axis (E) of said operative unit (19); and wherein said mirror (40) is inclined with respect to both said axis (E) of said operative unit (19) and said direction (F).
The machine as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said radiation conveying means (37) comprise a lens (41) arranged between said mirror (40) and the cap (5) to be printed and adapted to focus in use the radiations received from the mirror (40) itself to said region (17) of said cap (5).
The machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein said retainer (27) comprises a hollow retaining head (28) having an axial open end (31) coaxially engaged in use by said cap (5), and a lateral window (33) for receiving said radiations from said emitter (36); and wherein said retaining head (28) houses said both said mirror (40) and said lens (41).
The machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein said window (33) is sealed by a material (42) transparent to said radiations.
The machine as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said lens (41) is delimited by a convex surface (45) facing said axial open end (31) of said retaining head (28), coaxially engaged in use by said cap (5).
The machine as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein said path (P) has a circular configuration around a machine axis (A), and wherein said mirror (40) has a concave surface (43) for receiving said radiations emitted by said emitter (36).
The machine as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, comprising a plurality of said operative units (19) advanced by said transportation means (7) along said path (P).
The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activation means (35) comprise heat generator means.
A retainer (27) for retaining a container cap (5) in a container handling machine (1) as defined in any one of the foregoing claims, comprising:
- a hollow head (28) having an axial open end (31) for engaging said cap (5);

- a lateral window (33) for receiving in use radiations from an emitter (36) to activate colouring pigments (18) included in said cap (5);

- a mirror (40) interposed between said axial open end (31) and said lateral window (33) for reflecting in use the radiations entering said lateral window (33) towards said axial open end (31); and

- a lens (41) interposed between said axial open end (31) and said mirror (40), for focusing in use radiations reflected by said mirror (40) onto the container cap (5) engaged by said axial open end (31).