Apparatus and method for manufacturing lids with tear-off foil

Abstract

In the area of manufacturing covers with tear-open foils, the cover blanks, or covers are always secured against an undesired take-off from the transport means during the transport and the processing. This allows a very high manufacturing cadence equally for light covers and particularly for aluminium covers.

1 . Apparatus for the manufacturing of covers with a tear-open foil, comprising
 a linear transport means for the horizontal transport along the manufacturing path, wherein the covers are secured against a take-off in vertical direction along a part of the manufacturing path by a guidance,   at least a de-stacker arranged at the beginning of the transport means, which de-stacks cover blanks from at least a stack and delivers them to said transport means,   a sequence of processing stations which is arranged along the transport means, if necessary including a turning station, and   a discharge station at the end of the transport means; wherein continuously operative securing means for the covers conveyed through the apparatus, from a cover blank to a finished cover, are provided from the de-stacker to the discharge station, which securing means always secure the cover parts against an undesired take-off from the transport means.   
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said securing means are provided by fixed securing elements and by movable securing elements, and particularly also by securing elements which act by means of vacuum. 
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein vacuum and fixed down holders are provided as securing means at the de-stacker. 
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein movable securing elements are provided as securing means within the processing stations. 
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the movable securing elements are formed by securing elements which are springingly arranged within an upper tool of said processing station or by movable securing elements which are arranged within a lower tool of said processing station. 
   
   
       6 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein movable securing elements are provided within a cutting station and/or a forming station and/or a rolling station and/or an embossing station. 
   
   
       7 . Apparatus according to  claims 1 , wherein the securing in an oiling station arranged between a cutting station and a forming station is carried out by means of fixed securing means, particularly by means of coverings with securing bridges arranged on both sides of the longitudinal transport axis. 
   
   
       8 . Apparatus according to  claims 1 , characterized in that fixed infeed segments and discharge segments are provided as securing means within said turning station. 
   
   
       9 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein fixed and movable securing elements are provided at a foil punching and pre-sealing station. 
   
   
       10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein within the area of the upper sealing tool discharge handles are provided as movable securing elements, and down holders are provided as fixed securing elements. 
   
   
       11 . Apparatus according to  claims 9 , wherein within the lower sealing tool a vacuum is provided as securing means. 
   
   
       12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the securing by vacuum is interruptible by means of a controlled air supply. 
   
   
       13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein fixed and movable securing elements are provided within a main sealing station. 
   
   
       14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein within the area of the upper sealing tool discharge handles are provided as movable securing elements, and down holders are provided as fixed securing elements. 
   
   
       15 . Apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein within the lower sealing tool a securing acting by vacuum is provided. 
   
   
       16 . Apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the holding is interruptible by means of a controlled air supply. 
   
   
       17 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an inspection station for the checking, particularly for the optical checking of the sealing joint is provided, whereby the securing means are formed by a vacuum guidance. 
   
   
       18 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a cooling and strap aligning station is provided, whereby the securing at a lower turntable is provided by holding the cover by means of vacuum. 
   
   
       19 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein within the discharge station covering plates with securing bridges above the transport plane, arranged on both sides of the longitudinal central axis of the transport means, and at least a middle runner below the transport plane are provided. 
   
   
       20 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said transport means is formed by entraining lugs which are arranged at rotating belts, bands or chains, respectively, and that the securing is formed by covering plates with securing bridges showing downwards, which are arranged on both sides of the longitudinal central axis of the transport means above the transport plane. 
   
   
       21 . Apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein entraining lugs with mutually different lug distances (a, b) forming a reception, are arranged one after the other on each side of the longitudinal central axis of the transport means. 
   
   
       22 . Apparatus for the manufacturing of covers with a tear-open foil, comprising a linear transport means for the horizontal transport along the manufacturing path, which forms receptions for the covers, particularly according to  claim 1 , wherein entraining lugs with mutually different lug distances (a, b) forming a reception, are arranged one after the other on each side of the longitudinal central axis of the transport means. 
   
   
       23 . Method for the manufacturing of covers with a tear-open foil on a linear manufacturing apparatus, on which the cover blanks and covers are de-stacked and conveyed and at the same time cut, oiled, formed, rolled and then turned, on which the tear-open foil is attached and pre-sealed, a main sealing, if necessary an inspection, a cooling, an aligning of the tear-open strap and a checking is carried out, characterized in that during these steps a securing of the cover blanks respectively covers against an undesired take-off from the transport means is carried out. 
   
   
       24 . Method according to  claim 23  with an apparatus having a linear transport means for the horizontal transport along the manufacturing path, wherein the covers are secured against a take-off in vertical direction along a part of the manufacturing path by a guidance, at least a de-stacker arranged at the beginning of the transport means, which de-stacks cover blanks from at least a stack and delivers them to said transport means, a sequence of processing stations which is arranged along the transport means, if necessary including a turning station, and a discharge station at the end of the transport means; wherein continuously operative securing means for the covers conveyed through the apparatus, from a cover blank to a finished cover, are provided from the de-stacker to the discharge station, which securing means always secure the cover parts against an undesired take-off from the transport means and wherein said securing means are provided by fixed securing elements and by movable securing elements. 
   
   
       25 . Method for the manufacturing of covers with a tear-open foil on a linear manufacturing apparatus, on which the cover blanks and covers are conveyed stepwise through a transport means, particularly according to  claim 23 , characterized in that entraining lugs with mutually different lug distances (a, b) forming a reception, are arranged one after the other on each side of the longitudinal central axis of the transport means, that cover blanks are only brought into the one type of receptions with a larger respectively a smaller distance, and that the transport means is actuated with the double step width of the transport step. 
   
   
       26 . Apparatus for the manufacturing of covers with a tear-open foil, comprising
 a linear transport means for the horizontal transport along the manufacturing path, wherein the covers are secured against a take-off in vertical direction along a part of the manufacturing path by a guidance,   at least one de-stacker arranged at the beginning of the transport means, which de-stacks cover blanks from at least a stack and delivers them to said transport means,   a sequence of processing stations which is arranged along the transport means, if necessary including a turning station, and   a discharge station at the end of the transport means;   wherein continuously operative securing means for the covers conveyed through the apparatus, from a cover blank to a finished cover, are provided from the de-stacker to the discharge station, which securing means always secure the cover parts against an undesired take-off from the transport means; and   wherein said securing means are provided by fixed securing elements and by movable securing elements, and particularly also by securing elements which act by means of vacuum, and   wherein vacuum and fixed down holders are provided as securing means at the de-stacker, and   wherein movable securing elements are provided as securing means within the processing stations, and   wherein the movable securing elements are formed by securing elements which are springingly arranged within an upper tool of said processing station or by movable securing elements which are arranged within a lower tool of said processing station, and   wherein movable securing elements are provided within a cutting station and/or a forming station and/or a rolling station and/or an embossing station, and   wherein the securing in an oiling station arranged between a cutting station and a forming station is carried out by means of fixed securing means, particularly by means of coverings with securing bridges arranged on both sides of the longitudinal transport axis, and   wherein fixed and movable securing elements are provided at a foil punching and pre-sealing station, and wherein fixed and movable securing elements are provided within a main sealing station.   
   
   
       27 . Apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein said transport means is provided by entraining lugs arranged on rotating belts and said entraining lugs are arranged one after the other on each side of the longitudinal central axis of said transport means with mutually different lug distances forming a reception for said cover blanks.