Apparatus and Methods of Capping Metallic Bottles

Abstract

An apparatus and methods of sealing a metallic container are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to capping apparatus and methods that reduce the amount of force applied to a metallic bottle to seal the metallic bottle with a ROPP closure. The capping apparatus may include more thread rollers than known capping apparatus. Optionally, the thread rollers may use more forming passes to form threads on the ROPP closure. The capping apparatus may also rotate one or more of the ROPP closure and the metallic container in a closing direction before the metallic container is discharged. In one embodiment, the thread rollers form the closure threads before or after a pilfer roller applies a sideload to the ROPP closure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A capping apparatus to seal a bottle having a threaded neck with a ROPP closure, comprising:
 a pressure block ejector that applies a predetermined first topload to a top portion of the ROPP closure to at least partially press a liner within the ROPP closure against a curl positioned on an upper portion of the threaded neck of the bottle;   a pressure block that applies a predetermined second topload the top portion of the ROPP closure to form a channel with a predetermined depth in an outer radial edge of the ROPP closure;   at least one thread roller configured to apply a predetermined first sideload to an exterior surface of a body portion of the ROPP closure to form closure threads on the body portion, wherein the capping apparatus is configured to rotate at least one of the ROPP closure and the bottle around a longitudinal axis of the bottle to drive the curl further into the liner after the closure threads are at least partially formed; and   at least one pilfer roller configured to apply a predetermined second sideload to a pilfer band of the ROPP closure, wherein the bottle is sealed by the ROPP closure.   
     
     
         2 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure block is configured to apply and release the second topload to the top portion of the ROPP closure before the at least one thread roller applies the first sideload. 
     
     
         3 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thread roller is configured to apply the first sideload while the pressure block ejector applies the first topload to seal the bottle with the ROPP closure. 
     
     
         4 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second sideload is applied to the ROPP closure at a different time than the first sideload. 
     
     
         5 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the pressure block ejector and the pressure block are configured to rotate the ROPP closure axially in a closing direction after the closure threads are at least partially formed. 
     
     
         6 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a tool configured to rotate the bottle in a closing direction around the longitudinal axis of the bottle. 
     
     
         7 . The capping apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the tool comprises at least one of a chuck positioned proximate to a closed end portion of the bottle and a holder that engages a body portion of the bottle. 
     
     
         8 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thread roller forms the closure threads in three or more passes. 
     
     
         9 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottle is formed of one of aluminum, plastic, and glass. 
     
     
         10 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first topload applied to the ROPP closure by the pressure block ejector is not greater than about 200 pounds. 
     
     
         11 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first sideload applied to the ROPP closure by each of the at least one thread rollers is not greater than about 30 pounds and the second sideload applied to the ROPP closure by each of the at least one pilfer rollers is not greater than about 35 pounds. 
     
     
         12 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a cumulative load including the first topload and one of the first sideload and the second sideload is not greater than about 320 pounds. 
     
     
         13 . The capping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the channel formed by the pressure block has a depth of less than about 0.1 inches. 
     
     
         14 . A method of interconnecting and sealing a ROPP closure to a threaded neck of a bottle, comprising:
 positioning the ROPP closure on the threaded neck of the bottle;   applying a first topload to an upper portion of the ROPP closure with a pressure block ejector of a capping apparatus, the first topload at least partially compressing a liner within the ROPP closure against a curl positioned on an upper portion of the threaded neck of the bottle to seal an opening of the bottle;   applying a first sideload with at least one thread roller of the capping apparatus to an exterior surface of a body portion of the ROPP closure, the first sideload forming closure threads on the body portion while the pressure block ejector continues to apply the first topload to maintain the seal;   after forming the closure threads, rotating at least one of the bottle and the ROPP closure such that a distance between an exterior surface of the closure upper portion and the curl is decreased; and   applying a second sideload with at least one pilfer roller of the capping apparatus to a pilfer band of the ROPP closure while the pressure block ejector continues to apply the first topload, wherein the bottle is sealed by the ROPP closure.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first sideload and the second sideload are applied sequentially. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first sideload is applied by the at least one thread roller during three or more contacts with the ROPP body portion and the second sideload is applied by the at least one pilfer roller during three or more different contacts with the pilfer band. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 applying a second topload by a pressure block of the capping apparatus to form a channel in an outer radial edge of the ROPP closure, the second topload being greater than the first topload.   
     
     
         18 . A method of sealing an open end of a threaded bottle with a closure, comprising:
 positioning the closure on a threaded neck of the threaded bottle;   applying a first topload to an exterior surface of a top portion of the closure to seal the threaded bottle;   while the first topload is applied to the closure, forming threads on the closure; and   after forming the threads on the closure, rotating at least one of the closure and the threaded bottle around a longitudinal axis of the threaded bottle such that an uppermost portion of the open end of the threaded bottle is moved closer to the exterior surface of the top portion of the closure.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising, before forming the threads on the closure, applying a second topload to a portion of the closure to form a channel in an outer radial edge of the closure, wherein the second topload is greater than the first topload. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising, after rotating at least one of the closure and the threaded bottle, tucking a pilfer band of the closure proximate to a skirt portion of the threaded bottle. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising, before rotating at least one of the closure and the threaded bottle, tucking a pilfer band of the closure proximate to a skirt portion of the threaded bottle.