Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7003999?dq=7,446,777
Timestamp: 2015-07-02 23:12:13
Document Index: 607038020

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 13', 'arts 11', 'arts 13', 'arts 11', 'arts 11', 'arts 11', 'arts 11', 'arts 11', 'arts 11', 'arts 13', 'arts 11']

Patent US7003999 - Deformation on thin walled bodies - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA thin walled body such as a container (1) is gripped at a holding station and tooling (10) is engaged to deform the wall of the body at a predetermined zone. The predetermined wall zone is co-aligned with the tooling (10) by means of coordinated movement of the tooling (10) (typically by means of rotation...http://www.google.com/patents/US7003999?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7003999 - Deformation on thin walled bodiesAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7003999 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/182,643PCT numberPCT/GB2001/000526Publication dateFeb 28, 2006Filing dateFeb 9, 2001Priority dateFeb 10, 2000Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE60104272D1, DE60104272T2, DE60121480D1, DE60121480T2, DE60126351D1, DE60126351T2, EP1216112A1, EP1216112B1, US7004000, US7024912, US7395685, US7398665, US8245556, US8627698, US20030074946, US20050000260, US20050056065, US20060156777, US20070214858, US20080202182, US20100011828, US20110023567, US20120297847, WO2001058618A1Publication number10182643, 182643, PCT/2001/526, PCT/GB/1/000526, PCT/GB/1/00526, PCT/GB/2001/000526, PCT/GB/2001/00526, PCT/GB1/000526, PCT/GB1/00526, PCT/GB1000526, PCT/GB100526, PCT/GB2001/000526, PCT/GB2001/00526, PCT/GB2001000526, PCT/GB200100526, US 7003999 B2, US 7003999B2, US-B2-7003999, US7003999 B2, US7003999B2InventorsSantiago Garcia Campo, Juan Saiz GoiriaOriginal AssigneeEnvases (Uk) LimitedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (30), Referenced by (15), Classifications (29), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetDeformation on thin walled bodies
US 7003999 B2Abstract
A thin walled body such as a container (1) is gripped at a holding station and tooling (10) is engaged to deform the wall of the body at a predetermined zone. The predetermined wall zone is co-aligned with the tooling (10) by means of coordinated movement of the tooling (10) (typically by means of rotation about a tooling axis) prior to engagement with the wall zone.
1. A method of deforming a thin walled body, the method comprising:
a) providing an apparatus including
i) a holding station for holding the body gripped securely,
ii) a tooling station including tooling to deform the body at a predetermined wall zone on a wall of the body, and
iii) means for co-ordinated movement of the tooling to reconfigure the tooling to co-align with the predetermined wall;
b) holding the body gripped securely at the holding station;
c) engaging the tooling to deform the wall of the body at the predetermined wall zone, the tooling being provided at the tooling station which is adjacent the holding station during deformation; and
d) operating the means for co-ordinated movement of the tooling such that the predetermined wall zone is co-aligned with the tooling prior to deformation, wherein the position of one or more pre-positioned marks on a surface of the body is compared with a datum situation and the tooling is reoriented with an appropriate adjustment made to the tooling to conform to the datum situation.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein co-alignment of the tooling with the predetermined wall zone is achieved by means of rotation of the tooling about a tooling rotation axis.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the thin walled body comprises a cylindrical thin walled body, the predetermined wall zone comprising a predetermined wall zone on the circumference of the body.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein co-alignment of the tooling with the body is achieved substantially entirely by co-ordinated movement of the tooling, the body remaining securely gripped and in a fixed orientation.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the deforming tooling does not act to retain or secure the body during the deforming process.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling is moved in a direction transverse to the centreline of axis of the body in order to engage with and effect deformation of the predetermined wall zone.
7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling is advanced in the axial direction of the cylindrical body, to a position in which a tooling part lies adjacent the circumferential wall of the cylindrical body.
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling comprises an internal tooling part configured to be positioned internally of the body, and an external tooling part arranged to be positioned externally of the body.
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the wall zone is clamped between the internal and external tooling parts to deform the wall zone, the internal tooling expanding from a collapsed insertion/retraction position.
10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the internal and external tooling parts are movable independently in a direction transverse to the body wall.
11. A method according to claim 8, wherein wall deforming force is applied to the internal and external tooling parts at force application zones spaced in an axial direction of the body on opposed sides of the zone of the wall to be deformed.
12. A method according to claim 8, wherein the internal and external tooling parts are supported at proximal zones relative to the tooling station, the distal ends of the respective tooling parts carrying the deforming elements, the deforming force being applied intermediate the distal and proximal ends of the respective tooling parts.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the deforming tooling does not effect deformation by rolling engagement with the wall.
14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling carries a predetermined relief or contoured profile for imparting a predetermined profiled deformation to the wall zone.
15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling comprises an internal tooling part, configured to be positioned internally of the body, and an external tooling part arranged to be positioned externally of the body, the tooling parts being correspondingly matingly profiled to ensure the desired deformation configuration pattern is produced in the wall zone.
16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the tooling is guided to move translationally into and out of register with the wall of the body to effect deformation of the wall zone.
17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling includes a support substrate or surface curved correspondingly to lie contiguous with the body wall when the relief profile of the tooling is effecting deformation.
18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the position of one or more pre-positioned marks on a surface of the body is determined whilst the body is secured in the holding station, the tooling being reorientated at the tooling station.
19. A method according to claim 18, wherein an optical alignment system is utilised to determine the position of the one or more re-positioned marks on the surface of the body.
20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the optical alignment system comprises panoramic recognition arrangement.
21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling is re-orientatable rotationally, the tooling being rotatable in both clockwise and anticlockwise rotational senses.
22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the position of one or more predisposed marks on the surface of the body is determined whilst the body is secured in the holding station, the position of the pre-positioned marks is compared with a datum situation and an appropriate rotational adjustment made to the tooling to conform to the datum situation, a determination is made concerning whether clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation to the datum is a shortest route, and rotation of the tooling in the shortest route sense is effected.
23. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tooling station comprises one station in a multi-station forming process, and other stations are adapted for performing one or more of necking, drawing, ironing, extruding, varnishing, surface printing, drawing in, and/or cutting to length of a cylindrical body.
24. A method according to claim 1, wherein the body, securely held in the holding station, is transferred between a plurality of forming stations arranged to deform the body wall to different deformed configurations.
25. Apparatus for deforming a thin walled body, the apparatus including:
a) a holding station for holding the body gripped securely;
b) a tooling station including tooling to deform the body at a predetermined wall zone on a wall of the body, the tooling station being positioned at a location adjacent the holding station during deformation; and
c) means for co-ordinated movement to reconfigure the tooling to co-align with the predetermined wall zone prior to deformation; and
d) determination means for determining the orientation of the body relative to a reference situation, wherein the determination means includes means for comparing the position of one or more predisposed marks with a datum reference situation and an appropriate adjustment is made to the orientation of the tooling to conform to the datum situation.
26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the holding station is arranged to at least one of:
i) grip the body so as to prevent rotation of the body whilst held at the holding station, and
ii) grip a cylindrical thin walled body, and
iii) maintain the secure grip on the body during deforming engagement of the tooling.
27. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the tooling is rotatable about a tooling rotational axis to be reconfigured into co-alignment with the predetermined wall zone.
28. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the determination means determines the position of one or more predisposed marks on the body.
29. Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the determination means determines whether clockwise or anticlockwise rotation of the tooling is a shortest route to the datum situation.
30. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the tooling station is provided in a multi-stage forming apparatus.
31. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein a multi-position tooling station is provided, including a plurality of different tooling stations for performing different operations on the body.
32. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein at least one of:
i) the apparatus is indexed to deliver up a succession of cylindrical bodies to respective tooling stations, and
ii) the apparatus is operated to configure the tooling and holding stations in an advanced orientation for the deforming operation and a retracted orientation before and after deforming.
33. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the thin walled body comprises a cylindrical thin walled body, the predetermined wall zone comprising a predetermined wall zone on the circumference of the body.
This application is a 35 USC 371 of PCT/GB01/00526 filed Feb. 9, 2001.
i) holding the body gripped securely at a holding station; ii) engaging tooling to deform the wall of the body at a predetermined wall zone, the tooling being provided at a tooling station which is adjacent the holding station during deformation; wherein the predetermined wall zone is co-aligned with the tooling by means of coordinated movement of the tooling prior to deforming engagement with the wall of the body. According to a further aspect, the invention provides apparatus for deforming a thin walled body, the apparatus including:
FIGS. 12, 12 a to 16,16 a correspond to the views of FIGS. 11 and 11 a; and
The embossing tooling 10 also includes a respective outer tool arrangement including respective arms 13 carrying tooling parts 13 a, 13 b having complementary male embossing formations 14. In moving to the table 7 advanced position the respective internal tool parts 11 a, 11 b are positioned internally of the container spaced adjacently the container 1 wall; the respective external tool parts 13 a,13 b are positioned externally of the container spaced adjacently the container 1 wall.
The internal mandrel 15 is expandible to move the tooling parts 11 a, 11 b to a relatively spaced apart position in which they abut the internal wall of the container 1 (see FIG. 12) from the collapsed position shown in FIG. 11 (tools 11 a, 11 b spaced from the internal wall of the container 1). An elongate actuator rod 16 is movable in a longitudinal direction to effect expansion and contraction of the mandrel 15 and consequent movement apart and toward one another of the tool parts 11 a,11 b. A the cam head portion 17 of the actuator rod 16 effects expansion of the mandrel 15 as the actuator rod 16 moves in the direction of arrow A. The cam head portion 17 acts against sloping wedge surfaces 65 of the tool parts 11 a, 11 b to cause expansion (moving apart) of the tool parts 11 a, 11 b. The resilience of arms 11 biases the mandrel 15 to the closed position as the rod 16 moves in the direction of arrow B.
An important feature is that the internal tooling parts 11 a support the non deforming parts of the container wall during deformation to form the embossed pattern 50. At this stage in the procedure, the situation is as shown in FIGS. 13, 13 a. The configuration and arrangement of the cam arms 20, cam shoulders 13 c of the external embossing tooling and the sloping (or wedge) cam surface of internal tooling parts 11 a (cooperating with the cam head 17 of rod 16) provide that the embossing force characteristics of the arrangement can be controlled to ensure even embossing over the entire area of the embossed pattern 50. The external cam force action on the outer tool parts 13 a is rearward of the embossing formations 14; the internal cam force action on the inner tool parts 11 a is forward of the embossing formations 12. The forces balance out to provide a final embossed pattern of consistent depth formations over the entire zone of the embossed pattern 50.
Referring to FIG. 17, the technique is particularly switched to forming aesthetically pleasing embossed formations 50 of a greater height/depth dimension(d) (typically in the range 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm) than has been possible with prior art techniques. Additionally, this is possible with containers of greater wall thickness(t) than have been successfully embossed in the past. Prior art techniques have been successful in embossing aluminium material containers of wall thickness 0.075 mm to 0.15 mm. The present technique is capable of embossing aluminium containers of wall thickness above 0.15 mm, for example even in the range 0.25 mm to 0.8 mm. The technique is therefore capable of producing embossed containers for pressurised aerosol dispensed consumer products which has not been possible with prior art techniques. Embossed monobloc seamless aluminium material containers are particularly preferred for such pressurised aerosol dispensed products (typically having a delicate internal anti-corrosive coating or layer protecting the container material from the consumer product). The present invention enables such containers to be embossed (particularly registered embossed).
As an alternative to the technique described above in which the embossing tooling is rotated to conform to the datum situation, immediately prior to the container being placed in the chuck 4 and secured, the position of the container may be optically viewed to determine its orientation relative to the datum situation. If the orientation of the container 1 differs from the desired datum pre-set situation programmed into the system, then the container is rotated automatically about its longitudinal axis to bring the container 1 into the pre-set datum position. With the container in the required datum position, the container is inserted automatically into the clamp 4 of the holding station, and clamped securely. In this way the relative circumferential position of the printed design on the container wall, and the position of the tooling is co-ordinated. There is, thereafter, no requirement to adjust the relative position of the container and tooling. This technique is however less preferred than the technique primarily described herein in which the embossing tooling 10 is re-orientated.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS2966872Nov 2, 1953Jan 3, 1961Ryerson & Haynes IncForming shaped hollow metal articles and equipment thereforUS3247548May 28, 1962Apr 26, 1966Roehr Metals & Plastics CompanApparatus for making a molded articleUS3628451May 23, 1969Dec 21, 1971Reynolds Metals CoApparatus for and method of shaping workpiecesUS3687098Mar 19, 1971Aug 29, 1972Coors Porcelain CoContainer necking mechanism and methodUS3688537May 26, 1970Sep 5, 1972Le I Tochnoi Mekhanoki I OptikProcess for forming on surface of articles relief featuring projections and recesses of uniform height shape and disposition smoothly changing from one into the other, and devices for accomplishing sameUS3967488Feb 18, 1975Jul 6, 1976The Stolle CorporationNeckerflanger for metal cansUS4070888Feb 28, 1977Jan 31, 1978Coors Container CompanyApparatus and methods for simultaneously necking and flanging a can body memberUS4120190Feb 14, 1977Oct 17, 1978Marvin Glass & AssociatesCraft device for decoratively deforming metal cans and the likeUS4341103 *Sep 4, 1980Jul 27, 1982Ball CorporationSpin-necker flanger for beverage containersUS4487048May 3, 1982Dec 11, 1984Cantec Inc.Method and apparatus for beading the bodies of sheet metal cansUS4625541Oct 28, 1985Dec 2, 1986Lloyd JonesApparatus for patterning a cylindrical surfaceUS4723430Feb 18, 1986Feb 9, 1988Adolph Coors CompanyApparatus and method for forming a surface configuration on a can bodyUS5341667May 1, 1992Aug 30, 1994Reynolds Metals CompanyContainer bottom wall reforming apparatus and methodUS5467628 *Jan 31, 1994Nov 21, 1995Belvac Production Machinery, Inc.Can bottom reprofilerUS5727414Jun 7, 1995Mar 17, 1998American National Can CompanyMethod for reshaping a containerUS5761942Jul 19, 1996Jun 9, 1998Aluminum Company Of AmericaApparatus and method for the embossing of containersUS5799525Jul 19, 1996Sep 1, 1998Aluminum Company Of AmericaTooling and method for the embossing of a container and the resulting containerUS5893286Jul 19, 1996Apr 13, 1999Aluminum Company Of AmericaApparatus and method for the registered embossing of containersUS5916317Jan 4, 1996Jun 29, 1999Ball CorporationMetal container body shaping/embossingUS5941109Aug 22, 1997Aug 24, 1999Aluminum Company Of AmericaMethod and apparatus for the registration of containersUS6009733Nov 27, 1996Jan 4, 2000Crown Cork & Seal Technologies CorporationMethod of orienting cansUS6279445 *Nov 1, 1999Aug 28, 2001Wilson Tool International, Inc.Multi-tool alignment apparatusUS6338263Jun 22, 2000Jan 15, 2002Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.Method for manufacturing embossed can body, inspecting apparatus used for manufacturing embossed can body, and inspecting method used thereforEP1214991A2Dec 12, 2001Jun 19, 2002FRATTINI S.p.A.-COSTRUZIONI MECCANICHEDevice for straining extruded or drawn bodiesEP1214994A1Dec 12, 2001Jun 19, 2002FRATTINI S.p.A.-COSTRUZIONI MECCANICHEA process for the realization of at least an impression on the surface of a metal containerGB778545A Title not availableGB1384184A Title not availableGB1408091A Title not availableWO1997021505A1Nov 27, 1996Jun 19, 1997Carnaudmetalbox Holdings UsaMethod of orienting cansWO1998003280A1Jul 17, 1997Jan 29, 1998Aluminum Co Of AmericaApparatus and method for the registered embossing of containers* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7395685May 15, 2007Jul 8, 2008Envases (Uk) LimitedDeformation of thin walled bodiesUS7398665Dec 21, 2005Jul 15, 2008Envases (Uk) LimitedDeformation of thin walled bodiesUS7568369Mar 7, 2007Aug 4, 2009Ball CorporationMold construction for a process and apparatus for manufacturing shaped containersUS7726165May 16, 2006Jun 1, 2010Alcoa Inc.Manufacturing process to produce a necked containerUS7909226 *Sep 8, 2005Mar 22, 2011Thyssenkrupp Steel AgDevice for producing a longitudinally welded hollow profile using a holding-down deviceUS7934410Jun 26, 2006May 3, 2011Alcoa Inc.Expanding die and method of shaping containersUS7954354Jun 26, 2007Jun 7, 2011Alcoa Inc.Method of manufacturing containersUS8245556Oct 8, 2010Aug 21, 2012Envases (Uk) LimitedDeformation of thin walled bodiesUS8322183Apr 26, 2010Dec 4, 2012Alcoa Inc.Manufacturing process to produce a necked containerUS8517176Jun 30, 2009Aug 27, 2013Silgan Containers LlcStackable containerUS8555692Mar 22, 2011Oct 15, 2013Alcoa Inc.Expanding die and method of shaping containersUS8627698Aug 8, 2012Jan 14, 2014Envases (Uk) LimitedDeformation of thin walled bodiesUS8701887Aug 11, 2008Apr 22, 2014Silgan Containers LlcStackable containerUS8903528 *Oct 12, 2009Dec 2, 2014The Coca-Cola CompanyRemote control and management of a vessel forming production lineUS20100100213 *Oct 12, 2009Apr 22, 2010The Coca-Cola CompanyRemote control and management of a vessel forming production line* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification72/94, 72/379.4, 72/414, 72/715, 72/16.2, 72/15.3, 72/15.2, 72/446, 72/421International ClassificationB65D1/16, B21D17/02, B21D11/10, B44B5/00, B21D51/26Cooperative ClassificationY10S72/715, B21D51/2692, B21D15/06, B44B5/0004, B65D1/165, B21D51/2646, B21D17/02, B21D51/26European ClassificationB21D15/06, B21D17/02, B21D51/26C, B65D1/16B, B21D51/26, B21D51/26T, B44B5/00ALegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionFeb 19, 2004ASAssignmentOwner name: ENVASES (UK) LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOMFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CAMPO, SANTIAGO GARCIA;GOIRIA, JUAN SAIZ;REEL/FRAME:014996/0840Effective date: 20031128Oct 2, 2009FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Oct 2, 2009SULPSurcharge for late paymentMar 7, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services