Patent Description:
Conventionally, a seaming device is known, which includes a can mounting unit that mounts a can in which a beverage or the like is filled, a chuck unit that is provided facing the can mounting unit, and a seaming roll that seams a lid to a can.

As shown in, for example, Patent Literature <NUM>, a known seaming device includes: a seaming turret (<NUM>) that performs a seaming process of seaming a can and a lid; a carrying-in conveyor (supply conveyor <NUM>) that supplies, to the seaming turret, a can before seaming; a lid conveyance turret (supply turret <NUM>) of a lid supply unit that supplies a lid; a discharge turret (discharge turret <NUM>) that carries out, from the seaming turret, a can after seaming; and a carrying-out conveyor (discharge conveyor <NUM>) that carries out from the discharge turret to outside, a can.

Each of the seaming turret, the discharge turret, and the lid conveyance turret has, on an outer peripheral part thereof, pockets (fitting concave parts <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>) that separately accommodate and convey a can and a lid.

The respective pockets of the seaming turret have a can mounting unit (lifter <NUM>) that mounts a can, a chuck unit (seaming chuck device <NUM>) that is provided facing the can mounting unit, and seaming rolls (<NUM> and <NUM>) that seam a lid to a can.

In the seaming device thus configured, the speeds and timings of the respective turrets and the respective conveyors are adjusted by gears or the like, and the operations of the can mounting units, the chuck units, and the seaming units arranged for the pecks respectively are linked to the rotation of the seaming turret by gears, a cam mechanism, or the like. Thus, a can and a lid conveyed at a high speed can be continuously seamed while being transferred.

In recent years, high-speed filling has become pervasive in facilities that fill beverages or the like, and the speeding up of seaming processing has been demanded correspondingly. Further, in cans such as beverage cans in which contents are filled, blowing a replacement gas from a gap immediately before lids are put on the opening parts of the cans to remove an oxygen gas inside the cans has been performed in order to prevent the degradation of freshness or flavor due to the oxidization of the contents. Therefore, the contents are scattered from the cans before seaming, thereby causing the attachment of stain on the lateral peripheral surfaces of seaming rolls. If the stain is left for a long period of time, a condition is not favorable from the aspect of hygiene due to the propagation of bacteria or the like. Therefore, periodical washing maintenance is necessary.

A seaming device according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is known from <CIT>.

The seaming rolls of a seaming device rotate, while revolving with a seaming turret, on axes thereof via cans and lids in cooperation with the rotation of the chucks of chuck units revolving simultaneously with the seaming rolls. Therefore, the chucks cannot rotate on the axes thereof in a case in which no cans and no lids exist. Under the present circumstances, when the seaming rolls are washed or sterilized, it is necessary to stop the operation of the seaming device and then manually rotate the seaming rolls on the axes to be washed, which take a lot of trouble with cleaning. Further, the chucks are positioned on a further inside than the seaming rolls when seen from an outside, and a cleaning person has a difficulty in cleaning the chucks. In addition, it is necessary to cause the seaming turret itself, coupled via gears, to revolve in order to cause the chucks to rotate on the axes so that whole peripheral lateral surfaces thereof are washed.

Note that in the present invention, a seaming turret is one that performs the seaming process of seaming a lid to a can, and schematically indicates one having a mounting unit that mounts a can, a chuck unit that positions a lid on a can, a movement turret having pockets that support a can barrel, a seaming unit that seams a lid to a can, a housing that contains the above members, and the like that are integrally rotated in the process.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems and has an object of providing a seaming device that can easily perform the washing operation of a chuck and/or a seaming roll, has high maintainability, and can efficiently keep the chuck and/or the seaming roll clean.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a seaming device including:.

The seaming device of the present invention performs a washing operation to cause the cleaning brush of the washing member to move toward the seaming turret with the chucks provided in the chuck units rotatable on the axes thereof while stopping the revolution of the chuck units by the seaming turret. Thus, the seaming device can facilitate the automatization of the washing operation by stopping the seaming units at a washing position while causing the same to intermittently revolve. Therefore, the seaming device can easily perform the washing operation of the chucks and/or the seaming rolls, have high maintainability, and efficiently keep the chucks and/or the seaming rolls clean.

In a configuration in which the washing member according to the present invention includes a plurality of washing members, the seaming device includes both a chuck cleaning member and a seaming roll washing member. Therefore, the seaming device can reliably keep both the chucks and the seaming rolls clean. Further, in a configuration in which the seaming device includes a plurality of washing members that wash the seaming rolls (or the chucks), washing is performed a plurality of times for a seaming roll (or a chuck). Therefore, the seaming deice can perform the washing operation of the seaming rolls (or the chucks) with high operation quality and keep the seaming rolls (or the chucks) cleaner.

In a configuration in which the washing member according to the present invention includes a chuck washing member, the seaming device can reliably rub the lateral peripheral surfaces of the chucks by causing the chucks to rotate on axes thereof. Further, in a configuration in which the washing member according to the present invention includes a seaming roll washing member, the seaming device can reliably rub the lateral peripheral surfaces of the seaming rolls by causing the seaming rolls to rotate with a driving roller. Therefore, the seaming device can easily perform the washing operation of the chucks and/or the seaming rolls with high operation quality.

In a configuration in which the washing operation according to the present invention is performed for every prescribed interval of revolution of the chuck units by the seaming turret, the seaming device can facilitate the automatization of the washing operation. Therefore, the seaming device can easily perform the washing operation of the seaming rolls, have high maintainability, and efficiently keep the seaming rolls and the chucks clean.

In a configuration in which the washing operation according to the present invention is performed for every pitch of the chucks, the seaming device can further facilitate the automatization of the washing operation. Therefore, the seaming device can further reliably and easily perform the washing operation of the seaming rolls, have high maintainability, and efficiently keep the seaming rolls and the chucks clean.

In a configuration in which the cleaning brush is caused to automatically move toward the seaming turret at a washing position at which the revolution of the chuck units is stopped and the chucks are rotatable on the axes thereof, the seaming device can facilitate the automatization of the washing operation of the seaming units. Therefore, the seaming device can easily perform the washing operation of the seaming rolls, have high maintainability, and efficiently keep the seaming rolls and the chucks clean.

As shown in <FIG>, a seaming device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a seaming turret <NUM> that performs the seaming process of a can C and a lid F; a carrying-in conveyor <NUM> that supplies a can C before seaming to the seaming turret <NUM> in a non-rotated state; a lid supply device <NUM> that supplies a lid F and includes a lid separation unit <NUM> and a lid conveyance turret <NUM>; a discharge turret <NUM> that carries out a can CM after seaming from the seaming turret <NUM>; and a carrying-out conveyor <NUM> that carries out a can CM from the discharge turret <NUM> to an outside.

Each of the seaming turret <NUM>, the discharge turret <NUM>, and the lid conveyance turret <NUM> has pockets P that separately accommodate and convey cans C and CM and a lid F on their outer peripheral parts, and the carrying-in conveyor <NUM> has attachments <NUM> that separately engage and convey a can C.

The rotation speeds of the seaming turret <NUM>, the discharge turret <NUM>, and the lid conveyance turret <NUM>, the movement speed of the attachments <NUM> of the carrying-in conveyor <NUM>, and a timing at which the respective pockets P and the attachments <NUM> are linked to each other are adjustably designed so that cans C and CM and a lid F are smoothly transferred between the respective turrets and the conveyors.

As shown in <FIG>, the seaming turret <NUM> that performs the seaming process of a can C and a lid F includes: a can mounting unit <NUM> that mounts a can C and rotates the same; a chuck unit <NUM> that is provided facing the can mounting unit <NUM> and has a chuck <NUM> that positions a lid F mounted on a can C and a knockout pad <NUM> that is fitted to be vertically movable inside the chuck <NUM> so as to press the lid F mounted on the can C; and a seaming unit <NUM> having seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> that seam a lid F to a can C in each of the pockets P.

The seaming turret <NUM> is arranged to be rotatable about the center shaft <NUM> with its central axis X extending in a vertical direction, and is rotationally driven by a driving mechanism <NUM> of the seaming turret <NUM>.

The lid separation unit <NUM>, the lid conveyance turret <NUM>, and the carrying-in conveyor <NUM> are mechanically driven by the driving mechanism <NUM> of the seaming turret <NUM> via a transmission mechanism.

The chuck unit <NUM> is arranged to be rotatable about the center shaft <NUM> with its central axis X extending in a vertical direction and face the can mounting unit at an equal angular interval, and an outer surface gear <NUM> of a rotating shaft that supports the chuck <NUM> at its lower end engages a sun gear <NUM> supported by the center shaft <NUM>. The chuck unit <NUM> revolves with the rotation of the center shaft <NUM> and a center column, and the chuck <NUM> rotates on its axis with the engagement between the sun gear <NUM> and the outer surface gear <NUM>.

The chuck <NUM> is provided to be fixed and rotatable in a vertical direction. As shown on the right side of the central axis X in <FIG>, the centering of a lid F is performed in such a manner that a can C on which the lid F has been mounted by lifting the can mounting unit <NUM> is fitted with the lower end outer peripheral surface of the chuck <NUM> while being sandwiched between the knockout pad <NUM> and the can mounting unit <NUM>.

The seaming unit <NUM> performs double seaming with seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> each pivotally fitted to both ends of a seaming lever <NUM> so as to rotate, the seaming lever <NUM> having its central part fixed to the lower end of a revolving roll swinging shaft <NUM>.

In a double seaming process, a curled portion of a lid F is wrapped into a flange portion of a can C by the seaming roll <NUM> in primary seaming, and then crimping and bonding are performed by the fastening of seaming roll <NUM> to maintain sealing in secondary seaming.

As shown in <FIG>, the seaming device <NUM> of the present invention includes a washing unit <NUM> that washes the chucks <NUM> of the chuck units <NUM> and the seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> of the seaming units <NUM>.

The washing unit <NUM> has a chuck washing member <NUM> and a seaming roll washing member <NUM> as washing members having cleaning brushes that are advanceable and retractable along a direction toward the seaming turret <NUM> from an outside. In the present invention, the "cleaning brushes" indicate cleaning parts that are able to exhibit a brush-like cleaning function, are not necessarily limited to those having a shape with a multiplicity of fibers, wires, or the like, and include those having various shapes that will be described later.

The chuck washing member <NUM> has a chuck cleaning brush <NUM> that is inserted between adjacent seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> and able to contact the peripheral lateral surfaces of the chucks <NUM>. Here, the adjacent seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> indicate a group of two seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> for primary and secondary seaming that cooperate with a can C and a lid F positioned by a chuck unit <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the chuck washing member <NUM> has arms <NUM> having the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> fixed at their tip ends. The chuck cleaning brush <NUM> has a flat substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that extends in its advancing and retracting direction and its vertical direction and is compressed in a circumferential direction, and has a length with which the cleaning brush <NUM> is insertable between adjacent seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> and its tip end reaches the chucks <NUM> of the chuck units <NUM>. The arms <NUM> are provided to be expandable and contractable along the advancing and retracting direction of the washing member at the lower part of a support part <NUM> having its upper part fixed to an in-machine housing serving as a fixation part by bolts <NUM>. On the upper side of the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> at the tip ends of the arms <NUM>, a nozzle <NUM> that jets a washing agent to a washing portion is provided.

In the chuck washing member <NUM>, the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> constitute a movable unit made integrally advanceable and retractable by the arms <NUM>. The movable unit of the chuck washing member <NUM> is advanceable and retractable along the radial direction of the central axis X of the seaming turret <NUM>, specifically, along a direction toward between adjacent seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> from the outside.

The seaming roll washing member <NUM> has a driving roller <NUM> that is able to press both adjacent seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> and seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM> that are able to contact the two seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. As shown in <FIG>, the seaming roll washing member <NUM> has arms <NUM> having roll brushes and the driving roller <NUM> such as a rubber roller fixed at their tip ends. As shown in <FIG>, the driving roller <NUM> is provided to rotate about its axis parallel to the rotating axes of seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> by an electrically or pneumatically driven motor <NUM>. At the lower part of a support part <NUM> having its upper part fixed to the in-machine housing serving as the fixation part by bolts <NUM>, the arms <NUM> are provided to be expandable and contractable along the advancing and retracting direction of a movable unit. The seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM> contact the peripheral lateral surfaces of seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> rotated by the driving roller <NUM>, have a flat substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape like the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> of the chuck washing member <NUM>, and are provided in a posture extending in a direction diagonal to the advancing and retracting direction of the movable unit. Further, nozzles <NUM> that jet the washing agent to a washing portion are provided on the lateral sides of the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM>.

In the seaming roll washing member <NUM>, the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM>, the nozzles <NUM> and <NUM>, and the driving roller <NUM> constitute the movable unit made integrally advanceable and retractable by the arms <NUM>. The movable unit of the seaming roll washing member <NUM> is advanceable and retractable along the radial direction of the central axis X of the seaming turret <NUM>, specifically, along a direction toward between adjacent seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> from the outside.

The chuck washing member <NUM> and the seaming roll washing member <NUM> are, respectively, arranged at adjacent pitch positions according to the revolving pitch of the chuck units <NUM> by the seaming turret <NUM>.

Examples of the shapes of the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> and the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM> can include a brush shape with a multiplicity of fibers, wires, or the like, a solid sheet shape, a sponge shape, or the like.

Examples of the materials of the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> and the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM> can include nylon, polypropylene, palm, coco, hemp, rubber, nonwoven cloth, or the like.

Further, the washing agent filled in the nozzles <NUM> and <NUM> can be one containing a bactericidal agent such as a hydrogen peroxide solution and ozone water. Further, high temperature steam can also be used as the washing agent.

The seaming device <NUM> of the present invention has the washing control mechanism of causing, at the selection of a washing mode, the movable unit including the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> of the chuck washing member <NUM> and the movable unit including the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM> of the seaming roll washing member <NUM> to automatically move toward the seaming turret <NUM> along the advancing and retracting direction of the washing members when the chucks <NUM> provided in the chuck units <NUM> are rotatable on their axes while the revolution of the chuck unit <NUM> by the seaming turret <NUM> is stopped.

In the washing control mechanism, a washing operation is controlled to be performed for every prescribed interval of the revolution of the chuck units <NUM> by the seaming turret <NUM>. Specifically, the washing operation is controlled to be performed for every pitch of the chucks <NUM> by a servo motor that causes the chucks <NUM> to rotate on their axes.

The present embodiment describes an example in which the seaming device <NUM> has the two washing member (the chuck washing member <NUM> and the seaming roll washing member <NUM>). However, the present invention does not exclude an example in which the seaming device <NUM> has only one of the chuck washing member <NUM> and the seaming roll washing member <NUM>. Further, a configuration in which seaming device <NUM> has a plurality of the chuck washing members <NUM>, a configuration in which seaming device <NUM> has a plurality of the seaming roll washing members <NUM>, or the like may be employed. Moreover, a configuration in which the seaming device <NUM> has a plurality of the chuck washing members <NUM> and a plurality of the seaming roll washing members <NUM> may be employed.

The basic operation of the seaming device <NUM> thus configured will be described.

A can C to which a lid F has been seamed is conveyed while engaging each of the attachments <NUM> of the carrying-in conveyor <NUM> and directed to the seaming turret <NUM> rotated by the driving mechanism <NUM> of the seaming turret <NUM>.

On the other hand, the lid F is cut out one by one from the lid separation unit <NUM>, transferred to each of the pockets P of the lid conveyance turret <NUM>, and directed to the seaming turret <NUM> by the rotation of the lid conveyance turret <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The speeds and timings of the carrying-in conveyor <NUM> and the lid conveyance turret <NUM> are adjusted according to the speed and timing of the seaming turret <NUM> so that the centers of the can C and the lid F are aligned with each other at a merging point G. When the can mounting unit <NUM> of which the rotation is controlled via appropriate gears, a cam mechanism, or the like by the driving mechanism <NUM> to which power has been applied from a driving source not shown is lifted at the merging point G, the lid F is mounted on the can C mounted on the plate <NUM>.

After that, the can mounting unit <NUM> is further lifted, the knockout pad <NUM> inside the chuck <NUM> presses the lid F, and the chuck <NUM> of which the rotation is controlled via appropriate gears, a cam mechanism, or the like by the driving mechanism <NUM> is fitted into the lid F to perform the centering of the lid F. The can C on which the lid F has been mounted is sandwiched between the plate <NUM>, the chuck <NUM>, and the knockout pad <NUM> at a constant axial load necessary for seaming.

Then, the seaming turret <NUM> further rotates, and the plate <NUM> and the chuck <NUM> accelerate up to their rotation numbers necessary for seaming before the sandwiched lid F and the can C reach a seaming interval E shown in <FIG>.

While passing through the seaming interval E, the seaming lever <NUM> fixed to the lower end of the roll swinging shaft <NUM> of the seaming unit <NUM> is swung. Thus, two seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> for primary and secondary seaming each pivotally fitted to both ends so as to rotate are sequentially pressed against the can C and the flange of the lid F mounted on the can C from their lateral sides toward the chuck <NUM> to perform double seaming.

The can CM having completed the seaming is transferred from the seaming turret <NUM> to the discharge turret <NUM> and then transferred from the discharge turret <NUM> to the carrying-out conveyor <NUM> to be carried out to a next process such as inspection and packaging.

In the washing unit <NUM> of the present invention, the revolution of the chuck units <NUM> by the driving mechanism <NUM> of the seaming turret <NUM> is stopped for every prescribed interval (for every pitch) on the basis of the movement of the servo motor that causes the chucks <NUM> to rotate on their axes at the selection of a washing mode. At this time, the chuck <NUM> of one chuck unit <NUM> is stopped at a first fixed washing position closest to the chuck washing member <NUM>, and the seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> of the seaming unit <NUM> corresponding to the adjacent chuck unit <NUM> are stopped at a second fixed washing position closest to the seaming roll washing member <NUM>.

In the chuck unit <NUM> having stopped its revolution at the first fixed washing position, the arms <NUM> of the chuck washing member <NUM> extend, and the movable unit including the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> moves in a direction toward the seaming turret <NUM> from the outside. Thus, the chuck cleaning brush <NUM> is inserted between the two seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> relating to the chuck unit <NUM>, and its tip end is pressed against the peripheral lateral surface of the chuck <NUM>. After that, the chuck <NUM> is caused to rotate on its axis by the driving mechanism of <NUM> of the chuck unit <NUM> without accompanying revolution while the washing agent is jetted from the nozzle <NUM>, and the peripheral lateral surface of the chuck <NUM> is washed by being rubbed against the chuck cleaning brush <NUM>.

In the seaming unit <NUM> having stopped its revolution at the second fixed washing position, the arms <NUM> of the seaming roll washing member <NUM> extend, and the movable unit including the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM> moves in a direction toward the seaming turret <NUM> from the outside. Then, the driving roller <NUM> simultaneously presses the seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM>, and the tip ends of the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM> are pressed against the respective peripheral lateral surfaces of the seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM>. After that, the seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> are driven by the rotation of the driving roller <NUM> while the washing agent is jetted from the nozzles <NUM> and <NUM>, and the peripheral lateral surfaces of both the seaming rolls <NUM> and <NUM> are washed by being rubbed against the seaming roll cleaning brushes <NUM> and <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A seaming device (<NUM>) comprising:
a seaming turret (<NUM>) including a plurality of chuck units (<NUM>) and a plurality of seaming units (<NUM>); and
a washing unit (<NUM>) configured to wash seaming rolls (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the seaming units, wherein
the washing unit includes a washing member (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a cleaning brush (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) that is advanceable and retractable along a direction toward the seaming turret from outside when a washing mode is selected, the seaming device being characterized in that
the washing unit is further configured to wash chucks (<NUM>) of the chuck units, and
the seaming device further includes a washing control mechanism that performs a washing operation to cause the cleaning brush to move toward the seaming turret, with the chucks that are provided in the chuck units being rotatable on axes thereof while stopping revolution of the chuck units by the seaming turret.