US 12,252,383 B2
Handling device for containers in capping installations
Massimiliano Scaglione, Canelli (IT); and Francesco Palotto, Canelli (IT)
Assigned to AROL S.P.A., Canelli (IT)
Appl. No. 18/011,181
Filed by AROL S.P.A., Canelli (IT)
PCT Filed Jun. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/055501
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 18, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/260548, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000014836 (IT), filed on Jun. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0211992 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. B67B 3/20 (2006.01); B65G 47/86 (2006.01); B67C 3/24 (2006.01)
CPC B67B 3/20 (2013.01) [B65G 47/847 (2013.01); B67C 3/242 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A handling device (1) for handling containers (2) in a capping and/or inspection station of a capping installation, the device (1) comprising:
a centering member (10) having a side opening (11) arranged to receive a neck region (2a) of a container (2), and a clamp gripping assembly (20) for holding the container (2) during the operations performed in said station,
wherein the clamp gripping assembly (20) is mounted so as to be vertically slidable between a first position, in which the clamp gripping assembly (20) is disengaged from the container (2) and enables removing a capped container (2) and receiving a container (2) to be capped, and a second position, which is taken by the clamp gripping assembly during capping and/or inspection and in which the clamp gripping assembly (20) engages the container (2),
wherein the clamp gripping assembly is associated with means controlling vertical sliding thereof, including first elastic means (58a, 58b) configured so as to keep the clamp gripping assembly (20) in the second position when no stress is applied, and to apply, in said second position, an axial load to the container (2),
wherein the clamp gripping assembly (20) has a clamp (22) and further includes means controlling opening and closing of the clamp (22),
wherein said means controlling opening and closing of the clamp (22) includes second elastic means (44; 72) configured so as to keep the clamp (22) in closed condition when no stress is applied, and
wherein the second elastic means includes a torsion spring (44) associated with a vertical rod (32) rotatable about an axis of the vertical rod (32), which rod is connected with jaws (22a, 22b) of the clamp (22) through a lever system (34, 36, 42a, 42b) and is rotated about the axis by a second cam mechanism (27, 28), against the action of the torsion spring (44), to make the clamp (22) open.