Method, tool and assembly for tightly closing a receptacle, and tightly closed receptacle

1. A tool for closing an opening ( 2 ) of a receptacle ( 1 ) having a receptacle inner side ( 5 ) by a closure ( 3 ), the tool ( 10 ) comprising:

(a) a tool plate ( 12 ) that is adapted to be introduced in an opening ( 2 ) of the receptacle ( 1 ) to be closed;

(b) at least one roll ( 11 ) arranged on the tool plate ( 12 ) in a starting position ( 13 ), the at least one roll ( 11 ) being deflectable radially outwards to a closing position ( 14 ) and returnable to its starting position ( 13 ), so that a radial force can be caused to act on or can be applied to a closure rim ( 4 ) of the closure ( 3 ) for a limited period of time, the closure rim ( 4 ) being arranged between the at least one roll ( 11 ) and the receptacle inner side ( 5 ); and

(c) wherein an outer surface of the at least one roll has a cylindrical shape with a constant diameter over its entire height to engage the closure rim.

2. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the tool plate ( 12 ) has arranged thereon two rolls ( 11 ), three rolls ( 11 ), four rolls ( 11 ), five rolls ( 11 ), six rolls ( 11 ), seven rolls ( 11 ), eight rolls ( 11 ) or more than eight rolls ( 11 ).

3. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a positioning element ( 15 ) for introducing the closure ( 3 ) into the receptacle ( 1 ).

4. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one roll ( 11 ) is deflectable by a defined force.

5. An assembly comprising a tool for closing an opening ( 2 ) of a receptacle ( 1 ), having receptacle side wall inner side ( 5 ) comprising a vertically extending portion, and a shaft ( 21 ), the tool ( 10 ) comprising:

(a) a rotating tool plate ( 12 ) that is adapted to be introduced in an opening ( 2 ) of the receptacle ( 1 ) to be closed;

(b) at least one roll ( 11 ) having a constant diameter over a height thereof and being arranged on the rotating tool plate ( 12 ), wherein from a starting position ( 13 ), the at least one roll ( 11 ) being deflectable radially outwards to a closing position ( 14 ) and returnable to the starting position ( 13 ), to provide a radial force to a closure rim ( 4 ) of a closure ( 3 ) by the at least one roll ( 11 ) with the constant diameter of the height for a limited period of time; and

(c) the closure rim ( 4 ) being arranged between the at least one roll ( 11 ) having the constant diameter and the vertically extending portion of the receptacle side wall inner side ( 5 ) and the closure rim contacting the vertically extending portion of the receptacle side wall inner side, when the radial force is applied;

wherein the shaft ( 21 ) is connected to the tool ( 10 ) to transmit a torque to the tool ( 10 ).

6. The assembly according to claim 5 , wherein, in addition to transmitting a torque to the tool ( 10 ), the shaft ( 21 ) is also axially displaceable or extendable.

7. The assembly according to claim 5 , comprising a lifting device ( 22 ) that is arranged such that a receptacle ( 1 ) with an opening ( 2 ) to be closed can rest thereon and that, through a movement of the lifting device ( 22 ), the tool ( 10 ) can be received by the receptacle ( 1 ) with the opening ( 2 ).

8. The assembly according to claim 5 , comprising a heating element ( 23 ).

9. The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the heating element ( 23 ) is arranged between a centerline of the rotating tool plate ( 12 ) and the at least one roll ( 11 ) or is arranged radially outside of the receptacle ( 1 ).

10. The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the heating element ( 23 ) is configured as an induction element, as an electric heating element or as a heat radiator element.

11. The assembly according to claim 5 , comprising a guide ring ( 25 ) and a lifting device ( 22 ), wherein the lifting device ( 22 ) is arranged such that a receptacle ( 1 ) with an opening ( 2 ) to be closed can rest thereon and that, through a movement of the lifting device ( 22 ), the receptacle ( 1 ) can be moved over the tool ( 10 ).

12. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the guide ring ( 25 ) is able to receive the receptacle ( 1 ) therein such that the receptacle ( 1 ) occupies a defined position and is able to guide the receptacle over the tool ( 10 ) under preload of a spring.

13. A method of closing an opening ( 2 ) of a receptacle ( 1 ) having a receptacle side wall inner side ( 5 ) with a vertically extending portion and a receptacle interior ( 6 ), the method comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a receptacle ( 1 ) having at least one opening ( 2 ) to be closed;

(b) introducing a closure ( 3 ) into the opening ( 2 ) of the receptacle ( 1 ), the closure ( 3 ) having a closure rim ( 4 ) directed away from the receptacle interior ( 6 ), and an axial basic shape of the closure rim ( 4 ) corresponds to an axial basic shape of the receptacle ( 1 );

(c) introducing a rotatable tool ( 10 ) into a space, open on one side thereof and delimited by the closure ( 3 );

(d) deflecting at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) having a constant diameter over a height thereof radially outwards, to-contact engaging the closure rim ( 4 ) of the closure ( 3 ); and

(e) rotating, about a longitudinal axis, the rotatable tool ( 10 ), with the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) having the constant diameter of the height thereof engaging the closure rim ( 4 ), relative to the receptacle ( 1 ), or vice versa, and attaching the closure rim ( 4 ) to the vertically extending portion of the receptacle side wall inner side ( 5 ), to close the opening ( 2 ).

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein one side of the closure rim ( 4 ) has provided thereon a layer ( 7 ) that is brought into contact with the receptacle side wall inner side ( 5 ) and thermally liquefied before and/or while the rotatable tool ( 10 ) rotates relative to the receptacle ( 1 ), or vice versa.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein thermal energy for liquefying the layer is transferred to the layer by heating at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) and/or the receptacle ( 1 ) and/or the closure.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the closure ( 3 ) is introduced in the receptacle ( 1 ) via a positioning element ( 15 ) arranged on the rotatable tool ( 10 ).

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein, due to the rotation of the rotatable tool ( 10 ) or of the receptacle ( 1 ), the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) engaging the closure rim ( 4 ) rotates in a clockwise direction or in a counter-clockwise direction, so that the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) moves in a direction opposite to an upwardly formed step in a receptacle side wall.

18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein, due to the rotation of the rotatable tool ( 10 ) or of the receptacle ( 1 ), the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) contacting the closure rim ( 4 ) rotates in a clockwise direction or in a counter-clockwise direction, so that the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) moves in a direction opposite to a downwardly formed step in a receptacle side wall.

19. A method of closing an opening ( 2 ) of a receptacle ( 1 ) having a receptacle inner side ( 5 ) and a receptacle interior ( 6 ) encompassed by the inner side as an inner surface, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) the receptacle ( 1 ) providing at least one opening ( 2 ) to be closed;

(b) introducing a closure ( 3 ) into the opening ( 2 ) of the receptacle ( 1 ), the closure ( 3 ) having a closure rim ( 4 ) directed away from the receptacle interior ( 6 ) and a closure panel ( 3 a ), whose circumferential basic shape corresponds to a circumferential basic shape of the receptacle ( 1 ) in at least an upper section thereof;

(c) axially introducing a closure tool ( 10 ) into a space open on one side thereof and delimited by the closure panel ( 3 a ) on an opposite side thereof;

(d) outwardly deflecting at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ), wherein the at least one rotatable roll has a cylindrical shape with a constant diameter over its entire height, engaging the closure rim ( 4 ) of the closure ( 3 ) with the cylindrical shape; and

(e) applying a rotating movement of the closure tool ( 10 ) and the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) relative to the receptacle ( 1 ), to attach the closure rim ( 4 ) to the receptacle inner side ( 5 ), tightly closing the opening ( 2 ).

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein one side of the closure rim ( 4 ) has provided thereon a layer ( 7 ), the layer ( 7 ) being brought into contact with the receptacle inner side ( 5 ) and thermally at least softened before and/or during the rotating movement.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein a thermal energy for liquefying the layer ( 7 ) is transferred to the layer by heating the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) and/or an upper section of the receptacle ( 1 ) and/or the closure ( 3 ).

22. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the closure ( 3 ) is introduced in the receptacle ( 1 ) by a positioning element ( 15 ) arranged on the closure tool ( 10 ), the closure tool ( 10 ) and the closure ( 3 ) being-introduced in the receptacle ( 1 ) simultaneously.

23. The method according to claim 19 , wherein, due to the relative movement of the closure tool ( 10 ) and of the receptacle ( 1 ), the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) contacting the closure rim ( 4 ) is rotatingly driven such that the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) moves towards an upwardly formed step ( 31 ) in a receptacle side wall.

24. The method according to claim 19 , wherein, due to the relative movement of the closure tool ( 10 ) and of the receptacle ( 1 ), the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) engaging the closure rim ( 4 ) is rotatingly driven such that the at least one rotatable roll ( 11 ) moves towards a downwardly formed step in a receptacle side wall.

25. The method according to claim 19 , wherein in feature (e) the closure rim ( 4 ) is fastened to an upper end section of the receptacle inner side ( 5 ) and the opening ( 2 ) of the receptacle ( 1 ) is tightly closed.