CA2074921C - Cylindrical body label wrapping system with cam operated adjustable path length retractable heaters - Google Patents
Cylindrical body label wrapping system with cam operated adjustable path length retractable heatersInfo
- Publication number
- CA2074921C CA2074921C CA002074921A CA2074921A CA2074921C CA 2074921 C CA2074921 C CA 2074921C CA 002074921 A CA002074921 A CA 002074921A CA 2074921 A CA2074921 A CA 2074921A CA 2074921 C CA2074921 C CA 2074921C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- label
- container
- adhesive
- leading end
- containers
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 103
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 claims description 94
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 93
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 23
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 14
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 230000000977 initiatory effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000004904 shortening Methods 0.000 claims 2
- 230000003467 diminishing effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 239000002654 heat shrinkable material Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 238000010380 label transfer Methods 0.000 abstract description 5
- 238000002372 labelling Methods 0.000 description 12
- 241001131696 Eurystomus Species 0.000 description 7
- 239000003292 glue Substances 0.000 description 5
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 5
- 241001052209 Cylinder Species 0.000 description 3
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- ODPOAESBSUKMHD-UHFFFAOYSA-L 6,7-dihydrodipyrido[1,2-b:1',2'-e]pyrazine-5,8-diium;dibromide Chemical compound [Br-].[Br-].C1=CC=[N+]2CC[N+]3=CC=CC=C3C2=C1 ODPOAESBSUKMHD-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 2
- 239000005630 Diquat Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004809 Teflon Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920006362 Teflon® Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005485 electric heating Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 2
- BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrafluoroethene Chemical compound FC(F)=C(F)F BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000004822 Hot adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004831 Hot glue Substances 0.000 description 1
- 208000036366 Sensation of pressure Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002411 adverse Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000443 aerosol Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229910052729 chemical element Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000002844 continuous effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000013213 extrapolation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002349 favourable effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004927 fusion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007257 malfunction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000010355 oscillation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013021 overheating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002356 single layer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007921 spray Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000087 stabilizing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001360 synchronised effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000037303 wrinkles Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
- B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
- B65C9/20—Gluing the labels or articles
- B65C9/24—Gluing the labels or articles by heat
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
- B65C3/00—Labelling other than flat surfaces
- B65C3/06—Affixing labels to short rigid containers
- B65C3/08—Affixing labels to short rigid containers to container bodies
- B65C3/14—Affixing labels to short rigid containers to container bodies the container being positioned for labelling with its centre-line vertical
- B65C3/16—Affixing labels to short rigid containers to container bodies the container being positioned for labelling with its centre-line vertical by rolling the labels onto cylindrical containers, e.g. bottles
Abstract
Containers are transported on rotatable support plates which are arranged in a circle on a rotating turntable. The leading edge of a label is adhered to a container as it orbits past a vacuum-type label transfer drum. A curved guide which is tangential to the cylindrical body of the container as the orbiting and rotating container passes it causes the label to wrap completely around the container. One of a circular array of heat sealing elements which are rotating with the turntable adjacent each support plate is cammed radially outwardly of the turntable into contact with the region on the container where the trailing end overlaps the leading end of the cable. This fuses the ends of the labels together. The cam profile is adjustable in length to keep the time during which the heat sealing member is in contact with the label ends overlap constant independently of the rotational speed of the turntable.
Description
CYLINDRICAL BODY LABEL WRAPPING SYSTEM WITH CAM OPERATED
ADJUSTABLE PATH LENGTH RETRACTABLE HEATERS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed herein pertains to a method and apparatus for applying and sealing labels to containers and to the containers resulting from treatment with the method.
A machine for applying and sealing labels to containers is described in U.S. Patent 4,694,633. In this machine, each container is supported on a rotating disk so that the container rotates, as it is carried by a turntable, to serve as a mandrel about which the label is wrapped. At the start of container rotation, a vacuum bar is driven into juxtaposition with the container periphery. The vacuum bar attracts the leading end of the label and carries the label around the container sufficiently for the trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end. At this time, the overlapped ends are subjected to a heating element or a jet of hot air which seals the trailing end to the leading end of the label. The vacuum bar is then withdrawn. This leaves a free space between the label and the container so the label fits loosely on the container. Thus, the additional step of heat shrinking the entire label onto the container is required.
207~21 The machine is only suitable for applying labels which are heat-shrinkable. Heating the entire surface of the label on the container is expensive and can result in wrinkles developing in the label. The machine is also not suitable for labeling prefilled aerosol cans which cannot be heated safely. Moreover, the thin suction bar and associated control mechanism are cost-ly to manufacture and are vulnerable to damage.
Another machine for wrapping labels around rotating containers is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,272,311. In this machine, containers are conveyed in a straight line past an application station where a web of labels is drawn from a supply roll. Adhesive is applied at the interface of the leading edge of the label and the container. The leading edge of the web is then pressed against the container by means of a revolving belt. The individual label is cut from the web only after the web is partially wrapped around the container. To provide time for cutting, the web is stopped with a clamping device and the label which is already in contact with the container is torn or cut from the web along a perforated web. The label is then continuously rotated by reason of being in con-tact with the belt until the label is completely wrapped around the container. The overlap region of the leading and trailing ends of the label can be joined by having previously applied adhesive to the trailing end of the label or the trailing end can be sealed to the leading end by applying heat to the overlapped region. One disadvantage of the machine is that the adhesive-coated label is not separated from the web until the label is partially wrapped around the container which requires that the web be stopped for severing the label. This is obviously disadvanta-geous in that the method is intermittent rather than 2 0 7 Ll 9 2 1 ''~ .~.
continuous which results in its product output being low. When the machine is driven at higher speeds, there is not sufficient time allowed for a reliable fusion of the leading and trailing edges of the label to achieve a good seal. Consequently, applying adhe-sive to a large area on the inside of the label or to the outside of the container is often necessary. This is highly disadvantageous, particularly in the appli-cation of labels composed of thin and transparent film, for reasons of appearance. The known apparatus is not suitable for achieving high production rates of 40,000 to 80,000 bottles or cans per hour as is a com-mon requirement in the beverage industry today.
U.S. Patent 4,416,714 discloses applying an adhesive coated leading end of a label to a rotating container to effect wrapping of the label on the con-tainer. The label is secured by adhering the trailing end over the underlying leading end. Labels are fed, one at a time, to the containers from a vacuum drum.
Heat shrinking of the edges of the label to the con-tour of the container is disclosed, but heat sealing the overlapped label ends in addition to having adhe-sive applied near the trailing end as is described herein is not disclosed.
Japanese Patent No. Sho 57-23620, published May 19, 1982, discloses wrapping a heat shrinkable label around a container and heat sealing the overlap-ping trailing and leading ends of the label. The top and bottom edges of the label are heat-shrunk to con-form them to the contour of the container. A back-up bar is placed behind the overlapping ends, at least along the edges which extend over the contour, to al-low pressing the overlapping ends together by a hot heat seal member or a cold member when the label ends are sealed with glue. There is no disclosure of how _ 4 _ ~Q ~4~ ~ ~
the heat sealing time can be held substantially constant for different container transport speeds as is described herein.
Summary of the Invention The general object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for applying labels comprised of sealable material to containers and to provide a container which is unique insofar as its relationship with the label is concerned.
The invention provides a method of applying labels to containers having at least a portion which is cylindrical, comprising the steps of: continuously drawing from a source a web composed of a series of labels, severing from the web repeatedly individual labels which have leading and trailing ends, after a label is severed, contacting its leading end on the container while the container is rotating to adhere the label to the container by way of a small adhesive region inter-posed between the label and container near the leading end of the label and initiating wrapping the label on the container while transporting the container along a predetermined path, and after the label is completely wrapped on the container, holding the trailing end in overlapping relationship to the leading end, and applying heat to the overlap region for heat sealing the trailing and leading ends together.
From another aspect, the invention provides apparatus for applying a label composed of sealable material to a container comprising: means for drawing a web of labels from a source, means for severing individual labels from the web, a transfer device to which individual labels are transferred in B
s - 4a -sequence and from which individual labels are transferred to containers, respectively, conveyor means for conveying containers past said transfer device to provide for the leading end of the transferred label to be put in contact with and adhere to said container, and means for rotating each container as it is conveyed to effect wrapping of the label around the container for the trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end, means for applying at least one narrow region of adhesive to said container before said leading end is put in contact with the container, the size and location of said region of adhesive being such as to provide for said leading end of the label covering only part of said region while leav-ing another part exposed for adhering said trailing end of the label to the container at a place spaced for the extremity of the trailing end so when the label is wrapped around, the trailing end overlaps the leading end of the label at a position where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading ends, and a heat sealing device arranged to contact said label in the region of overlap where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading end to seal the said trailing end of the label to the leading end.
The invention also provides apparatus for applying to a container a label having leading and trailing ends and composed of heat sealable material, comprising: means for adhering to a cylindrical region of the container the leading end of the label, means for wrapping the label around said cylindrical region such that the trailing end of the label overlaps the leading end of the label, a heating element having - 4b - 2 ~ ~$ ~ ~ ~
a curved surface and means for advancing the element for its curved surface to contact the overlapped trailing end of the label for sealing the overlapped trailing end to the underlying leading end along a line parallel to the cylindrical region, said cylindrical region of the container having a predetermined radius of curvature, RG, said curved surface of the heating element having a radius of curvature RS which is slightly greater than the RG.
The method requires using only a small amount of adhesive, applied either to the leading edge of the label or to the container, to attach the leading edge of the label to the container rotating it to cause wrapping of the label around the container. Only sufficient adhesive is used on the leading edge to ensure that the label does not slip from the container during wrapping. The label is actually secured about the container when the trailing end of the label overlaps the leading end and the overlap region is heat sealed. The result is an extremely fast labeling method which produces containers on which the label is smooth and attractive even though a very thin or transparent film-type label is used. The width or height, as opposed to the length, of the label can be dimensioned so that the upper and B
207~921 ",.,_ lower longitudinally extending edges of the label ex-tend over radially inwardly tapered top and bottom margins of the container such that only the longitudi-nal edges, rather than the whole label, need to be heat shrunk to cause the edges to conform to the con-tour of the container. The adhesive selected to at-tach the leading edge of the label to the container is preferably one whose adhesive strength diminishes with time following sealing. This is permissible since the label is tightly conformed to the container surface by the tight wrapping and by shrinking the upper and/or the lower longitudinally extending edges. When suit-able label material is used on containers composed of plastic material, the adhesive can be a solvent that forms a tacky area when applied to the label or the container. This allows the label to be attached to the container for a short but sufficiently long time for the labels to be wrapped around the container but which provides for part of the adhesive effect to be dissipated after a few minutes or after longitudinal edges of the label are subjected to heat radiated from an electric heating element or from a jet of hot air projected on the edges of the label while the contain-er is still rotating.
In any case, when only a short time elapses between completion of the label wrapping step and heat sealing the overlapping ends of the label, it is nec-essary that the trailing edge of the label remains on the container during that time. This is achieved by mechanically pressing the label against the container, for example, or preferably by attaching the label to the container tentatively with narrow adhesive strips applied in the region just behind the trailing edge but with overlapping leading and trailing edges, which are to be subject to heat sealing, kept free of adhe-- 6 - 2074~21 ,~. .
sive. The advantage of having the adhesive near the trailing end of the label but not extending to the end is that only one layer of adhesive, the layer on the leading end, lies in the region where the ends overlap for heat sealing. The result is a more inconspicuous seal which is one objective of the invention.
When applying labels whose upper and lower longitudinal edges do not follow the contour of the container after the label is wrapped, it is advanta-geous for the unadhered lower and upper edge or edges of the label to be backed up or supported on the in-side facing the container so that the overlapping ends of the label can be sealed along the full height or width of the label. This assures that the upper and lower edges of the label in the region of overlapping will not separate or split open when the edges are subjected to heat shrinking.
An important feature of the invention is that the sealing time for the labels can be held con-stant independent of the present operating speed of the machine. This allows the labeling machine to be incorporated into a production line which has preced-ing and subsequent processing stages without the qual-ity of the sealed seam being adversely affected, that is, without the application of too much or too little heat when there are variations in the operating speed at the input or output side of the new labeling ma-chine.
How the foregoing briefly mentioned features of the new labeling method, resulting article and ma-chine are achieved and implemented, will appear in the following more detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.
_ Description of the Drawings FIGURES 1-4 are schematic top plan views of the new labeling machine with its cover removed and respectively depicting four different embodiments of the invention;
FIGURES 5-7 show cross-sections through the overlapping leading and trailing ends of a label con-tainer wherein there are, respectively, different ad-hesive patterns;
FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a label container which has an adhesive pattern on the label corresponding with the pattern shown in FIGURE 6;
FIGURE 9 shows a vertical section through the outer rim or periphery of the turntable of a la-beling machine, such as in FIGURES 1-4, showing how the container is subjected to an axially downwardly applied axial force which holds it firmly to a rotat-ing disk, this figure also illustrating how the upper longitudinal edge of a label which extends over the inwardly tapered part of the container is backed up with an element which prevents the upper edge of the label from collapsing inwardly when the overlap is being sealed; and FIGURE 10 is a diagram used for illustrating and explaining that the radius of curvature of the heat sealing member where it interfaces with the label on the container being sealed is greater than the ra-dius of curvature of the container.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment The labeling machine illustrated in FIGURE
1 has a turntable 15 which is driven rotationally about a vertical axis and carries several rotationally driven plates 16 which are shown in dashed line cir-cles where they are not supporting a container 1 which is to be labeled. One of the dedicated control devic-- 8 - 207~921 .,~
es 20, depicted only in FIGURE 9, which causes the respective rotary plates 16 to undergo a particular rotational sequence during a revolution of turntable 15. The containers 1 to be labeled are transferred to the rotary plates 16 in succession from a circular infeed conveyor 17 which is shown schematically.
There is a conventional centering container stabiliz-ing bell 19, shown in FIGURE 9, for each rotary plate 16. The centering bell 19 can be raised and lowered with the help of which containers 1, after being transferred from infeed conveyor 17, are clamped with an axially directed force to the associated container supporting rotary plate 16.
Positioned in the region directly behind the infeed conveyor 17, radially outwardly of clockwise rotating turntable 15, is an adhesive applicator 12, commonly called a glue roller, which applies a strip of glue directly on the passing containers 1. The adhesive applicator 12 is basically a rotating roller which, when glass bottles or metal cans are the con-tainers, applies preferably hot adhesive to the con-tainer or label or applies a solvent to the container or label when the container is composed of plastic material. The adhesive pattern formed on the contain-er or label by the applicator 12 depends on the con-figuration of the surfaces of the container and the adhesive roller. If the body of the container and the periphery of the adhesive applicator roller are cylin-drical, they make a tangential contact along a line which results in a narrow vertical strip of adhesive being transferred to the container. When hot melt adhesive is used, it is only necessary to apply adhe-sive to a few points to the leading edge of the label to hold it in place so that the adhesive applicator roller will have several projecting annular lands, not 2~7~921 ',._ g visible, axially spaced apart one above the other.
The resulting glue pattern in such case is illustrated by the three adhesive strips depicted in FIGURE 8.
Upstream of glue applicator 12 in the rota-tional direction of the turntable 15, a label transfer device 9 is positioned for depositing individual la-bels 2, which have been separated from a roll of la-bels, on containers 1. The label transfer device 9 in this particular embodiment constitutes a rotationally driven vacuum cylinder 14 which rotates synchronously with turntable 15 and, in this embodiment, in the same direction. The labels 2, which are cut to size al-ready, cling to vacuum cylinder 14 after having been separated from an incoming web of labels by a cutting device 7 positioned adjacent the vacuum cylinder 14.
The web is fed through web delivery pinch rolls 6 at a rate which is synchronous with the machine output from a supply roll, not shown, so that the labels 2 are positioned with their graphics facing the vacuum cylinder. The device which severs the individual la-bels from the web consists of a stationary blade 29 and a rotating blade 30 on the rotating vacuum cylin-der.
Oppositely of the main vacuum cylinder 14 and radially inwardly of the rotary plate 16 orbit 23 there is a curved stationary guide element 21 whose outer surface lies adjacent the containers 1. As the labels 2 are wrapped about the containers in succes-sion, guide element 21 guides the free end of the la-bel which is not yet on the container 1 and simulta-neously pulls the label taut so that it fits tightly on the container. The guide element 21 is preferably supplied with vacuum orifices, not shown, to enhance attraction of the labels. The length of guide element 21 is such that its downstream or trailing end guides . .",~", the trailing end of the label at least until the label is completely wrapped around the container such that the overlap between the leading and trailing ends of the label is formed in the region 3 which is identi-fied in FIGURE 8.
Radially inwardly of the rotary plate 16 orbit 23 is a circular guide frame 28, shown in sec-tion, which holds radially reciprocable heat sealing members 22. Guide frame 28 rotates in synchronism with turntable 15. The number of heat sealing members 22 carried on guide frame 28 corresponds to the number of rotary plates 16 on turntable 15. The sealing mem-bers 22 are positioned to cooperate with the respec-tive rotary plates 16. There is an electric heater cartridge 37 on each sealing member. Positioned in-side of the guide frame 28 is a control device 24 which drives the heat sealing members 22 radially out-wardly. Control device 24 comprises first and second superimposed radial cams 25 and 26 which are adjust-able rotationally in relation to each other in the rotational direction of turntable 15 or in the oppo-site direction. Each heat sealing member 22 has on its radially inward end a guide roller 27 which is spring biased into contact with radial cams 25 and 26.
The spring which holds each roller in contact with cams 25 and 26 is not shown.
The first or upper radial cam 25 of control device 24 is held stationary on a central machine sup-port 31 in this embodiment while the lower or second radial cam 26 is rotationally adjustable about sta-tionary center support 31 by means of an actuation device, not shown, between two limit positions. The upper or first radial cam 25 determines the beginning of the heat sealing step by forcing a heat sealing member 22 radially outwardly into contact with the - ll - 207~921 label overlap, while the trailing edge of the lower or second radial cam 26 determines the end of the heat sealing step. Offsetting the lower cam 26 relative to the upper cam 25 enables the turntable rotational an-gle during which a heat sealing member 22 bears on the overlapping trailing and leading label ends in the region 3 of label 2 to be enlarged or reduced in size in proportion to the present rotational speed of turn-table 15. Because the second or lower radial cam 26 is continuously adjustable within limits, the sealing time can be kept constant within limits by varying the control angle. In other words, the heat application angle is increased or largest when the output rate is high and is reduced as the output rate decreases.
The advancing edge of the first or upper cam 25 is positioned so that the sealing members 22 are pushed radially outwardly shortly before the trailing end of the fixed guide element 21 is reached and are applied to the overlapping end region 3 of a label 2 immediately beyond the end of guide element 21. The edge of the lower or second radial cam 26 begins shortly before the outfeed conveyor 18 is reached, and at the latest, so that the heat sealing members 22 can be pulled by spring action radially inwardly again to provide for removal of containers 1 from turntable 15 and for transferring of the containers to outfeed con-veyor 18. At the moment transfer of a container from the turntable to the outfeed conveyor 18 occurs, the centering bell 19, depicted in FIGURE 9, is lifted so that the container is free to be carried away on the outfeed conveyor.
The rotational or oscillation sequence of the container support plates 16 is such that a con-tainer 1 is set into rotary motion counter to the turntable 15 after passing the adhesive applicator 12 - 12 - 2 0 7~92I
,~
or upon reaching the label transferring vacuum cylin-der 14, at the latest. After termination of the label wrapping step resulting from at least one complete revolution of the container, the rotary motion of the container relative to the turntable 15 stops for the sealing step with the overlapping label end region 3 pointing inwardly toward the sealing member 22 which is traveling along with it. In other words, the heat sealing member 11 is maintained in contact with the region 3 in which the leading end of the label is overlapped by the trailing end after the turntable orbits the container beyond guide 21. It should be remembered that the trailing end of the label will not have adhesive directly on it in the overlapping or sealing region and that the adhesive applied to the leading end is set back out of the overlapping region by a small amount.
The alternative embodiment of the new label-ing machine depicted in FIGURE 2 is basically the same as that shown in FIGURE 1 but differs in respect to the motion relationships in the area of the label transfer device 9 and in the wrapping of the labels around containers 1. In contrast to the FIGURE 1 em-bodiment, the vacuum cylinder 14 in the FIGURE 2 em-bodiment is driven counter-rotationally to the direc-tion of turntable 15. In other words, in FIGURE 2 the turntable 15 is rotating clockwise and the vacuum drum 14 is rotating counterclockwise. In this case, at the moment of label transfer from vacuum cylinder 14 to a container 1 and during subsequent wrapping of the la-bel around the container, the container is moved by rotary plate 13 in the rotational direction of the turntable so that a container 1 is rolled slip-free on the vacuum cylinder 14 when the leading edge of the label is delivered. Because the containers 1 rotate 207~9~1 in the same direction as the turntable 15 in the FIG-URE 2 embodiment, the stationary guide element 21 is positioned radially outwardly of the container orbit which is outlined by the dashed circular line 23.
The FIGURE 2 embodiment makes it possible to process labels which are longer than those which can be handled in the FIGURE 1 embodiment with a turntable 15 having the same divisional scale and it offers more favorable transfer conditions at the vacuum cylinder 14.
Since the electrically heatable sealing mem-bers 22 are positioned radially inwardly of the rotary plate orbital path 23, as in the FIGURE 1 embodiment, but the overlap region at the ends of label 2 point radially outwardly after wrapping the label, the con-tainer must be turned at least 180~ for sealing, so that the overlapped region is positioned opposite of a heat sealing member 22. To prevent the trailing edge 5 of the label from falling off the container during the 180~ of rotation, it must be attached to the container until the sealing member 22 is pressed against the label overlapping ends of the container.
For instance, attachment of the trailing end of the label to the container can be achieved mechanically by a method, not shown, wherein a pressing or guiding element is provided for each rotary plate and contain-er 1 thereon and revolves with them and is applied to the container at least by the time the container reaches the departing end of the stationary guide ele-ment 21, to hold the trailing part of the label 2 on the container until the overlap region 3 is aligned with and contacted with a sealing member 22. A press-ing or guiding element, not shown, of this kind is mounted for radial movement on circular guide frame 28 and actuated by an associated control device, not shown, simllar to the control devlce deplcted in FIGURE 9 for actuatlng heat seallng members 22.
Alternatlvely, the tralllng edge 5 of the label 2 can be held on the contalner by attachlng the tralllng edge slmllarly to the leadlng edge, but wlth a narrow adhesive reglon or polnts, applled before the overlap reglon 3 of the label 2 ls secured by seallng. In other words, the adheslve dots or llne ls applled near the tralllng edge but not so close to the tralllng edge as to be colncldent wlth any part of the area at the tralllng edge whlch overlaps the leadlng edge. In comparlson to the FIGURE 1 embodlment, thls modlflcatlon requlres no addltlonal mechanlcal parts. When the leadlng edge 4 of the label ls applled to contalner 1 by vacuum cyllnder 14, the rotation of the contalner 1 wlth rotary plate 16 must merely be ad~usted relatlve to rotatlon of the vacuum cyllnder 14 ln the area of the transfer devlce 9 so that leadlng edge 4 of the label does not completely cover the adheslve strlps prevlously applled to the contalner by the adheslve appllcator 12 for attachlng the label to the contalner. Thus, part of the adheslve applled to the contalner for attachlng the leadlng edge of the label ls exposed. Thls not yet covered part of the adheslve strlp or strlps ls contacted by the tralllng edge 5 of the label at a dlstance from the extremlty of the tralllng edge durlng subsequent wrapplng but the overlapplng region 3 ls kept free of adheslve for subsequent heat ~eallng although there ls a single layer of adheslve between the leadlng end of the label and the contalner. (See FIGURES 6 and 8).
Another alternatlve embodlment ls lllustrated ln ~ ~ 7 4 ~ ~ 1 FIGURE 3. It dlffers from the FIGURE 2 embodlment ln that lt has a dlfferent heat sealing devlce ll. The heat seallng devlce ln FIGURE 3 ls a curved heatlng element 32 whlch ls held stationarlly radlally outward of the orbltal path 23 of the contalners and ls enclrcled by a thln, heat reslstant but heat transmlsslve belt 33 of fllm-llke materlal such as that -14a- 60895-lG69 207~21 which is known by the trademark TEFLON. The belt 33 is diverted or directed by deflection rollers 34 and 35 at each end of the heating element. The deflection roller 35 is driven rotationally synchronously with the current rotational speed of turntable 15 so that belt 33 bears against container 1 and travels slip-free with it.
The process of wrapping a label 2 on a con-tainer 1 in the FIGURE 3 embodiment is the same as in the FIGURE 2 embodiment, for example, until the aft end of the guide element 21 is reached. However, af-ter wrapping a label on a container is complete, the rotary motion of container 1, activated by a control device 20 of the rotary container support plate 16, is stopped near the aft end of the guide element 21 so that the region 3 where the ends of the label overlap faces radially outwardly of the turntable and in this position is conducted past the heat sealing device or element 11 while the container is orbiting with the turntable but it is not rotating relative to the turn-table.
As shown in the FIGURE 3 embodiment, heat sealing can be apportioned between one or more heating elements 11 which are positioned in succession on the turntable adjacent the course 23 followed by the ro-tating containers. The heating elements can be shift-ed away from the containers radially outwardly with actuation devices, not shown, to adapt the sealing rate to different machine outputs. At full capacity, both heat sealing elements 11 assume their radial in-side position, whereas at half capacity, for instance, one element 33 is shifted radially outward or deenergized to avoid overheating. This allows at least one-step adaptation of sealing time to different machine output. If the labeling machine should fail 2~7~921 to stop because of a malfunction, all heat sealing members 11 can be shifted to the outer disengaged po-sition simultaneously.
In the FIGURE 4 embodiment of the labeling machine, the sealing device consists of several heated sealing rollers 36 positioned in staggered sequence inside and outside of the container orbit 23. In con-trast to the previously described embodiments, the containers 1 are still continuously rotated about their own axes in the same direction by the control device for the rotary plate 16, even after completion of the wrapping process, as they travel through the sealing region. The stationary heatable sealing roll-ers 36 are positioned in staggered sequence on the turntable 15 so the overlapped region 3 is always briefly pressed by one of the sealing rollers 36 in alternation when it faces the respective radial inside or outside. To avoid slipping between the label sur-face and the surface of the sealing rollers 36, the rollers are driven synchronously with the speed of the label surface which is clinging to the container. By means, not shown in detail, the sealing rollers 36 can be drawn away from the containers radially inwardly or outwardly, respectively, so that the sealing time can be adapted to the present output of the labeling ma-chine or to the operating speed of turntable 15 as is the case in the FIGURE 3 embodiment.
FIGURES 5-7 show a section through a part of a container where the leading and trailing ends of the label overlap. In these figures, sealing of the label ends is completed. The three embodiments in FIGURES
5-7 differ only in respect to the adhesive regions 13 used on the labels 2.
In the FIGURE 5 option, only the leading edge 4 of the label is attached to the periphery or outside of the container wall 38 through narrow adhe-sive regions 13. The trailing end of the label is held to the leading end exclusively by the heat seal in the overlap region 3. It will be understood that the adhesive region 13 can be shifted laterally a cer-tain distance from the leading edge of the label so it no longer lies directly in the overlapping region 3.
As is also shown, the trailing edge 5 in FIGURE 5 can be sealed to the leading edge of the label by a seal-lo ing member 22 that is movable radially in relation to container 1 and can be adjustably heated by previously mentioned rod-shaped electric heating cartridge 37.
To prevent the label material from sticking to the sealing member 22 due to the heat of the sealing pro-cess, at least the part of the sealing member which interfaces with the label surface can desirably be coated with TEFLON. The sealing effect is influenced not only by the adjustable and controllable tempera-ture of the sealing members 22 but also by the pres-sure of the members against the container. The seal-ing members 22 are therefore biased by springs, not shown, which at the same time compensate for tolerable variations in the diameters of the containers which may occur.
In the FIGURE 6 embodiment, the adhesive region 13 holds not only the leading edge 4 but also the aft section of the label 2 in the vicinity of its trailing edge 5 to the container wall 38, although the overlap region 3 between the trailing edge 5 and lead-ing edge 4 of the label remains free of adhesive.
This is necessary to achieve a flawless seal. The adhesive pattern in FIGURE 6 is also discernable in FIGURE 8. It is not absolutely necessary that a con-tinuous vertical line of adhesive be applied parallel to the leading edge 4 of the label to obtain satisfac-tory adhesion and wrapping. Two or three narrow, ver-tically aligned and slightly horizontally extending adhesive stripes or dots are sufficient. These can be applied with an adhesive roller 12 having radially projecting annular lands acting directly on the con-tainers or with spray nozzles, not shown.
The application of adhesive only at certain points or dots, as indicated in FIGURE 8, can also be used with the adhesive arrangement of FIGURES S and 7.
FIGURE 7 shows an adhesive pattern similar to that of FIGURE 6 but differs in that no adhesive is applied between the leading edge 4 of the label and the con-tainer wall 38 in the overlapped region. Each adhe-sive region 13 is a certain distance from the leading edge 4 or the trailing edge 5 of the label. The ad-vantage of this is, because there is no superimposed mass of material and adhesive, the overlapping region 3 lies tightly against the container wall 38 after it is sealed which makes a less visible or invisible seal.
The adhesive patterns of FIGURES 5-7 can be applied, not only directly onto the container, as shown in the FIGURES 1-4 embodiments, but also direct-ly on the corresponding regions of the inside surface of the label. The adhesive roller or applicators re-quired for this must then be positioned on the periph-ery of the vacuum cylinder 14. The separated individ-ual labels 2 are held inside out on the vacuum cylin-der. To obtain the adhesive pattern of FIGURE 5, for example, the vacuum cylinder 14 may have radially mov-able slides, not shown, in proximity with the leading edge of the label so that a smooth adhesive roller with minimal radial interspace can be placed on the vacuum cylinder 14 to apply adhesive to the leading edge 4 of the label. These slides can also be used to 2~74921 ~
transfer the leading edge 4 of the label from the vac-uum cylinder 14 to the container 1 as the container is conveyed past it on the turntable 15.
In FIGURE 8, the label 2 is attached to the container wall 38 of container 1 using the adhesive pattern of FIGURE 6. Although the label 2 is held to the container wall 38 only at certain points by three narrow adhesive strips or dots 13 applied one above the other near the leading end of the label, the trailing end of the label is sealed continuously along its entire length to the leading end.
In processing containers having radially tapered sections at the top or bottom that are to be covered by a label that fits the container contour after the labeling process is complete, the label can be attached first directly to the cylindrical part with the narrow adhesive regions unwrapped by the pre-viously described method. Then to seal the overlapped region, a support is needed on the inside of the over-lap where it is not yet in contact with the outer con-tainer wall after wrapping so that it can be sealed along its entire length. After sealing, the extending portions of the label can be shrunk to the container contour by means of heat confined to the extending portions.
FIGURE 9 shows a container 1 clamped axially between a rotary plate 16 and a centering bell 19 where the upper edge of the label extends upward be-yond the cylindrical region of the container which is clamped between the top and bottom. To support the overlapped region 13 in this extending part of the label, a support surface designed in the form of a tongue 39 is mounted on the centering bell 19.
Attention is invited to FIGURE 10 for a dis-cussion of manner in which the hot curved surface 41 of heating element 22 interfaces with the overlapped label ends on container 1. The container 1 is shown as a solid line circle that has a radius Fb. The ra-dius of the heater element surface 41 is RS which is a little greater than RG. The heater element face 41 is an arc of the phantom line circle which is an extrapo-lation of the arc. Thus, the center of the heater element surface makes contact with the label on con-tainer 1 about where the lead line from the numeral 41 touches the container. This makes the sealed label overlap area less conspicuous which is desirable.
ADJUSTABLE PATH LENGTH RETRACTABLE HEATERS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed herein pertains to a method and apparatus for applying and sealing labels to containers and to the containers resulting from treatment with the method.
A machine for applying and sealing labels to containers is described in U.S. Patent 4,694,633. In this machine, each container is supported on a rotating disk so that the container rotates, as it is carried by a turntable, to serve as a mandrel about which the label is wrapped. At the start of container rotation, a vacuum bar is driven into juxtaposition with the container periphery. The vacuum bar attracts the leading end of the label and carries the label around the container sufficiently for the trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end. At this time, the overlapped ends are subjected to a heating element or a jet of hot air which seals the trailing end to the leading end of the label. The vacuum bar is then withdrawn. This leaves a free space between the label and the container so the label fits loosely on the container. Thus, the additional step of heat shrinking the entire label onto the container is required.
207~21 The machine is only suitable for applying labels which are heat-shrinkable. Heating the entire surface of the label on the container is expensive and can result in wrinkles developing in the label. The machine is also not suitable for labeling prefilled aerosol cans which cannot be heated safely. Moreover, the thin suction bar and associated control mechanism are cost-ly to manufacture and are vulnerable to damage.
Another machine for wrapping labels around rotating containers is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,272,311. In this machine, containers are conveyed in a straight line past an application station where a web of labels is drawn from a supply roll. Adhesive is applied at the interface of the leading edge of the label and the container. The leading edge of the web is then pressed against the container by means of a revolving belt. The individual label is cut from the web only after the web is partially wrapped around the container. To provide time for cutting, the web is stopped with a clamping device and the label which is already in contact with the container is torn or cut from the web along a perforated web. The label is then continuously rotated by reason of being in con-tact with the belt until the label is completely wrapped around the container. The overlap region of the leading and trailing ends of the label can be joined by having previously applied adhesive to the trailing end of the label or the trailing end can be sealed to the leading end by applying heat to the overlapped region. One disadvantage of the machine is that the adhesive-coated label is not separated from the web until the label is partially wrapped around the container which requires that the web be stopped for severing the label. This is obviously disadvanta-geous in that the method is intermittent rather than 2 0 7 Ll 9 2 1 ''~ .~.
continuous which results in its product output being low. When the machine is driven at higher speeds, there is not sufficient time allowed for a reliable fusion of the leading and trailing edges of the label to achieve a good seal. Consequently, applying adhe-sive to a large area on the inside of the label or to the outside of the container is often necessary. This is highly disadvantageous, particularly in the appli-cation of labels composed of thin and transparent film, for reasons of appearance. The known apparatus is not suitable for achieving high production rates of 40,000 to 80,000 bottles or cans per hour as is a com-mon requirement in the beverage industry today.
U.S. Patent 4,416,714 discloses applying an adhesive coated leading end of a label to a rotating container to effect wrapping of the label on the con-tainer. The label is secured by adhering the trailing end over the underlying leading end. Labels are fed, one at a time, to the containers from a vacuum drum.
Heat shrinking of the edges of the label to the con-tour of the container is disclosed, but heat sealing the overlapped label ends in addition to having adhe-sive applied near the trailing end as is described herein is not disclosed.
Japanese Patent No. Sho 57-23620, published May 19, 1982, discloses wrapping a heat shrinkable label around a container and heat sealing the overlap-ping trailing and leading ends of the label. The top and bottom edges of the label are heat-shrunk to con-form them to the contour of the container. A back-up bar is placed behind the overlapping ends, at least along the edges which extend over the contour, to al-low pressing the overlapping ends together by a hot heat seal member or a cold member when the label ends are sealed with glue. There is no disclosure of how _ 4 _ ~Q ~4~ ~ ~
the heat sealing time can be held substantially constant for different container transport speeds as is described herein.
Summary of the Invention The general object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for applying labels comprised of sealable material to containers and to provide a container which is unique insofar as its relationship with the label is concerned.
The invention provides a method of applying labels to containers having at least a portion which is cylindrical, comprising the steps of: continuously drawing from a source a web composed of a series of labels, severing from the web repeatedly individual labels which have leading and trailing ends, after a label is severed, contacting its leading end on the container while the container is rotating to adhere the label to the container by way of a small adhesive region inter-posed between the label and container near the leading end of the label and initiating wrapping the label on the container while transporting the container along a predetermined path, and after the label is completely wrapped on the container, holding the trailing end in overlapping relationship to the leading end, and applying heat to the overlap region for heat sealing the trailing and leading ends together.
From another aspect, the invention provides apparatus for applying a label composed of sealable material to a container comprising: means for drawing a web of labels from a source, means for severing individual labels from the web, a transfer device to which individual labels are transferred in B
s - 4a -sequence and from which individual labels are transferred to containers, respectively, conveyor means for conveying containers past said transfer device to provide for the leading end of the transferred label to be put in contact with and adhere to said container, and means for rotating each container as it is conveyed to effect wrapping of the label around the container for the trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end, means for applying at least one narrow region of adhesive to said container before said leading end is put in contact with the container, the size and location of said region of adhesive being such as to provide for said leading end of the label covering only part of said region while leav-ing another part exposed for adhering said trailing end of the label to the container at a place spaced for the extremity of the trailing end so when the label is wrapped around, the trailing end overlaps the leading end of the label at a position where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading ends, and a heat sealing device arranged to contact said label in the region of overlap where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading end to seal the said trailing end of the label to the leading end.
The invention also provides apparatus for applying to a container a label having leading and trailing ends and composed of heat sealable material, comprising: means for adhering to a cylindrical region of the container the leading end of the label, means for wrapping the label around said cylindrical region such that the trailing end of the label overlaps the leading end of the label, a heating element having - 4b - 2 ~ ~$ ~ ~ ~
a curved surface and means for advancing the element for its curved surface to contact the overlapped trailing end of the label for sealing the overlapped trailing end to the underlying leading end along a line parallel to the cylindrical region, said cylindrical region of the container having a predetermined radius of curvature, RG, said curved surface of the heating element having a radius of curvature RS which is slightly greater than the RG.
The method requires using only a small amount of adhesive, applied either to the leading edge of the label or to the container, to attach the leading edge of the label to the container rotating it to cause wrapping of the label around the container. Only sufficient adhesive is used on the leading edge to ensure that the label does not slip from the container during wrapping. The label is actually secured about the container when the trailing end of the label overlaps the leading end and the overlap region is heat sealed. The result is an extremely fast labeling method which produces containers on which the label is smooth and attractive even though a very thin or transparent film-type label is used. The width or height, as opposed to the length, of the label can be dimensioned so that the upper and B
207~921 ",.,_ lower longitudinally extending edges of the label ex-tend over radially inwardly tapered top and bottom margins of the container such that only the longitudi-nal edges, rather than the whole label, need to be heat shrunk to cause the edges to conform to the con-tour of the container. The adhesive selected to at-tach the leading edge of the label to the container is preferably one whose adhesive strength diminishes with time following sealing. This is permissible since the label is tightly conformed to the container surface by the tight wrapping and by shrinking the upper and/or the lower longitudinally extending edges. When suit-able label material is used on containers composed of plastic material, the adhesive can be a solvent that forms a tacky area when applied to the label or the container. This allows the label to be attached to the container for a short but sufficiently long time for the labels to be wrapped around the container but which provides for part of the adhesive effect to be dissipated after a few minutes or after longitudinal edges of the label are subjected to heat radiated from an electric heating element or from a jet of hot air projected on the edges of the label while the contain-er is still rotating.
In any case, when only a short time elapses between completion of the label wrapping step and heat sealing the overlapping ends of the label, it is nec-essary that the trailing edge of the label remains on the container during that time. This is achieved by mechanically pressing the label against the container, for example, or preferably by attaching the label to the container tentatively with narrow adhesive strips applied in the region just behind the trailing edge but with overlapping leading and trailing edges, which are to be subject to heat sealing, kept free of adhe-- 6 - 2074~21 ,~. .
sive. The advantage of having the adhesive near the trailing end of the label but not extending to the end is that only one layer of adhesive, the layer on the leading end, lies in the region where the ends overlap for heat sealing. The result is a more inconspicuous seal which is one objective of the invention.
When applying labels whose upper and lower longitudinal edges do not follow the contour of the container after the label is wrapped, it is advanta-geous for the unadhered lower and upper edge or edges of the label to be backed up or supported on the in-side facing the container so that the overlapping ends of the label can be sealed along the full height or width of the label. This assures that the upper and lower edges of the label in the region of overlapping will not separate or split open when the edges are subjected to heat shrinking.
An important feature of the invention is that the sealing time for the labels can be held con-stant independent of the present operating speed of the machine. This allows the labeling machine to be incorporated into a production line which has preced-ing and subsequent processing stages without the qual-ity of the sealed seam being adversely affected, that is, without the application of too much or too little heat when there are variations in the operating speed at the input or output side of the new labeling ma-chine.
How the foregoing briefly mentioned features of the new labeling method, resulting article and ma-chine are achieved and implemented, will appear in the following more detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.
_ Description of the Drawings FIGURES 1-4 are schematic top plan views of the new labeling machine with its cover removed and respectively depicting four different embodiments of the invention;
FIGURES 5-7 show cross-sections through the overlapping leading and trailing ends of a label con-tainer wherein there are, respectively, different ad-hesive patterns;
FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a label container which has an adhesive pattern on the label corresponding with the pattern shown in FIGURE 6;
FIGURE 9 shows a vertical section through the outer rim or periphery of the turntable of a la-beling machine, such as in FIGURES 1-4, showing how the container is subjected to an axially downwardly applied axial force which holds it firmly to a rotat-ing disk, this figure also illustrating how the upper longitudinal edge of a label which extends over the inwardly tapered part of the container is backed up with an element which prevents the upper edge of the label from collapsing inwardly when the overlap is being sealed; and FIGURE 10 is a diagram used for illustrating and explaining that the radius of curvature of the heat sealing member where it interfaces with the label on the container being sealed is greater than the ra-dius of curvature of the container.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment The labeling machine illustrated in FIGURE
1 has a turntable 15 which is driven rotationally about a vertical axis and carries several rotationally driven plates 16 which are shown in dashed line cir-cles where they are not supporting a container 1 which is to be labeled. One of the dedicated control devic-- 8 - 207~921 .,~
es 20, depicted only in FIGURE 9, which causes the respective rotary plates 16 to undergo a particular rotational sequence during a revolution of turntable 15. The containers 1 to be labeled are transferred to the rotary plates 16 in succession from a circular infeed conveyor 17 which is shown schematically.
There is a conventional centering container stabiliz-ing bell 19, shown in FIGURE 9, for each rotary plate 16. The centering bell 19 can be raised and lowered with the help of which containers 1, after being transferred from infeed conveyor 17, are clamped with an axially directed force to the associated container supporting rotary plate 16.
Positioned in the region directly behind the infeed conveyor 17, radially outwardly of clockwise rotating turntable 15, is an adhesive applicator 12, commonly called a glue roller, which applies a strip of glue directly on the passing containers 1. The adhesive applicator 12 is basically a rotating roller which, when glass bottles or metal cans are the con-tainers, applies preferably hot adhesive to the con-tainer or label or applies a solvent to the container or label when the container is composed of plastic material. The adhesive pattern formed on the contain-er or label by the applicator 12 depends on the con-figuration of the surfaces of the container and the adhesive roller. If the body of the container and the periphery of the adhesive applicator roller are cylin-drical, they make a tangential contact along a line which results in a narrow vertical strip of adhesive being transferred to the container. When hot melt adhesive is used, it is only necessary to apply adhe-sive to a few points to the leading edge of the label to hold it in place so that the adhesive applicator roller will have several projecting annular lands, not 2~7~921 ',._ g visible, axially spaced apart one above the other.
The resulting glue pattern in such case is illustrated by the three adhesive strips depicted in FIGURE 8.
Upstream of glue applicator 12 in the rota-tional direction of the turntable 15, a label transfer device 9 is positioned for depositing individual la-bels 2, which have been separated from a roll of la-bels, on containers 1. The label transfer device 9 in this particular embodiment constitutes a rotationally driven vacuum cylinder 14 which rotates synchronously with turntable 15 and, in this embodiment, in the same direction. The labels 2, which are cut to size al-ready, cling to vacuum cylinder 14 after having been separated from an incoming web of labels by a cutting device 7 positioned adjacent the vacuum cylinder 14.
The web is fed through web delivery pinch rolls 6 at a rate which is synchronous with the machine output from a supply roll, not shown, so that the labels 2 are positioned with their graphics facing the vacuum cylinder. The device which severs the individual la-bels from the web consists of a stationary blade 29 and a rotating blade 30 on the rotating vacuum cylin-der.
Oppositely of the main vacuum cylinder 14 and radially inwardly of the rotary plate 16 orbit 23 there is a curved stationary guide element 21 whose outer surface lies adjacent the containers 1. As the labels 2 are wrapped about the containers in succes-sion, guide element 21 guides the free end of the la-bel which is not yet on the container 1 and simulta-neously pulls the label taut so that it fits tightly on the container. The guide element 21 is preferably supplied with vacuum orifices, not shown, to enhance attraction of the labels. The length of guide element 21 is such that its downstream or trailing end guides . .",~", the trailing end of the label at least until the label is completely wrapped around the container such that the overlap between the leading and trailing ends of the label is formed in the region 3 which is identi-fied in FIGURE 8.
Radially inwardly of the rotary plate 16 orbit 23 is a circular guide frame 28, shown in sec-tion, which holds radially reciprocable heat sealing members 22. Guide frame 28 rotates in synchronism with turntable 15. The number of heat sealing members 22 carried on guide frame 28 corresponds to the number of rotary plates 16 on turntable 15. The sealing mem-bers 22 are positioned to cooperate with the respec-tive rotary plates 16. There is an electric heater cartridge 37 on each sealing member. Positioned in-side of the guide frame 28 is a control device 24 which drives the heat sealing members 22 radially out-wardly. Control device 24 comprises first and second superimposed radial cams 25 and 26 which are adjust-able rotationally in relation to each other in the rotational direction of turntable 15 or in the oppo-site direction. Each heat sealing member 22 has on its radially inward end a guide roller 27 which is spring biased into contact with radial cams 25 and 26.
The spring which holds each roller in contact with cams 25 and 26 is not shown.
The first or upper radial cam 25 of control device 24 is held stationary on a central machine sup-port 31 in this embodiment while the lower or second radial cam 26 is rotationally adjustable about sta-tionary center support 31 by means of an actuation device, not shown, between two limit positions. The upper or first radial cam 25 determines the beginning of the heat sealing step by forcing a heat sealing member 22 radially outwardly into contact with the - ll - 207~921 label overlap, while the trailing edge of the lower or second radial cam 26 determines the end of the heat sealing step. Offsetting the lower cam 26 relative to the upper cam 25 enables the turntable rotational an-gle during which a heat sealing member 22 bears on the overlapping trailing and leading label ends in the region 3 of label 2 to be enlarged or reduced in size in proportion to the present rotational speed of turn-table 15. Because the second or lower radial cam 26 is continuously adjustable within limits, the sealing time can be kept constant within limits by varying the control angle. In other words, the heat application angle is increased or largest when the output rate is high and is reduced as the output rate decreases.
The advancing edge of the first or upper cam 25 is positioned so that the sealing members 22 are pushed radially outwardly shortly before the trailing end of the fixed guide element 21 is reached and are applied to the overlapping end region 3 of a label 2 immediately beyond the end of guide element 21. The edge of the lower or second radial cam 26 begins shortly before the outfeed conveyor 18 is reached, and at the latest, so that the heat sealing members 22 can be pulled by spring action radially inwardly again to provide for removal of containers 1 from turntable 15 and for transferring of the containers to outfeed con-veyor 18. At the moment transfer of a container from the turntable to the outfeed conveyor 18 occurs, the centering bell 19, depicted in FIGURE 9, is lifted so that the container is free to be carried away on the outfeed conveyor.
The rotational or oscillation sequence of the container support plates 16 is such that a con-tainer 1 is set into rotary motion counter to the turntable 15 after passing the adhesive applicator 12 - 12 - 2 0 7~92I
,~
or upon reaching the label transferring vacuum cylin-der 14, at the latest. After termination of the label wrapping step resulting from at least one complete revolution of the container, the rotary motion of the container relative to the turntable 15 stops for the sealing step with the overlapping label end region 3 pointing inwardly toward the sealing member 22 which is traveling along with it. In other words, the heat sealing member 11 is maintained in contact with the region 3 in which the leading end of the label is overlapped by the trailing end after the turntable orbits the container beyond guide 21. It should be remembered that the trailing end of the label will not have adhesive directly on it in the overlapping or sealing region and that the adhesive applied to the leading end is set back out of the overlapping region by a small amount.
The alternative embodiment of the new label-ing machine depicted in FIGURE 2 is basically the same as that shown in FIGURE 1 but differs in respect to the motion relationships in the area of the label transfer device 9 and in the wrapping of the labels around containers 1. In contrast to the FIGURE 1 em-bodiment, the vacuum cylinder 14 in the FIGURE 2 em-bodiment is driven counter-rotationally to the direc-tion of turntable 15. In other words, in FIGURE 2 the turntable 15 is rotating clockwise and the vacuum drum 14 is rotating counterclockwise. In this case, at the moment of label transfer from vacuum cylinder 14 to a container 1 and during subsequent wrapping of the la-bel around the container, the container is moved by rotary plate 13 in the rotational direction of the turntable so that a container 1 is rolled slip-free on the vacuum cylinder 14 when the leading edge of the label is delivered. Because the containers 1 rotate 207~9~1 in the same direction as the turntable 15 in the FIG-URE 2 embodiment, the stationary guide element 21 is positioned radially outwardly of the container orbit which is outlined by the dashed circular line 23.
The FIGURE 2 embodiment makes it possible to process labels which are longer than those which can be handled in the FIGURE 1 embodiment with a turntable 15 having the same divisional scale and it offers more favorable transfer conditions at the vacuum cylinder 14.
Since the electrically heatable sealing mem-bers 22 are positioned radially inwardly of the rotary plate orbital path 23, as in the FIGURE 1 embodiment, but the overlap region at the ends of label 2 point radially outwardly after wrapping the label, the con-tainer must be turned at least 180~ for sealing, so that the overlapped region is positioned opposite of a heat sealing member 22. To prevent the trailing edge 5 of the label from falling off the container during the 180~ of rotation, it must be attached to the container until the sealing member 22 is pressed against the label overlapping ends of the container.
For instance, attachment of the trailing end of the label to the container can be achieved mechanically by a method, not shown, wherein a pressing or guiding element is provided for each rotary plate and contain-er 1 thereon and revolves with them and is applied to the container at least by the time the container reaches the departing end of the stationary guide ele-ment 21, to hold the trailing part of the label 2 on the container until the overlap region 3 is aligned with and contacted with a sealing member 22. A press-ing or guiding element, not shown, of this kind is mounted for radial movement on circular guide frame 28 and actuated by an associated control device, not shown, simllar to the control devlce deplcted in FIGURE 9 for actuatlng heat seallng members 22.
Alternatlvely, the tralllng edge 5 of the label 2 can be held on the contalner by attachlng the tralllng edge slmllarly to the leadlng edge, but wlth a narrow adhesive reglon or polnts, applled before the overlap reglon 3 of the label 2 ls secured by seallng. In other words, the adheslve dots or llne ls applled near the tralllng edge but not so close to the tralllng edge as to be colncldent wlth any part of the area at the tralllng edge whlch overlaps the leadlng edge. In comparlson to the FIGURE 1 embodlment, thls modlflcatlon requlres no addltlonal mechanlcal parts. When the leadlng edge 4 of the label ls applled to contalner 1 by vacuum cyllnder 14, the rotation of the contalner 1 wlth rotary plate 16 must merely be ad~usted relatlve to rotatlon of the vacuum cyllnder 14 ln the area of the transfer devlce 9 so that leadlng edge 4 of the label does not completely cover the adheslve strlps prevlously applled to the contalner by the adheslve appllcator 12 for attachlng the label to the contalner. Thus, part of the adheslve applled to the contalner for attachlng the leadlng edge of the label ls exposed. Thls not yet covered part of the adheslve strlp or strlps ls contacted by the tralllng edge 5 of the label at a dlstance from the extremlty of the tralllng edge durlng subsequent wrapplng but the overlapplng region 3 ls kept free of adheslve for subsequent heat ~eallng although there ls a single layer of adheslve between the leadlng end of the label and the contalner. (See FIGURES 6 and 8).
Another alternatlve embodlment ls lllustrated ln ~ ~ 7 4 ~ ~ 1 FIGURE 3. It dlffers from the FIGURE 2 embodlment ln that lt has a dlfferent heat sealing devlce ll. The heat seallng devlce ln FIGURE 3 ls a curved heatlng element 32 whlch ls held stationarlly radlally outward of the orbltal path 23 of the contalners and ls enclrcled by a thln, heat reslstant but heat transmlsslve belt 33 of fllm-llke materlal such as that -14a- 60895-lG69 207~21 which is known by the trademark TEFLON. The belt 33 is diverted or directed by deflection rollers 34 and 35 at each end of the heating element. The deflection roller 35 is driven rotationally synchronously with the current rotational speed of turntable 15 so that belt 33 bears against container 1 and travels slip-free with it.
The process of wrapping a label 2 on a con-tainer 1 in the FIGURE 3 embodiment is the same as in the FIGURE 2 embodiment, for example, until the aft end of the guide element 21 is reached. However, af-ter wrapping a label on a container is complete, the rotary motion of container 1, activated by a control device 20 of the rotary container support plate 16, is stopped near the aft end of the guide element 21 so that the region 3 where the ends of the label overlap faces radially outwardly of the turntable and in this position is conducted past the heat sealing device or element 11 while the container is orbiting with the turntable but it is not rotating relative to the turn-table.
As shown in the FIGURE 3 embodiment, heat sealing can be apportioned between one or more heating elements 11 which are positioned in succession on the turntable adjacent the course 23 followed by the ro-tating containers. The heating elements can be shift-ed away from the containers radially outwardly with actuation devices, not shown, to adapt the sealing rate to different machine outputs. At full capacity, both heat sealing elements 11 assume their radial in-side position, whereas at half capacity, for instance, one element 33 is shifted radially outward or deenergized to avoid overheating. This allows at least one-step adaptation of sealing time to different machine output. If the labeling machine should fail 2~7~921 to stop because of a malfunction, all heat sealing members 11 can be shifted to the outer disengaged po-sition simultaneously.
In the FIGURE 4 embodiment of the labeling machine, the sealing device consists of several heated sealing rollers 36 positioned in staggered sequence inside and outside of the container orbit 23. In con-trast to the previously described embodiments, the containers 1 are still continuously rotated about their own axes in the same direction by the control device for the rotary plate 16, even after completion of the wrapping process, as they travel through the sealing region. The stationary heatable sealing roll-ers 36 are positioned in staggered sequence on the turntable 15 so the overlapped region 3 is always briefly pressed by one of the sealing rollers 36 in alternation when it faces the respective radial inside or outside. To avoid slipping between the label sur-face and the surface of the sealing rollers 36, the rollers are driven synchronously with the speed of the label surface which is clinging to the container. By means, not shown in detail, the sealing rollers 36 can be drawn away from the containers radially inwardly or outwardly, respectively, so that the sealing time can be adapted to the present output of the labeling ma-chine or to the operating speed of turntable 15 as is the case in the FIGURE 3 embodiment.
FIGURES 5-7 show a section through a part of a container where the leading and trailing ends of the label overlap. In these figures, sealing of the label ends is completed. The three embodiments in FIGURES
5-7 differ only in respect to the adhesive regions 13 used on the labels 2.
In the FIGURE 5 option, only the leading edge 4 of the label is attached to the periphery or outside of the container wall 38 through narrow adhe-sive regions 13. The trailing end of the label is held to the leading end exclusively by the heat seal in the overlap region 3. It will be understood that the adhesive region 13 can be shifted laterally a cer-tain distance from the leading edge of the label so it no longer lies directly in the overlapping region 3.
As is also shown, the trailing edge 5 in FIGURE 5 can be sealed to the leading edge of the label by a seal-lo ing member 22 that is movable radially in relation to container 1 and can be adjustably heated by previously mentioned rod-shaped electric heating cartridge 37.
To prevent the label material from sticking to the sealing member 22 due to the heat of the sealing pro-cess, at least the part of the sealing member which interfaces with the label surface can desirably be coated with TEFLON. The sealing effect is influenced not only by the adjustable and controllable tempera-ture of the sealing members 22 but also by the pres-sure of the members against the container. The seal-ing members 22 are therefore biased by springs, not shown, which at the same time compensate for tolerable variations in the diameters of the containers which may occur.
In the FIGURE 6 embodiment, the adhesive region 13 holds not only the leading edge 4 but also the aft section of the label 2 in the vicinity of its trailing edge 5 to the container wall 38, although the overlap region 3 between the trailing edge 5 and lead-ing edge 4 of the label remains free of adhesive.
This is necessary to achieve a flawless seal. The adhesive pattern in FIGURE 6 is also discernable in FIGURE 8. It is not absolutely necessary that a con-tinuous vertical line of adhesive be applied parallel to the leading edge 4 of the label to obtain satisfac-tory adhesion and wrapping. Two or three narrow, ver-tically aligned and slightly horizontally extending adhesive stripes or dots are sufficient. These can be applied with an adhesive roller 12 having radially projecting annular lands acting directly on the con-tainers or with spray nozzles, not shown.
The application of adhesive only at certain points or dots, as indicated in FIGURE 8, can also be used with the adhesive arrangement of FIGURES S and 7.
FIGURE 7 shows an adhesive pattern similar to that of FIGURE 6 but differs in that no adhesive is applied between the leading edge 4 of the label and the con-tainer wall 38 in the overlapped region. Each adhe-sive region 13 is a certain distance from the leading edge 4 or the trailing edge 5 of the label. The ad-vantage of this is, because there is no superimposed mass of material and adhesive, the overlapping region 3 lies tightly against the container wall 38 after it is sealed which makes a less visible or invisible seal.
The adhesive patterns of FIGURES 5-7 can be applied, not only directly onto the container, as shown in the FIGURES 1-4 embodiments, but also direct-ly on the corresponding regions of the inside surface of the label. The adhesive roller or applicators re-quired for this must then be positioned on the periph-ery of the vacuum cylinder 14. The separated individ-ual labels 2 are held inside out on the vacuum cylin-der. To obtain the adhesive pattern of FIGURE 5, for example, the vacuum cylinder 14 may have radially mov-able slides, not shown, in proximity with the leading edge of the label so that a smooth adhesive roller with minimal radial interspace can be placed on the vacuum cylinder 14 to apply adhesive to the leading edge 4 of the label. These slides can also be used to 2~74921 ~
transfer the leading edge 4 of the label from the vac-uum cylinder 14 to the container 1 as the container is conveyed past it on the turntable 15.
In FIGURE 8, the label 2 is attached to the container wall 38 of container 1 using the adhesive pattern of FIGURE 6. Although the label 2 is held to the container wall 38 only at certain points by three narrow adhesive strips or dots 13 applied one above the other near the leading end of the label, the trailing end of the label is sealed continuously along its entire length to the leading end.
In processing containers having radially tapered sections at the top or bottom that are to be covered by a label that fits the container contour after the labeling process is complete, the label can be attached first directly to the cylindrical part with the narrow adhesive regions unwrapped by the pre-viously described method. Then to seal the overlapped region, a support is needed on the inside of the over-lap where it is not yet in contact with the outer con-tainer wall after wrapping so that it can be sealed along its entire length. After sealing, the extending portions of the label can be shrunk to the container contour by means of heat confined to the extending portions.
FIGURE 9 shows a container 1 clamped axially between a rotary plate 16 and a centering bell 19 where the upper edge of the label extends upward be-yond the cylindrical region of the container which is clamped between the top and bottom. To support the overlapped region 13 in this extending part of the label, a support surface designed in the form of a tongue 39 is mounted on the centering bell 19.
Attention is invited to FIGURE 10 for a dis-cussion of manner in which the hot curved surface 41 of heating element 22 interfaces with the overlapped label ends on container 1. The container 1 is shown as a solid line circle that has a radius Fb. The ra-dius of the heater element surface 41 is RS which is a little greater than RG. The heater element face 41 is an arc of the phantom line circle which is an extrapo-lation of the arc. Thus, the center of the heater element surface makes contact with the label on con-tainer 1 about where the lead line from the numeral 41 touches the container. This makes the sealed label overlap area less conspicuous which is desirable.
Claims (38)
1. A method of applying labels to containers having at least a portion which is cylindrical, comprising the steps of:
continuously drawing from a source a web composed of a series of labels, severing from the web repeatedly individual labels which have leading and trailing ends, after a label is severed, contacting its leading end on the container while the container is rotating to adhere the label to the container by way of a small adhesive region interposed between the label and container near the leading end of the label and initiating wrapping the label on the container while transporting the container along a predetermined path, and after the label is completely wrapped on the container, holding the trailing end in overlapping relationship to the leading end, and applying heat to the overlap region for heat sealing the trailing and leading ends together.
continuously drawing from a source a web composed of a series of labels, severing from the web repeatedly individual labels which have leading and trailing ends, after a label is severed, contacting its leading end on the container while the container is rotating to adhere the label to the container by way of a small adhesive region interposed between the label and container near the leading end of the label and initiating wrapping the label on the container while transporting the container along a predetermined path, and after the label is completely wrapped on the container, holding the trailing end in overlapping relationship to the leading end, and applying heat to the overlap region for heat sealing the trailing and leading ends together.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the trailing end of the label is fixed to the container by also applying adhesive at a place spaced by a small distance from an adhesive free region at the trailing end of the label which region overlaps the leading end after completely wrapping of the label around the container.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive is applied directly to the container in a position such that when the leading end of the label contacts the container said region is near the leading end of the label.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive is applied directly to said label.
5. The method according to claim 1 in which adhesive is applied to the container in a region of such size that the leading end of the label covers part of the region when said leading end contacts the container and the part of the region not covered by the leading end comes into contact with the label near the trailing end when the label is fully wrapped on the container.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein at least one longitudinally extending edge margin of the label extends axially beyond the cylindrical part of the container and over an inwardly contoured part of the container to create a space between said edge of the label and the container, and including the step of inserting a backing member in said space coincident with the overlap region during the sealing step.
7. The method according to any one of the claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said label is composed of heat shrinkable material and at least one longitudinally extending edge margin of the label extends axially beyond the cylindrical part of the container over an inwardly contoured part, and after sealing said label in the region of its overlapping trailing ends applying heat only to said margin to shrink the margin until it conforms to said contour.
8. The method according to claim 1 including providing for adjusting the time during which the heat is applied for sealing the overlap region of said label ends to keep the sealing time substantially constant for all transport speeds of the container.
9. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 8 wherein an adhesive is used which results in adhesiveness diminishing after heat sealing of said label in said overlap region.
10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive is applied in dots, one above the other, in a line in proximity to said leading edge of the label.
11. Apparatus for applying a label composed of sealable material to a container comprising:
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which individual labels are transferred to containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device to provide for the leading end (4) of the transferred label to be put in contact with and adhere to said container, and means for rotating each container as it is conveyed to effect wrapping of the label around the container for the trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end, means for applying at least one narrow region of adhesive to said container before said leading end is put in contact with the container, the size and location of said region of adhesive being such as to provide for said leading end of the label covering only part of said region while leaving another part exposed for adhering said trailing end of the label to the container at a place spaced for the extremity of the trailing end so when the label is wrapped around, the trailing end overlaps the leading end of the label at a position where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading ends, and a heat sealing device (11) arranged to contact said label in the region of overlap where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading end to seal the said trailing end (5) of the label to the leading end (4).
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which individual labels are transferred to containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device to provide for the leading end (4) of the transferred label to be put in contact with and adhere to said container, and means for rotating each container as it is conveyed to effect wrapping of the label around the container for the trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end, means for applying at least one narrow region of adhesive to said container before said leading end is put in contact with the container, the size and location of said region of adhesive being such as to provide for said leading end of the label covering only part of said region while leaving another part exposed for adhering said trailing end of the label to the container at a place spaced for the extremity of the trailing end so when the label is wrapped around, the trailing end overlaps the leading end of the label at a position where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading ends, and a heat sealing device (11) arranged to contact said label in the region of overlap where there is no adhesive between the trailing and leading end to seal the said trailing end (5) of the label to the leading end (4).
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said transfer device is a rotationally driven -23a-vacuum cylinder for carrying individual labels through a circular path and releasing said leading end of the label for it to contact said container.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11 including container supports on said conveyor means and a centering bell mounted to said conveyor means proximate to each support, said centering bell being operative to engage and stabilize a container after it is loaded onto a support.
14. The apparatus according to claim 11 including an adhesive applicator arranged adjacent said conveyor means for applying adhesive to a passing container on a support before the container reaches said transfer device.
15. Apparatus for applying a heat sealable label to containers, comprising:
a turntable driven rotationally about a vertical axis, a plurality of container supports arranged in circumferentially spaced apart relationship on the turntable for transporting containers in a circular path, infeed means for loading containers onto the supports in sequence, means for turning said supports, respectively, about a vertical axis, a transfer device operative to transport labels individually in succession in a manner such that the leading end of the label contacts a container which is positioned proximate to the transfer device due to rotation of the turntable, means for interposing an adhesive between said leading end of the label and the container for adhering said leading end to the container to initiate wrapping of the label around the container due to turning of the support, a plurality of heatable heat sealing members arranged in a circle radially inwardly of said circular path of said container supports and aligned, respectively, with the corresponding number of container supports, said heat sealing members being carried on the turntable, control means for urging a heat sealing member into contact with the region in which the leading end of the label is overlapped by the trailing end of the label immediately after wrapping the label on the container is completed to initiate sealing of the trailing end to the leading end, said control means providing for retracting of said heat sealing member after said member has remained in contact with the overlapped region over a predetermined rotational angle of the heat sealing member with the turntable, and means for conveying the containers from the turntable after the heat sealing is complete.
a turntable driven rotationally about a vertical axis, a plurality of container supports arranged in circumferentially spaced apart relationship on the turntable for transporting containers in a circular path, infeed means for loading containers onto the supports in sequence, means for turning said supports, respectively, about a vertical axis, a transfer device operative to transport labels individually in succession in a manner such that the leading end of the label contacts a container which is positioned proximate to the transfer device due to rotation of the turntable, means for interposing an adhesive between said leading end of the label and the container for adhering said leading end to the container to initiate wrapping of the label around the container due to turning of the support, a plurality of heatable heat sealing members arranged in a circle radially inwardly of said circular path of said container supports and aligned, respectively, with the corresponding number of container supports, said heat sealing members being carried on the turntable, control means for urging a heat sealing member into contact with the region in which the leading end of the label is overlapped by the trailing end of the label immediately after wrapping the label on the container is completed to initiate sealing of the trailing end to the leading end, said control means providing for retracting of said heat sealing member after said member has remained in contact with the overlapped region over a predetermined rotational angle of the heat sealing member with the turntable, and means for conveying the containers from the turntable after the heat sealing is complete.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said transfer device is a rotationally driven vacuum cylinder for carrying individual labels through a circular path and releasing said leading end of the label for it to contact said container, and including a cutter and means for feeding to said cutter a web containing a series of labels, and means for transferring the individual labels to said transfer device after the labels are cut from the web.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15 including a centering bell mounted to said turntable proximate to each turntable, said centering bell being operative to engage and stabilize a container after it is loaded onto a container support.
18. The apparatus according to claim 15 including an adhesive applicator arranged adjacent said turntable between said infeed means and said transfer device for applying adhesive to a passing container on a support.
19. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said means for turning said supports begins turning said support and the container thereon when said container arrives at said vacuum cylinder for being contacted by the leading end of the label and said support continues turning at least until the label is completely wrapped around the container.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said means for turning said support for the container is stopped from turning when the overlapped region of said leading and trailing ends is presented toward a heat sealing member.
21. Apparatus according to any one of claims 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 including at least one stationary guide element positioned in the region beyond said transfer device, as viewed in the direction of rotation of the turntable, contiguous to the circular path of the containers for reacting against the portion of the label extending away from where the adhesive is interposed between said leading end of the label and the container, said guide element acting to pull the label taut and press it onto the container.
22. Apparatus according to any one of claims 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 including a pressing element adjacent each container support and mounted to the turntable for revolving therewith and acting to press the label on the containers, respectively.
23. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said control means for urging the heat sealing member into contact with the region of overlapped label ends includes adjustment means for determining the time between said heat sealing member contacting said region and operation of said means for retracting said heat sealing member to allow holding the heat sealing time constant for different rotational speeds of the turntable.
24. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said control means comprises first and second cams together presenting an arcuate profile surface onto which said heat sealing members run to effect urging said heat sealing members onto respective containers, at least one of said cams being rotatable relative to the other to allow selectively lengthening and shortening said surface to provide for varying the time during which said heat sealing members remain in contact with said overlapped ends of the label.
25. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said heat sealing device is adapted for sealing overlapping leading and trailing ends of a label that overlaps on a cylindrical portion of the container where the cylindrical portion has a predetermined radius of curvature R G and a surface on said heat sealing device that interfaces with the container to effect a seal has a radius of curvature R S which is slightly greater than R G.
26. Apparatus for applying to a container a label having leading and trailing ends and composed of heat sealable material, comprising:
means for adhering to a cylindrical region of the container the leading end of the label, means for wrapping the label around said cylindrical region such that the trailing end of the label overlaps the leading end of the label, a heating element having a curved surface and means for advancing the element for its curved surface to contact the overlapped trailing end of the label for sealing the over-lapped trailing end to the underlying leading end along a line parallel to the cylindrical region, said cylindrical region of the container having a predetermined radius of curvature, R G, said curved surface of the heating element having a radius of curvature R S which is slightly greater than the R G.
means for adhering to a cylindrical region of the container the leading end of the label, means for wrapping the label around said cylindrical region such that the trailing end of the label overlaps the leading end of the label, a heating element having a curved surface and means for advancing the element for its curved surface to contact the overlapped trailing end of the label for sealing the over-lapped trailing end to the underlying leading end along a line parallel to the cylindrical region, said cylindrical region of the container having a predetermined radius of curvature, R G, said curved surface of the heating element having a radius of curvature R S which is slightly greater than the R G.
27. The apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said means for adhering said leading end of the label includes means for applying at least one strip of adhesive to the container, the strip extending a short distance circumferentially of the container, and means for moving said leading end of the label into contact with said strip at a place where only a part of the strip is covered by the leading end of the label and part of the adhesive strip is exposed, said means for wrapping the label around said cylindrical region wrapping the label such that the trailing end overlays the exposed part of the adhesive and extends circumferentially of the container over an area that has no underlying adhesive, said heating element contacting said trailing end in said area.
28. Apparatus for applying a label composed of heat sealable material to a container comprising:
means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from a web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which the leading ends of the individual labels are placed in contact with the containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for interposing at least one narrow region (13) of adhesive at a position between the leading end of label and the container such that adhesion between the label and container occurs at a position that is spaced from the extremity of the leading end of the label so there is an adhesive-free region between the label and container extending from said extremity of the leading end of the label to the position of the adhesive, support members (16) on said conveyor means for supporting the containers and means (20) for rotating the support members operative at least as soon as the leading end of the label makes contact with the container and adhesion occurs to effect wrapping of the label around the rotating container for the adhesive-free trailing end of the label to overlap the adhesive-free extremity of the leading end, and heat sealing members for pressing against the containers and for applying heat to the overlapping trailing end of each label in the adhesive-free region of the trailing end to heat seal the trailing end to the leading end.
means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from a web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which the leading ends of the individual labels are placed in contact with the containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for interposing at least one narrow region (13) of adhesive at a position between the leading end of label and the container such that adhesion between the label and container occurs at a position that is spaced from the extremity of the leading end of the label so there is an adhesive-free region between the label and container extending from said extremity of the leading end of the label to the position of the adhesive, support members (16) on said conveyor means for supporting the containers and means (20) for rotating the support members operative at least as soon as the leading end of the label makes contact with the container and adhesion occurs to effect wrapping of the label around the rotating container for the adhesive-free trailing end of the label to overlap the adhesive-free extremity of the leading end, and heat sealing members for pressing against the containers and for applying heat to the overlapping trailing end of each label in the adhesive-free region of the trailing end to heat seal the trailing end to the leading end.
29. Apparatus for applying a label composed of heat sealable material to a container comprising:
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which the leading ends of the individual labels are placed in contact with the containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for interposing at least one narrow region of adhesive at a position between the leading end of the label and the container such that a narrow region of the leading end of the label extending from at least near the extremity of the leading end adheres to the container at said position of the adhesive, support members (16) on the conveyor means for supporting the containers for rotation and means (20) operative to rotate the support members at least as soon as the leading end of the label makes contact with the container and adhesion occurs to effect wrapping the label around the container for the adhesive-free trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end, and heat sealing means for pressing against the respective containers on the adhesive-free trailing end of the label that overlays said narrow region of adhesive to heat seal the trailing end of the label to the leading end.
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which the leading ends of the individual labels are placed in contact with the containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for interposing at least one narrow region of adhesive at a position between the leading end of the label and the container such that a narrow region of the leading end of the label extending from at least near the extremity of the leading end adheres to the container at said position of the adhesive, support members (16) on the conveyor means for supporting the containers for rotation and means (20) operative to rotate the support members at least as soon as the leading end of the label makes contact with the container and adhesion occurs to effect wrapping the label around the container for the adhesive-free trailing end of the label to overlap the leading end, and heat sealing means for pressing against the respective containers on the adhesive-free trailing end of the label that overlays said narrow region of adhesive to heat seal the trailing end of the label to the leading end.
30. Apparatus for applying a label composed of heat sealable material to a container comprising:
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which the leading ends of the individual labels are placed in contact with the containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for applying at least one strip (13) of adhesive to the containers, respectively, at a position of the container and the container arriving at said transfer device relative to said position of the adhesive such that the leading end of the label overlays and adheres to a first portion of the adhesive strip and leaves a second portion exposed, support members (16) on said conveyor means for supporting the containers for rotation and means (20) for rotating said support members at least as soon as the leading end of the label contacts the first portion of the adhesive to effect wrapping of the label around the container such that an adhesive-free region adjacent the end extremity of the trailing end of the label overlays the adhered leading end of the label and a region of the trailing end adjacent the adhesive-free region adheres to said second exposed portion of the strip of adhesive, and heat sealing means for pressing against the respective containers at the adhesive-free region of the trailing end of the label to heat seal the trailing end of the label to the leading end.
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which the leading ends of the individual labels are placed in contact with the containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for applying at least one strip (13) of adhesive to the containers, respectively, at a position of the container and the container arriving at said transfer device relative to said position of the adhesive such that the leading end of the label overlays and adheres to a first portion of the adhesive strip and leaves a second portion exposed, support members (16) on said conveyor means for supporting the containers for rotation and means (20) for rotating said support members at least as soon as the leading end of the label contacts the first portion of the adhesive to effect wrapping of the label around the container such that an adhesive-free region adjacent the end extremity of the trailing end of the label overlays the adhered leading end of the label and a region of the trailing end adjacent the adhesive-free region adheres to said second exposed portion of the strip of adhesive, and heat sealing means for pressing against the respective containers at the adhesive-free region of the trailing end of the label to heat seal the trailing end of the label to the leading end.
31. Apparatus for applying a label composed of heat sealable material to a container comprising:
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which individual labels are transferred to containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for interposing at least one first narrow strip of adhesive between the leading end of the label and container at a position spaced from the extremity of the leading end so there is an adhesive-free region at the end of the label and for interposing at least one narrow second strip of adhesive between the trailing end of the label and container at a position spaced from the extremity of the trailing end of the label so there is an adhesive-free region at the trailing end of the label, the containers arriving at the transfer device at such time that the label becomes adhered to the container by way of the first strip of adhesive adjacent the adhesive-free region at the extremity of the leading end of the label, support members (16) on said conveyor means for supporting the containers for rotation and means (20) for rotating the support members at least as soon as the adhesion of the label and container occurs at the position where the first adhesive strip is interposed between the label and container adjacent the adhesive-free region to effect wrapping the label around the container such that adhesion of the trailing end of the label and the container occurs at the position where the second strip of adhesive is interposed adjacent the adhesive-free region at the trailing end of the label so the adhesive-free region at the trailing end of the label overlaps the adhesive-free region on the leading end of the label, and heat sealing means for pressing against the respective containers at the adhesive-free region of the trailing end of the label to heat seal the adhesive-free region of the trailing end of the label to the adhesive-free region of the leading end.
means for drawing a web (8) of labels from a source, means (7) for severing individual labels (2) from the web, a transfer device (14) to which individual labels are transferred in sequence and from which individual labels are transferred to containers (1), respectively, conveyor means (10) for conveying containers past said transfer device, means (12) for interposing at least one first narrow strip of adhesive between the leading end of the label and container at a position spaced from the extremity of the leading end so there is an adhesive-free region at the end of the label and for interposing at least one narrow second strip of adhesive between the trailing end of the label and container at a position spaced from the extremity of the trailing end of the label so there is an adhesive-free region at the trailing end of the label, the containers arriving at the transfer device at such time that the label becomes adhered to the container by way of the first strip of adhesive adjacent the adhesive-free region at the extremity of the leading end of the label, support members (16) on said conveyor means for supporting the containers for rotation and means (20) for rotating the support members at least as soon as the adhesion of the label and container occurs at the position where the first adhesive strip is interposed between the label and container adjacent the adhesive-free region to effect wrapping the label around the container such that adhesion of the trailing end of the label and the container occurs at the position where the second strip of adhesive is interposed adjacent the adhesive-free region at the trailing end of the label so the adhesive-free region at the trailing end of the label overlaps the adhesive-free region on the leading end of the label, and heat sealing means for pressing against the respective containers at the adhesive-free region of the trailing end of the label to heat seal the adhesive-free region of the trailing end of the label to the adhesive-free region of the leading end.
32. The apparatus according to any one of claims 25, 26, 27 or 28 wherein said conveyor means is a turntable (15) mounted for rotating about a vertical axis, said support members (16) arranged in circumferentially spaced apart relationship on the turntable for transporting the containers in a circular path, infeed means (17) for directing containers onto the support members in sequence, said heat sealing means are heated members arranged radially inwardly of the circular path of the container support members on the turntable and in radial alignment, respectively, with the support members, said heated members being carried on the turntable for rotation therewith, and control means including means for urging the heat sealing members in succession into heat exchange sealing contact with the label overlap region of the respective containers as the trailing ends of the labels become overlapped, said control means releasing said heat sealing members in succession from being urged after said members have been maintained in contact with the respective overlapped label ends for a time period determined by the rotational rate of the turntable.
33. Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein:
said transfer device comprises a vacuum drum (14) driven in one rotational direction and said container supports (16) are driven in the opposite rotational direction when the labels are transferred from the drum (14) for the leading end regions of the respective labels to adhere to the containers on the supports, a label wrapping element in the form of a guide member (21) fixedly mounted at a position displaced in the direction of turntable rotation by a small amount from the place where the leading end of the label from said vacuum drum (14) is adhered to the container, said guide member having a convex curved surface concentric to the circular path of the containers and faced radially outwardly of the turntable so the rotating containers make wiping contact with the curved surface as the containers are transported on the turntable for causing the unadhered length of the labels to wrap around the containers.
said transfer device comprises a vacuum drum (14) driven in one rotational direction and said container supports (16) are driven in the opposite rotational direction when the labels are transferred from the drum (14) for the leading end regions of the respective labels to adhere to the containers on the supports, a label wrapping element in the form of a guide member (21) fixedly mounted at a position displaced in the direction of turntable rotation by a small amount from the place where the leading end of the label from said vacuum drum (14) is adhered to the container, said guide member having a convex curved surface concentric to the circular path of the containers and faced radially outwardly of the turntable so the rotating containers make wiping contact with the curved surface as the containers are transported on the turntable for causing the unadhered length of the labels to wrap around the containers.
34. Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein:
said transfer device comprises a vacuum drum (14) driven in one rotational direction and said container supports (16) are driven in the same rotational direction when the labels are transferred from the drum for the leading end regions of the respective labels to adhere to the containers on the supports, a label wrapping element in the form of a guide member (21) fixedly mounted at a position displaced by a small amount in the direction of turntable rotation from the place where the leading ends of the label from the transfer device (14) is adhered to the container, said guide member having a concave curved surface concentric to the circular path of the containers and faced radially inwardly of the turntable so the rotating containers make wiping contact with the curved surface as the containers are transported on the turntable for causing the unadhered length of the labels to wrap around the containers.
said transfer device comprises a vacuum drum (14) driven in one rotational direction and said container supports (16) are driven in the same rotational direction when the labels are transferred from the drum for the leading end regions of the respective labels to adhere to the containers on the supports, a label wrapping element in the form of a guide member (21) fixedly mounted at a position displaced by a small amount in the direction of turntable rotation from the place where the leading ends of the label from the transfer device (14) is adhered to the container, said guide member having a concave curved surface concentric to the circular path of the containers and faced radially inwardly of the turntable so the rotating containers make wiping contact with the curved surface as the containers are transported on the turntable for causing the unadhered length of the labels to wrap around the containers.
35. Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said control means for urging the heat sealing member into contact with the region of overlapped label ends includes adjustment means for determining the time between said heat sealing member contacting said region and operation of said means for retracting said heat sealing member to allow holding the heat sealing time constant for different rotational speeds of the turntable.
36. Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said control means comprises first and second cams together presenting an arcuate profile surface onto which said heat sealing members run to effect urging said heat sealing members onto respective containers, at least one of said cams being rotatable relative to the other to allow selectively lengthening and shortening said surface to provide for varying the time during which said heat sealing members remain in contact with said overlapped ends of the label.
37. Apparatus according to any one of claims 28, 29, 30 or 31 wherein said means for rotating the supports for the respective containers is constructed and arranged to initiate rotation of a container no later than when the container is contacted by the leading end of the label and is constructed for continuing to turn said supports until the label is wrapped around the container.
38. Apparatus according to any one of claims 28, 29, 30 and 31 wherein said means for rotating the supports, respectively, for the containers is constructed and arranged for stopping the rotation of each support at least by the time when the overlapped region of the label on the container is contacted by the heat sealing member.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002244779A CA2244779A1 (en) | 1991-08-01 | 1992-07-31 | Container |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE4125472A DE4125472A1 (en) | 1991-08-01 | 1991-08-01 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR EQUIPPING VESSELS WITH A LABEL FROM SEALABLE MATERIAL AND VESSELS EQUIPPED THEREFORE |
| DEP4125472.4 | 1991-08-01 |
Related Child Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002244779A Division CA2244779A1 (en) | 1991-08-01 | 1992-07-31 | Container |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2074921A1 CA2074921A1 (en) | 1993-02-02 |
| CA2074921C true CA2074921C (en) | 1999-07-06 |
Family
ID=6437474
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002074921A Expired - Fee Related CA2074921C (en) | 1991-08-01 | 1992-07-31 | Cylindrical body label wrapping system with cam operated adjustable path length retractable heaters |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0525729B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH05193632A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9202977A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2074921C (en) |
| DE (2) | DE4125472A1 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2082295T3 (en) |
Families Citing this family (24)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE69406431T3 (en) † | 1993-02-19 | 2004-03-04 | Duracell Inc., Bethel | BATTERY WRAPPING |
| DE19630690A1 (en) * | 1996-07-30 | 1998-02-05 | Kronseder Maschf Krones | Bottle or the like with a label encompassing the scope, method and device for producing this bottle |
| NL1006011C2 (en) * | 1997-03-03 | 1998-12-15 | Thomassen & Drijver | Product supply can with uneven cylindrical surface - has label which is attached by adhesive |
| JP4511651B2 (en) * | 1999-06-08 | 2010-07-28 | 株式会社フジシールインターナショナル | Film loading device |
| US7584639B2 (en) | 2003-06-27 | 2009-09-08 | Crebocan Ag | Method and device for the production of a can body, and can body |
| JP5313451B2 (en) | 2004-01-15 | 2013-10-09 | クレボカン・アクチェンゲゼルシャフト | Method and apparatus for manufacturing container body and container body |
| ITPR20040018A1 (en) * | 2004-03-09 | 2004-06-09 | Sig Technology Ag | LABELING MACHINE WITH ULTRASONIC WELDING DEVICE TO MAKE A TUBULAR LABEL IN HEAT-SHRINK FILM AND WELDING PROCEDURE. |
| KR100987149B1 (en) * | 2008-07-17 | 2010-10-11 | 주식회사 효성 | Labeling apparatus of sticker |
| KR101005540B1 (en) * | 2008-07-17 | 2011-01-04 | 주식회사 효성 | Labeling apparatus of sticker |
| DE102009031479A1 (en) | 2009-07-01 | 2011-01-05 | Krones Ag | Device for applying label strips to containers |
| US9358726B2 (en) * | 2009-08-12 | 2016-06-07 | Sidel S.P.A. Con Socio Unico | Labelling machine and a method for applying tubular labels to respective articles |
| DE102009043880A1 (en) | 2009-08-21 | 2011-02-24 | Krones Ag | Device and method for labeling containers with different types of labels |
| CH702885A2 (en) | 2010-03-25 | 2011-09-30 | Cosmocan Technology Ag | Method and apparatus for the manufacture of can bodies and the can body. |
| CH704798A2 (en) | 2011-04-08 | 2012-10-15 | Cosmobrain Ag | Method and apparatus for the manufacture of can bodies and the can body. |
| JP2013095502A (en) * | 2011-11-04 | 2013-05-20 | Shibuya Machinery Co Ltd | Label molding apparatus |
| DE102012200826A1 (en) | 2011-12-29 | 2013-07-04 | Krones Ag | Labeling unit for e.g. dose bottle, has cut labels transferred individually by gripper cylinder onto containers for labeling either outside of unit main structure or only in unit main structure using hot-setting adhesive |
| ITTO20120126A1 (en) * | 2012-02-13 | 2013-08-14 | Sidel Spa Con Socio Unico | METHOD AND UNIT FOR THE FORMATION OF TUBULAR SHEETS OF MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF TAPE, IN PARTICULAR IN A LABELING MACHINE |
| ITTO20120125A1 (en) * | 2012-02-13 | 2013-08-14 | Sidel Spa Con Socio Unico | METHOD AND UNIT FOR THE FORMATION OF TUBULAR SHEETS OF MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF TAPE, IN PARTICULAR IN A LABELING MACHINE |
| EP2851333B1 (en) * | 2013-09-19 | 2016-06-22 | Sidel S.p.a. Con Socio Unico | Container handling machine and method |
| CN108820419B (en) * | 2018-07-28 | 2023-11-17 | 惠州市赛旺电子有限公司 | Lithium battery labeling device and lithium battery processing equipment thereof |
| CN108955414B (en) * | 2018-09-12 | 2023-07-21 | 浏阳市万盛烟花制造有限公司 | Full-automatic packaging machine for small inner warp fireworks |
| WO2020053649A2 (en) | 2018-09-14 | 2020-03-19 | Polysack Flexible Packaging Ltd. | Methods for forming high shrink wrap label sleeves |
| US10858545B2 (en) | 2018-09-14 | 2020-12-08 | Polysack Flexible Packaging Ltd. | Shrink wrap labels for shaped articles |
| DE102019202547A1 (en) | 2019-02-26 | 2020-08-27 | Krones Ag | Method for labeling containers and labeling machine |
Family Cites Families (14)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL6916506A (en) * | 1968-11-16 | 1970-05-20 | ||
| US4272311A (en) * | 1979-05-17 | 1981-06-09 | Angelo Joseph J D | Method and apparatus for automatically labelling containers |
| ZA833778B (en) * | 1982-05-27 | 1984-02-29 | B & J Mfg Co | Labeling machine for heat shrink labels |
| US4406721A (en) * | 1982-05-27 | 1983-09-27 | B & H Manufacturing Company, Inc. | System and apparatus for applying heat shrink film to containers and other articles and heat shrinking the same |
| US4545832A (en) * | 1982-05-27 | 1985-10-08 | B & H Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Machine and method for applying heat shrink labels |
| CA1224754A (en) * | 1983-07-05 | 1987-07-28 | Robert J. Burmeister | Method of applying plastic labels on glass containers |
| US4574020A (en) * | 1983-11-28 | 1986-03-04 | Owens-Illinois, Inc. | Apparatus and method for wrapping a plastic label around a container |
| US4735668A (en) * | 1985-10-07 | 1988-04-05 | Shibuya America Corporation | Method of adhering labels to containers |
| JP2518615B2 (en) * | 1986-05-27 | 1996-07-24 | 株式会社フジシール | Film feeder |
| DE3743896A1 (en) * | 1987-12-23 | 1989-07-06 | Wuerth Gmbh & Co Kg A | ERGONOMIC SPRAY CAN |
| US4832774A (en) * | 1988-05-06 | 1989-05-23 | Owens-Illinois Glass Container Inc. | Method and apparatus for applying wrap-around labels to containers |
| JPH027767U (en) * | 1988-06-21 | 1990-01-18 | ||
| IT1234026B (en) * | 1989-03-14 | 1992-04-24 | Gd Spa | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE WRAPPING OF CYLINDRICAL PRODUCTS |
| DE4014274C1 (en) * | 1990-05-04 | 1991-06-27 | Krones Ag Hermann Kronseder Maschinenfabrik, 8402 Neutraubling, De | Container shrink label application method - has hot melt adhesive placed on leading label edge prior to application |
-
1991
- 1991-08-01 DE DE4125472A patent/DE4125472A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
1992
- 1992-07-28 EP EP92112873A patent/EP0525729B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-07-28 DE DE59204894T patent/DE59204894D1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-07-28 ES ES92112873T patent/ES2082295T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-07-31 CA CA002074921A patent/CA2074921C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-07-31 BR BR929202977A patent/BR9202977A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1992-07-31 JP JP4205207A patent/JPH05193632A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0525729B1 (en) | 1996-01-03 |
| ES2082295T3 (en) | 1996-03-16 |
| CA2074921A1 (en) | 1993-02-02 |
| DE4125472A1 (en) | 1993-02-04 |
| JPH05193632A (en) | 1993-08-03 |
| DE59204894D1 (en) | 1996-02-15 |
| BR9202977A (en) | 1993-03-30 |
| EP0525729A1 (en) | 1993-02-03 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |