EP0218925B1 - Labelling machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for labeling tape cassettes according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

From EP-A-0 006 505 a device of this type is known, which is intended for labeling the tape cassettes by means of normal labels, such normal labels being characterized in that they each completely one of the wide side surfaces of the tape cassettes substantially completely, of course with the release of the cover the respective openings for the cassette drive. The known labeling device is preferably intended for the use of labels to be provided with adhesive in the preparation station.

In recent times, the idea has become more and more prevalent that tape cassettes no longer stick normal labels of the type described above, but only one or two strip labels, which run parallel to the longitudinal edges of the tape cassette on only one side of the openings for the cassette drive. The strip labels are designed to be self-adhesive and glued to a paper or the like carrier tape. The arrangement of the strip labels on the carrier tape has so far been such that they are arranged in the longitudinal direction, that is, parallel to the direction of advance of the carrier tape, this arrangement also being used in known self-adhesive normal labels. A disadvantage of this arrangement of the self-adhesive strip labels on the carrier tape is the consumption of carrier tape material. Furthermore, the known devices do not offer the possibility of being able to glue tape cassettes with different strip labels or normal labels in a simple manner.

The invention has for its object to set up the generic device for using self-adhesive labels.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in a device of the type mentioned by the features listed in the characterizing part of patent claim 1. Particularly preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The device according to the invention ensures the greatest possible saving on carrier tape and strip label material, the application of self-adhesive strip labels and, preferably, optionally also self-adhesive normal labels on tape cassettes at high clock speed. From US-A-3 888 724 a device was already known in which a label transferred from a carrier tape to a label holder and held by the latter by a suction surface is aligned by an adjusting device engaging on its side edge, but this publication is not a suggestion refer to the combination of features according to the invention.

The measure according to the invention of being able to glue the strip labels transversely to the direction of advance of the carrier tape due to the design allows enormous savings in carrier tape material to be achieved. The device according to the invention is extremely flexible and permits the optional sticking of tape cassettes with strip labels at different levels as well as the optional use of normal labels. Overall, the installation and operating costs for tape cassette-labeling operations etc. can be drastically reduced in this way, the advantages of the device in terms of reliability and high clock speed corresponding to those of the generic device.

• Fig. 1 ein Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in der Draufsicht;
• Fig. 2 ein anderes Ausführungsbeispiel der Vorrichtung nach der Erfindung in der Draufsicht;
• Fig. 3 eine Ausrichtstation der Vorrichtung von Fig. 1 oder Fig. 2 im schematischen, bezüglich des Drehkopfes radialen Vertikalschnitt; und
• Fig. 4 eine Bandkassette mit aufgeklebten Streifenetiketten.

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the description below, in which exemplary embodiments are explained in detail with reference to the schematic drawing. It shows:

• Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a device according to the invention in plan view.
• Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the device according to the invention in plan view.
• 3 shows an alignment station of the device from FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 in a schematic vertical section with respect to the rotary head; and
• Fig. 4 shows a tape cassette with glued strip labels.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the device according to the invention has a transport chain 10 for tape cassettes 12 which moves from right to left (in the exemplary embodiment shown) and which stands upright on the transport chain 10 by means of cams 14 rising from a supply magazine 16 two label applicators are supplied, each of which has two rotary heads 22, 24 and 26, 28, respectively, which are arranged with a vertical axis of rotation. Each of the rotary heads 22, 24, 26, 28 has three label holders 30 on its circumference, which are provided with suction surfaces and centering pins 32 which are tangential with respect to the respective rotary head 22, 24, 26, 28. On the circumference of each of the rotary heads 22, 24, 26, 28 are in the direction of rotation (indicated by an arrow) one behind the other a strip label feed station 36, 38, 40, 42, an alignment station 44, 46, 48, 50 and one pair each with respect to the other Transport chain 10 of mutually opposite rotary heads 22, 26 and 24, 28 associated labeling stations 52, 54 with the application point downstream pressure rollers 56, 58 arranged. In each of the strip label feed stations 36, 38, 40, 42, self-adhesive strip labels 60, each of which is stuck on a carrier tape 62 transversely to its direction of advance, which is directed toward the respective rotary head 22, 24, 26, 28.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 differs from that of FIG. 1 in that there are only two rotary heads 22, 26 located opposite one another with respect to the transport chain 10, each of which has two strip label feed stations 36, 38 and 40, 42, successively in the direction of rotation, a subsequent normal label feed station 64, the normal labels 66, is also designed to be self-adhesive and can be fed onto a normal label carrier tape 68 transversely to its direction of advance, and can be assigned to the alignment station 50.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the alignment station 44 there has a plunger 70 which is movable both vertically and horizontally in the direction of the arrows and which is provided with two alignment projections 72, 74 arranged vertically one above the other, each of which is assigned to a strip label 60. The strip labels 60 sit on the label holder 30 at different heights, the latter having an alignment recess 76.

FIG. 4 finally shows the strip labels 60 stuck onto the tape cassette 12 shown there at different heights.

• Bei der Vorrichtung gemäss Fig. 1 werden mittels nicht gezeigter Einrichtungen in den Streifenetikettenzuführstationen 36, 38, 40, 42 von dem Trägerband 62 Streifenetiketten 60 auf die Saugfläche des jeweiligen Etikettenhalters 30 übertragen, wobei beispielsweise die Streifenetikettenzuführstationen 36, 40 Streifenetiketten 60 jeweils für die in Fig. 4 unten gezeigte Aufbringposition aufbringen, während die Streifenetikettenzuführstationen 38, 42 die in Fig. 4 oben befindlichen Streifenetiketten auf den jeweiligen Etikettenhalter 30 übertragen. Die Zentrierstifte 32 werden bei diesem Ausführungsbeispiel nicht benötigt. In der jeweiligen Ausrichtstation 44, 46 bzw. 48, 50 werden die auf den Etikettenhaltern 30 befindlichen Streifenetiketten 60 exakt in diejenige Position gebracht, die der späteren Aufbringposition gemäss Fig. 4 entspricht, und dann in den Etikettierstationen 52, 54 beidseits an die Bandkassetten 12 angeklebt, woraufhin dann noch das weitere Andrücken mittels der Andruckrollen 56, 58 erfolgt. Insgesamt tragen die Kassetten nach dem Passieren der Etikettiervorrichtung gemäss Fig. 1 dann also Streifenetiketten der in Fig. 4 gezeigten Art.

The device according to the invention operates in a very similar manner with respect to the tape cassette transport, the labeling stations, the rotary head circuit, etc., as is explained, for example, in DE-PS 2 826 035 for the labeling device described there, so that in this regard, for further details, refer to the description is referred to in the above publication. With regard to the features specific to the invention, the exemplary embodiments of the device according to the invention described above and shown in the drawing work as follows:

• In the device according to FIG. 1, strip labels 60 are transferred from the carrier tape 62 to the suction surface of the respective label holder 30 by means of devices (not shown) in the strip label feed stations 36, 38, 40, 42, whereby, for example, the strip label feed stations 36, 40 strip labels 60 each for the in 4 apply position shown below, while the strip label feed stations 38, 42 transfer the strip labels located at the top in FIG. 4 to the respective label holder 30. The centering pins 32 are not required in this embodiment. In the respective alignment station 44, 46 or 48, 50, the strip labels 60 located on the label holders 30 are brought exactly into the position that corresponds to the later application position according to FIG. 4, and then in the labeling stations 52, 54 on both sides of the tape cassettes 12 glued, whereupon the further pressing takes place by means of the pressure rollers 56, 58. Overall, after passing the labeling device according to FIG. 1, the cassettes then carry strip labels of the type shown in FIG. 4.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, apart from the normal label feed stations 64, 65, the strip label feed stations 36, 38 and 40, 42 are transferred to the label holder 30 in succession, otherwise in a similar manner to the embodiment of FIG. 1, two strip labels in succession 60 at different heights (seen in FIG. 4), whereupon in the alignment stations 46, 50 by means of the device shown in FIG. 3, the height alignment of the strip labels 60, which are initially slightly offset from their application height, takes place on the suction surfaces of the label holders 30. Then both strip labels 60 of each tape cassette side 12 are pressed simultaneously onto the respective tape cassette 12 in the single labeling station 52 and pressed there by means of the pressure rollers 56. Alternatively, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, instead of the strip labels 60 while the strip label feed stations 36, 38, 40, 42 are deactivated, normal labels 66 can also be applied, namely by means of the normal label feed stations 64, 65 which are then in operation, the centering pins 32 in be used in the manner described in DE-PS 2 826 035 and the normal labels are applied in the manner explained there.

Of course, in the exemplary embodiments shown, the device according to the invention can also be operated such that only a single strip label is applied to one of the sides or else both sides of the respective tape cassette 12. It is also possible to provide an additional moistening station in a manner corresponding to DE-PS 2 902 104, for example, and optionally to provide labels to be wetted with adhesive or binder liquid instead of the self-adhesive adhesive labels preferably used according to the invention.

Claims (5)

1. An apparatus for labelling tape cassettes (12), the apparatus comprising a conveyor (10) conveying the cassettes (12) on edge, rectilinearly and substantially horizontally and adapted to receive the cassettes (12) from a supply magazine, and label application facilities (18, 20) disposed opposite one another on either side of the conveyor (10), each such facility having radially mobile label holders (30) which roate in timed fashion around a vertical axis and which are disposed on a rotating head (22, 24, 26, 28) and which have vertical suction surfaces, the label hodlers (30) being adapted to be supplied consecutively to a label supply station (36, 38, 40, 42), a preparation station (44, 46, 48, 50) and a labelling station (52, 54), characterised in that to apply self-adhesive strip labels (6) each label-applying facility (18, 20) has at least one strip label supply station (36, 38, 40, 42) to which strip labels (60) stuck on an elongate backing strip (52) of paper or the like transversely to the direction of the advance of such strip can be supplied, such labels being transferrable in the strip label supply station (36, 38, 40, 42) to the suction surfaces of the label holders (30) in a position slightly offset vertically from the required application height and with the adhesive surface facing outwards; the preparation station is an aligning station (44,46,48, 50) for moving the strip labels (60) from their vertically offset position on the label holder (30) into the correct position for application; and the aligning station (44, 46, 48 50) has a tappet or the like (70) which can move vertically in timed fashion and which is operative to move the strip labels (60) vertically from the said slightly offset position into the correct position for application, the tappet (70) having two aligning projections (72, 74) each associated with one of two strip labels (60) disposed at different heights on the label holder (30), the label holders (30) being formed with an aligning recess (76) co-operating with one of the aligning projections (72, 74) of the tappet (70).

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that each label;applying facility (18, 20) has two rotating heads (22, 24; 26, 28) which are disposed consecutively of one another as considered in the direction of conveyance of the conveyor (10) and which have at least one associated strip label supply station (36, 38; 40 42).

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that a strip label supply station (36, 38, 40, 42) is associated with each of the heads (22, 24, 26, 28), the strip labels (60) being transferrable in each of the strip label supply stations (36, 38; 40, 42) of the particular label application facility (18, 20) concerned at a different and approximate application height to the suction surfaces of the label holders (30).

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that each label-applying facility (18, 20) has a rotating head (22, 26) with two consecutively arranged strip label supply stations (36, 38; 40, 42), the strip labels (60) being transferrable in each of such stations (36, 38; 40, 42) of each of the facilities (28, 20) at a different and approximate application height to the suction surfaces of the label holders (30).

5. An apparatus according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that each label-applying facility (18,30) has a standard label supply station (64, 65) to which self-adhesive standard labels (66) stuck on an elongate standard label backing strip (68) transversely to the direction of advance thereof can be supplied.

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