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
  • B65C9/06—Devices for presenting articles in predetermined attitude or position at labelling station
• • 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
• • 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
  • B65C9/02—Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method and a device: for labeling or printing flower pots which can be stacked one inside the other.
• a method and an apparatus for labeling flower pots are known from practice, the flower pots being fed individually to a labeling device. After labeling, the individual flower pots are stacked, packed in boxes and sent.
• This known method has the disadvantage that the labeling speed is comparatively slow.
• a method for printing flower pots is known from practice, which is carried out in the same way as the labeling method, except that it is not labeled but printed. The printing speed is also comparatively slow in this method.
• the object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a device for labeling or printing flower pots, wherein the labeling or printing can be carried out quickly and easily.
• the aforementioned object is essentially achieved by the method specified in patent claim 1 or the device specified in patent claim 8.
• the advantage of the invention resides in the fact that an endless stack of flower pots to be labeled or printed is fed, the stack is briefly interrupted only for labeling or printing and is reassembled after labeling or printing.
• the essentially identical alignment of the conveying direction and the stacking direction immediately before and immediately after labeling means that the directions are essentially coaxial or else essentially parallel to one another.
• the high labeling or printing speed in the method according to the invention or the device according to the invention ultimately results from the short-term unstacking of an endless stack for labeling or printing. In experiments it has been found that a labeling
• CONFIRMATION COPY speed of up to ten labels per second can be achieved.
• the invention is preferably used in the field of flower pots.
• the invention can also be carried out with the previously mentioned principle according to the invention of short-term de-stacking of a stack which is in itself continuous, for all other types of stackable containers, such as cream or yoghurt cups.
• the following explanations apply accordingly to all containers stackable one inside the other.
• the magazine device has an elongated guide for the stack of flower pots to be labeled or printed, and that the magazine device has a feed conveyor belt for transferring the flower pots into the guide.
• the essentially upright arrangement of the flower pots is particularly advantageous when labeling or printing, since in this case, after labeling or printing, the force of gravity can be used to feed the just labeled or printed flower pot into the stack of labeled or printed flower pots.
• the just labeled or printed flower pot then falls automatically into the stack of labeled or printed flower pots and automatically piles up again. In terms of design, this is achieved in that the guide in the area of the labeling or printing device has an approximately vertical orientation.
• the flower pots are fed to the magazine device in stack form.
• the feeding of the flower pots in such a way that the stacking direction and the conveying direction are the same during the feeding via a feed conveyor belt.
• a single, quasi-endless stack is then fed to the magazine device, which stack is manually or mechanically always refilled.
• the conveying direction is offset by 90 ° to the stacking direction during the feeding via the feeding conveyor belt. Individual stacks are then always inserted into the magazine device.
• the guide at its end facing the feed conveyor belt is inclined in the direction of the feed conveyor belt.
• receptacles for arranging standing stacks of flower pots to be labeled or printed are provided on the feed conveyor belt. The individual smaller stacks fed are then thrown by the feed conveyor belt into the stack located in the guide of the magazine device.
• the unstacking device and the labeling or printing device can be adjusted relative to one another in the x, y and / or z direction.
• the device according to the invention can be adapted to any situation.
• the at least partial unstacking of the flower pots for labeling or printing can be done using various design means.
• the unstacking device has two arms which periodically engage in the stack. While one of these arms serves on the one hand to hold a flowerpot to be labeled or printed, and on the other hand to subsequently pull the flowerpot out of the stack after labeling or printing, the other arm serves exclusively to hold the stack in the magazine device above the flowerpot to be labeled or printed.
• a screw is provided with a pitch of the screw flight that increases in the direction of the labeling or printing device and that decreases in the direction away from the labeling or printing device.
• the unstacking device can also have rotating means on opposite sides, preferably at approximately right angles to the labeling or printing direction, which cause the flower pots to be at least partially unstacked in the area of the labeling or printing device.
• there are other basic options for unstacking there are other basic options for unstacking.
• the flower pots can be printed in any known manner of printing.
• the ink is preferably sprayed onto the flowerpot.
• the printing device then has no direct contact with the flower pot.
• the labeling can be done in different ways. On the one hand, it is basically possible to roll up the labels. However, the labels are preferably applied pneumatically, i. H. inflated on the respective flower pot. This also enables a high labeling speed of the device or the method. Since it may happen that the labels do not adhere completely to the respective flower pots, to ensure a smooth process it is provided that the labels are pressed on after the application in an additional pressing step before the flower pot just labeled is fed to the stack of labeled flower pots. In terms of construction, this is achieved in that pressing means for pressing the label applied to the flowerpot are provided immediately after the labeling device, with the pressing means having brush threads or another elastic material in a simple embodiment.
• a pneumatic pressure surge device for generating pressure surges directed in a flower pot immediately after labeling or printing is provided for this purpose.
• a discharge conveyor belt of the discharge device In order to ensure the continuous removal of the labeled or printed flower pots, it is provided during the removal that the stack of labeled or printed flower pots is fed to a discharge conveyor belt of the discharge device, the conveying and stacking directions of the stacked flower pots on the discharge conveyor belt being the same.
• a guide is provided in connection with the unstacking device and the aforementioned discharge conveyor belt adjoining the guide in order to feed the stack of labeled or printed flower pots to the discharge conveyor belt.
• the process according to the invention additionally provides for the endless stack of labeled or printed flower pots to be separated into smaller stacks on the discharge conveyor belt with a predetermined amount of labeled or printed flower pots , the smaller stacks are thrown off the discharge conveyor belt and preferably roll straight into a cardboard box.
• a separating device is provided in particular in the region of the belt end of the discharge conveyor belt for the production of smaller stacks with a predetermined amount of flower pots, and a discharge device can be provided following the separating device. This can have a slide which can be moved transversely to the conveying direction and which throws off the individual small stacks via a corresponding ramp.
• the entire labeling or printing method according to the invention is preferably controlled by a corresponding control device.
• the speeds of the infeed conveyor belt, the discharge conveyor belt, the unstacking, the labeling or pressing and / or the singling and / or dropping are adjustable and in particular matched to one another in such a way that a continuous labeling or printing process results.
• the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention are particularly suitable when small labels or printing areas are to be applied to the flower pots.
• a short-term unstacking to carry out labeling or printing.
• the flower pot in question is stacked again, the conveying direction and the stacking direction being coaxial immediately before and immediately after the labeling. If larger labels or print areas are to be applied to the flowerpot, it is advisable to remove the flowerpot in question from the respective stack. In this case, the flower pot is then fed to a conveyor which moves approximately transversely to the stacking direction.
• the flower pot in question is then freely accessible on the conveyor, which may be, for example, a turntable or an elongated guide in the form of a conveyor belt, so that the label or the printing in question can be applied.
• the flower pot in the area of the conveyor can be rotated around its central axis, namely up to 360 °.
• the respective flower pot can be rotated via two guide rails which are arranged on opposite sides and move relative to one another and are in contact with the flower pot.
• the relative movement of the guide rails and the flower pot located between them causes the flower pot to rotate.
• One of the guide rails can even be designed as a label dispenser or printhead, so that the label or the printing can be applied while the flower pot is rotating.
• the flower pot in question is returned to the stack of labeled or printed flower pots, so that a continuous stack of flower pots is ultimately removed.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a device according to the invention, from which the method according to the invention can also be seen and
• Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 of another embodiment of a device according to the invention.
• a device 1 for labeling flower pots 2 is shown schematically in the figures.
• the device 1 has a magazine device 3 for magazine and guiding a stack 4a of flower pots 2 to be labeled, which are preferably made of plastic, a labeling device 5 for applying labels 6, an unstacking device 7 for at least partially unstacking the flower pots 2 for labeling, and a discharge device 8 for in particular continuous removal of the stacked labeled flower pots 2.
• the device according to the invention can also be used for printing flower pots. In this case, a printing device is then provided instead of the labeling device.
• the following explanations therefore also apply accordingly to a device 1 working with a printing device.
• the magazine device 3 has an elongated guide 9 as a magazine for the stack 4a of flower pots 2 to be labeled.
• the guide 9 can be tubular or angular in cross-section.
• the magazine device 3 has a feed conveyor belt 10 for transferring the flower pots 2 located on the feed conveyor belt 10 into the guide 9.
• the guide 9 has an approximately vertical orientation in the area of the labeling device 5, it is provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 that the guide 9 is inclined or bent at its end facing the feed conveyor belt 10 in the direction of the feed conveyor belt 10 is.
• the feed conveyor belt 10 is inclined at a flat angle to the guide 9.
• Smaller stacks 4c are placed horizontally on the feed conveyor belt 10 and are then passed over the belt to the guide 9, where they refill the stack 4a.
• receptacles 11 for the arrangement of standing stacks 4c of flower pots 2 are provided on the feed conveyor belt 10.
• the guide 9 extends over its entire length in vertical direction and protrudes beyond the feed conveyor belt 10. In this case, the individual stacks 4c are thrown into the guide 9 at the end of the belt and likewise stack into the stack 4a.
• the labeling device 5 is arranged with its labeling area 12 below the guide 9.
• the labeling device 5 works pneumatically - the respective labels 6 are thus inflated onto the flower pots 2. This can happen at very high speeds, namely up to eight labels per second.
• the unstacking device 7 is arranged opposite the labeling device 5.
• the unstacking device 7 and the labeling device 5 can be adjusted in all directions relative to one another.
• the distance between the flower pot 2 to be labeled and the labeling area 12 of the labeling device 5 can be set to a few millimeters in order to ensure that the labels can be applied quickly and easily.
• the unstacking device 7 is pivotally mounted so that the unstacking device 7 can be pivoted away from the labeling device 5 in order to ensure quick and easy access to the labeling area 12, which is necessary in the event of any malfunctions.
• the guide 9 can be connected to the unstacking device 7 in order to ensure better access to the labeling device 5. But this need not be notwendi ⁇ Cgish the case.
• the unstacking device 7 has a first arm 13 and a second arm 14.
• the first arm 13 holds the flower pot 2 to be labeled in each case. After labeling, the first arm 13 moves down a little and pulls the flower pot 2 that has just been labeled out of the stack 4 a.
• the second arm 14 arranged above holds the stack 4a in the meantime.
• a lying U-shaped receptacle can be provided on the second arm 14, which grips a protruding edge on the penultimate or last flower pot 2 of the stack 4a.
• the second arm 14 is then moved down a little.
• the first arm 13 grabs again, while the second arm 14 in turn the penultimate Flower pot 2 of stack 4a engages.
• Other configurations of the unstacking mechanism 77 are possible. This has already been discussed in more detail above
• a guide 15 of the discharge device 8 follows at the bottom following the labeling device 5 or the unstacking device 7.
• the guide 15 can be designed in a similar manner to the guide 9. It is important that the lower end of the guide 9 is aligned with the upper end of the guide 15, that is, the guides 9, 15 merge directly into one another and are only interrupted at the point at which the respective engagement means of the unstacking device 7 and the labeling area are located 12 of the labeling device 5 on the other hand.
• the discharge device 8 has a discharge conveyor belt 16.
• the guide 15 thus serves to feed the stack 4b of labeled flower pots 2 to the discharge conveyor belt 16.
• 5 connecting means for pressing the label 6 applied to the flowerpot 2 are provided after the labeling device 5.
• These pressing means can be provided, for example, as brush threads directly below the labeling area 12 or at the beginning of the guide 15.
• a pneumatic pressure surge device can be provided which generates pressure surges directed in the respectively just labeled flower pot 2 in order to accelerate the downward movement of the flower pots 2 just labeled.
• a separating device 17 which, in the embodiment shown, has an arm 18 which can be moved back and forth.
• the arm 18 engages in the per se endless stack 4b of labeled flower pots 2 and in the process unstacks a smaller stack 4d with a predetermined amount of labeling or printing flower pots 2.
• a discharge device 19 is provided after the separating device 17.
• the discharge device 19 also has an arm 20 which can be moved back and forth to move the individual small stacks 4d from the Push down conveyor belt 16. The small stacks 4d then roll over a ramp 21 into a carton 22 placed there.
• flower pots 2 are either stacked in the stack 4a lying on the feed conveyor belt 10 or placed as a separate small stack 4c on the feed conveyor belt 10, so that an almost endless stack 4a of flower pots 2 is in the magazine device 3 or the guide 9 results, or the individual smaller stacks 4c are manually placed in the respective receptacles 11 of the feed conveyor belt 10 and from there are thrown into the guide 9 functioning as a magazine.
• the stack 4a presses downward due to the force of gravity.
• the two arms 13, 14 prevent the stack 4 of the flower pots 2 which have not yet been labeled from slipping through.
• the function of the two arms 13, 14 has already been discussed in more detail above.
• the flower pot 2 just labeled is pulled off the stack 4a via the arm 13.
• This flower pot then, if necessary supported by a pressure surge, falls into the guide 15 and stacks there again in the stack 4b of labeled flower pots 2.
• the stack 4b is placed on the discharge conveyor belt 16 and then separated again into small stacks 4d which fit into the carton 22 via the separating device 17.
• the individual smaller stacks 4d are finally ejected from the discharge conveyor belt 16 into the carton 22 via the ejection device 19.

Landscapes

• Labeling Devices (AREA)
• Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)
• Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=26048831

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (9)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1999
  • 1999-03-17 EP EP99915643A patent/EP1112211B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-03-17 WO PCT/EP1999/001759 patent/WO2000015502A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-03-17 DE DE59902290T patent/DE59902290D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-03-17 ES ES99915643T patent/ES2178886T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-03-17 US US09/786,919 patent/US6578475B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-03-17 DK DK99915643T patent/DK1112211T3/da active
  • 1999-03-17 AU AU34139/99A patent/AU3413999A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-03-17 AT AT99915643T patent/ATE221836T1/de active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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