EP1577219A1 - Handle applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a cell (15) to detect shift of a position of a handle (n+i) located in upstream of a handle (n) during installation, with respect to a theoretical position of the handle (n+i) related to multiple nominal lengths. An extension unit extends length of a rotary arm (18) beyond the nominal length for drawing a portion of an adhesive ribbon (7) to a length greater than the nominal length, during rotation of the arm. The shift of position of the handle (n+i) is due to extension of the handle (n) beyond the nominal length. An independent claim is also included for a method to install a carrying handle on a load such as pack of multiple water bottles, displaced on a belt conveyor.

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a method for put a carrying handle on a load.

Many consumer products come under form of burden. A classic example is a pack of several bottles of water grouped under a plastic film. By burden, we mean everything product or set of products having a substantially cuboid.

For the transport of these burdens, it is known to affix on these last a handful. This handle consists of a ribbon whose both ends are provided with an adhesive. The handle is placed on the burden so that both ends coated with adhesive get stick on the vertical walls of the burden while the central part of the handle forms a handle for gripping and transporting the burden.

It is known from document EP 560 699 or from the document FR 2 787 416, a very advantageous device for laying such a handle. This device uses a rotating arm that deposits and cuts an adhesive tape continuously fed on a burden. This device makes it possible its rotating arm a very high rate of installation. At the time of installation a handle, a label, that is to say a piece of cardboard rectangular sometimes called cardboard that can serve as a support advertising, is usually reported on the ribbon.

Now, this way of making and putting a handle, that is to say using, on the one hand, an adhesive tape (transparent or monochrome translucent) and, on the other hand, a label added at the time of installation is now more and more replaced by a so-called handle type "prepared handle".

By prepared handle is meant a handle that incorporates a label. To limit the number of suppliers (ribbons and of labels), the labels are then placed regularly on the ribbon adhesive according to a defined pitch, the tape being in the form of a coil.

With the use of a device such as that described in EP 560 699 or FR 2 787 416, the rotary arm determines the length of a handle, the length of the handle being a function of the dimension of the burden.

Each burden therefore determines a handle length that has turn determines a length of rotating arm that carries out the laying and the sectioning of the ad hoc handle.

In the case of a so-called prepared handle, the ribbon spool includes a succession of handles arranged one behind the other other.

Thus, it is imperative to cut the ribbon to length exact nominal grip. Otherwise the label is no longer centered in relation to the burden on which the handle is placed. The handles being arranged in series, a positioning error of a handle affects the installation of the following handles and can accumulate with other errors due to the lengthening of subsequent handles.

It should be noted that this problem is specific to handles prepared; in the case of an attached label, it is supplied at the time of installation and cutting of the adhesive tape, that is to say, independently of the laying and cutting of the ribbon.

In the case of prepared handles, that is to say incorporating labels distributed at predetermined fixed intervals, posed by a device with rotating arm as shown in EP 560 699 or FR 2 787 416, we notice that inevitably a drift occurs in the pose of handles.

This drift is due in particular to the fact that, during the pose, the rotating arm pulls on the tape to apply it to the burden. To give an idea, we can fix this traction approximately 7 daN. This traction varies according to each coil in particular in depending on the sizing rate or the ambient temperature that acts on the viscosity of the adhesive and depending on where the ribbon is drawn from the coil.

The traction exerted on the ribbon causes an elongation of ribbon. The coefficient of elongation itself varies from one coil to another and in practice the elongation of the ribbon is between 0.5% and 1.5%.

We can take the example of an adhesive tape incorporating handles having a nominal length of 500 mm. The term length nominal is to be taken in its usual meaning ie the Theoretical length announced by the tape manufacturer. As is the manufacturer guarantees the nominal length with an interval of tolerance which is of the order of ± 1 mm.

It is understood that, compared to the nominal length of 500 mm, the actual length of the handle applied can vary between two extreme values ie 499 × 1,005 ie 501.5 mm and 501 × 1,015 is 508.51 mm. The very important consequence to emphasize is that the ribbon length varies in a non-reproducible way which does not allow to determine, a priori, the elongation of the ribbon to integrate it into the length of the rotating arm.

These random variations in ribbon length prohibit, in the practice, the installation of handles prepared with a device with rotating arm which, moreover, presents a considerable advantage in terms of cadence deposit.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a laying device using a rotating arm to set prepared handles.

In a manner known per se, this device for laying on a burden moved on a conveyor, a handle n of a length nominal L located at the end of a ribbon comprising a succession of n + i handles each comprising two adhesive ends and a portion Central. This device comprises means for supplying the ribbon up to a rotary arm for laying having a length equal to the nominal length L; the rotary arm can deposit an adhesive end of the handle n on a face of the burden then the second end of the handle n on a second face of the burden during an arm rotation of 180 ° synchronous with the advancement of the burden on the conveyor.

• des moyens de détection d'un décalage de la position d'une poignée n+i en attente de pose située en amont d'une poignée n, par rapport à la position théorique de la poignée n + i correspondant à un multiple de la longueur nominale, décalage dû à un allongement de la poignée n au-delà de la longueur nominale, et
• des moyens d'allongement de la longueur du bras rotatif au-delà de la longueur nominale permettant au cours d'une rotation de celui-ci de tracter une portion de ruban de longueur supérieure à la longueur nominale,
• une unité de commande reliée, d'une part, aux moyens de détection pouvant recevoir un signal de ces derniers dans le cas où un décalage de la position d'une poignée n+i par rapport à la position théorique de la poignée n + i est détecté et reliée, d'autre part, aux moyens d'allongement pour piloter l'allongement de ces derniers dans le cas où un décalage est détecté.

According to the invention, the device comprises:

• means for detecting an offset of the position of a handle n + i awaiting installation located upstream of a handle n, with respect to the theoretical position of the handle n + i corresponding to a multiple of the length nominal, offset due to elongation of the handle n beyond the nominal length, and
• means for extending the length of the rotary arm beyond the nominal length, during a rotation thereof, to pull a portion of ribbon longer than the nominal length,
• a control unit connected, on the one hand, to the detection means that can receive a signal from the latter in the case where an offset of the position of a handle n + i with respect to the theoretical position of the handle n + i is detected and connected, on the other hand, to the elongation means for controlling the elongation of the latter in the case where an offset is detected.

The basis of the invention is to make a compensation dynamic, ie after the observation of a shift of a handle in upstream of the handle awaiting installation, a correction of the length of the arm is performed. This action on the length of the arm during the operation of the device results in the fact that the arm course of its rotation will tow a ribbon length greater than the nominal length and, thus, re-establishes correct positioning of the ribbon by compared to the arm. The finding of a shift is immediately corrected.

According to an advantageous possibility, the device comprises a means for optically detecting a shift in the position of a handle n + i.

Preferably, an optical detection cell is placed on the tape unwinding path at a distance from the rotating arm equal to one multiple of the nominal length of a handle minus the length of an adhesive end, so that the cell that is placed on the tape tracking detects the presence of the central part that is generally opaque unlike the adhesive end which is translucent. The cell is positioned so that its optical ray flush the central part of the handle n + i in the case of a handle in waiting time having a length equal to the nominal length and that its optical ray be cut through the central part of the handle n + i in the case of a pending handle with a length greater than the nominal length and thus advancing the ribbon a length insufficient.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ends of the rotating arm are each equipped with a jack supporting a roller, on which the ribbon can be wound, each cylinder that can occupy a retracted position in which the length of the arm is equal to the nominal length and an extended position in which the length of the arm is then greater than the nominal length.

According to one possible embodiment, the means of supplying the ribbon include a mandrel on which a ribbon spool can be engaged and a series of pulleys guiding the ribbon to the rotating arm.

• un tambour d'entraínement situé entre le mandrin et le bras rotatif. La présence de ce tambour assure une reprise de l'effort de traction du ruban.
• un moufle oscillant positionné entre le tambour d'entraínement et le bras rotatif,
• un moufle oscillant positionné entre le mandrin et le tambour d'entraínement.

Advantageously, the feed means furthermore comprise:

• a drive drum located between the mandrel and the rotating arm. The presence of this drum ensures a recovery of the tensile force of the tape.
• an oscillating mittle positioned between the drive drum and the rotary arm,
• an oscillating muffle positioned between the mandrel and the drive drum.

The presence of these two oscillating mittens makes it possible to maintain a constant voltage in the ribbon and distribute the voltage between the different pulleys from a muffle.

• amener le ruban jusqu'à un bras rotatif de pose présentant une longueur égale à la longueur nominale,
• déclencher la rotation du bras pour qu'une première extrémité adhésive de la poignée n soit déposée sur une face avant du fardeau et la deuxième extrémité adhésive soit déposée sur une face arrière du fardeau au cours de l'avancement du fardeau,
• détecter un décalage de la position d'une poignée n + i, située en amont de la poignée n, par rapport à la position théorique de la poignée (n + i correspondant à un multiple de la longueur nominale L,
• commander, dans le cas d'une détection d'un décalage, un allongement de la longueur du bras au delà de la longueur nominale,
• effectuer une rotation du bras de façon à tracter une longueur de ruban excédant la longueur nominale d'une poignée
• ramener la longueur du bras à une longueur correspondant à la longueur nominale L.

The invention also relates to a method of laying on a burden moved on a conveyor, a handle n of nominal length L located at the end of a ribbon comprising a succession of handles n + i each comprising two adhesive ends and a central portion, comprising the steps of:

• bring the ribbon to a rotary arm having a length equal to the nominal length,
• triggering the rotation of the arm so that a first adhesive end of the handle n is deposited on a front face of the burden and the second adhesive end is deposited on a rear face of the burden during the advancement of the burden,
• detecting an offset of the position of a handle n + i, located upstream of the handle n, with respect to the theoretical position of the handle (n + i corresponding to a multiple of the nominal length L,
• controlling, in the case of detection of an offset, an extension of the length of the arm beyond the nominal length,
• Rotate the arm to pull a length of ribbon exceeding the nominal length of a handle
• bring back the length of the arm to a length corresponding to the nominal length L.

Figure 1 est une vue schématique d'ensemble de ce dispositif,

Figure 2 est vue d'un bras rotatif,

Figures 3 à 6 montrent de manière schématique le fonctionnement du dispositif au cours de poses successives de plusieurs poignées dites préparées.

For a good understanding, the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing showing, by way of non-limiting example, an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a schematic overview of this device,

Figure 2 is a view of a rotating arm,

Figures 3 to 6 show schematically the operation of the device during successive poses of several handles said prepared.

The device for fitting handles according to the invention as it Figure 1 includes several subassemblies, in addition to a conveyor 2 to band on which burdens 3 scroll continuously.

The device comprises a frame 5 which supports organs receiving a coil 6 of the adhesive tape 7 and the guide members of the ribbon 7 until laid on a load 3.

Throughout the description that follows, reference will be made to a ribbon 7 incorporating so-called prepared handles, that is to say a ribbon 7 incorporating labels 8 regularly distributed in a defined step.

Without going into the precise structural details of the device, and by describing the latter with respect to the direction of unwinding of the ribbon 7, note first of all the presence of a mandrel 4 on which a coil 6 of 7 adhesive tape is engaged.

The ribbon 7 then passes through an oscillating muffle 9 that is to say a succession of rollers 10 mounted on an oscillating lever 12 for maintaining a constant tension in the ribbon 7 adhesive.

By a return pulleys 13, the ribbon 7 is wrapped around a drum 14 motorized drive.

The ribbon 7 then passes through a second muffle 17 oscillating tensioning of the tape 7 adhesive.

On leaving the muffle 17, the adhesive tape 7 is guided to a rotating arm 18.

An important point of the device is that ribbon 7 goes to through an optical sensing cell.

The rotating arm 18 which turns counterclockwise on the example shown in FIG. 1 receives the adhesive tape; a clamp 20 is removable on each side of the arm 18 to maintain the ribbon 7 when it is in place on one or other of the faces of the 18. Although this is not shown in Figure 1, a system of knife allows to cut a handle of the ribbon 7 during the rotation of the arm 18. For more details on the operation of the clamps 20 and the sectioning system of the ribbon 7, the person skilled in the art will be able to usefully refer to document FR 2 787 416.

As can be seen in this figure, the arm 18 turns into opposition of the direction of movement of the conveyor 2. In the waiting position, the arm 18 is oriented according to the vertical, and is therefore perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor 2. The ribbon 7 extends over the entire face of the arm 18 opposite a burden 3 that presents itself. The face of the tape 7 coated with adhesive is turned towards the outside of the arm 18.

When a burden 3 caused by the conveyor 2 moves forward, it contacts the arm 18. The tape 7 then sticks on the front face of the burden 3 in contact with the arm 18. A sensor not shown on the drawing detects the presence of the burden 3 and controls the rotation of the arm 18 at an angle of 180 °.

The rotation movement is synchronized with the displacement of the burden 3 so that at the end of rotation the tape 7 sticks on the back side of the burden 3 (the front and back terms are given in reference to the direction of travel of the conveyor 2). Synchronization of the speed of rotation of the arm 18 and the speed of the conveyor 2 is obtained by variable speed drives.

It should be noted that when laying ribbon 7 on a burden 3 to form a handle, a portion of ribbon 7 is automatically pulled on the arm 18 to form in preparation for the laying, a new handle.

Referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that the ends of the arm 18 are each equipped with a jack 22 which supports a roller 23 on which wraps the adhesive tape. Each of the cylinders 22 is piloted independently of one another.

The arm 18 has a length equal to the nominal length of the handle. As has been stated in the preamble to this document, the actual length of a handle varies randomly but however within a given interval

The operation of the arm 18 in relation to the cell 15 optical system is shown schematically in FIGS. 3,4,5,6 as a function of different cases of Fig.

In these figures, ribbon 7 is shown in waiting position laying and two handles n + 1, n + 2 upstream; each of the handles has an opaque label 8.

In FIG. 3, the arm 18 is at the dimension corresponding to the nominal dimension of the handle.

When the label is placed during the rotation of the arm 18, the label n + 1 is pulled in the waiting position on the arm 18. given the lengthening of the ribbon 7, the ribbon 7 can be found in the case of Figure shown in Figure 4.

In the case of the extension of the handle n + 1, this one is longer than the nominal length. Therefore, the label is more long than the arm 18, which means that the ribbon 7 has not been towed of a length equal to the nominal length of a label 8. In reality, the ribbon 7 was towed a length slightly shorter than the length nominal of a handle.

The cell 15 which is positioned upstream of the arm 18 to a distance corresponding to three times the nominal length of a handful decreased by the length of the adhesive end detects on the n + 3 handle an offset. In concrete terms, the shift detection is carried out by the fact that the label of the n + 3 handle cuts the optical beam of the cell. Thus, the cell 15 observes the shift of the handle n + 1 and of all the handles that precede it.

The cell 15 is connected to a control unit 16 which may be a microprocessor, to which the cell 15 sends a signal if an offset is detected between the position theoretical and real of the handle n + 3.

The control unit 10 can of course control other function of the device.

In the case where an offset is detected, a signal is sent by the control unit 16 to the jack 22, the roller supports the ribbon 7; he this is the cylinder 22 located on the upper side of the rotary arm 18.

The deployment of the jack 22 has the consequence of increasing the length of the arm 18.

The handle n + 1 is placed on the burden 3 by the rotation of the arm 18. Now, this rotational movement is performed with an arm 18 having a length greater than the nominal length of a handle. This makes it possible to immediately correct the positioning fault since the ribbon 7 is towed longer than the length nominal.

At the next rotation, the jack 22 which was deployed is retracted, bringing the arm 18 to a length equal to the nominal length.

The cylinders 22 are not actuated systematically to each rotation but only when an increase in the handle awaiting installation on the arm 18.

It should be made clear that the device works in a optimal thanks to three other provisions of the invention.

We note first of all the presence of the muffle 9 located directly downstream of the coil 6 and upstream of the motorized drum 14. This mitt 9 ensures constant tensioning of the ribbon 7 during its unwinding.

Then, an important feature of the device is the presence of a motorized drum 14 on the path of the ribbon 7. This drum 14 ensures a recovery of the tensile force of the ribbon 7. However, we must keep the mind that a coil 6 for handles said prepared to a mass about 22 kg for a length of 7000 m. Such a coil 6 presents so a very important inertia that the rotation of the arm 18 alone can have difficulties to overcome. In operation, when the rotation of the arm 18 is triggered, the drum 14 rotates.

In addition, an oscillating muffle 17 is interposed between the drum 14 and the arm 18 which constantly maintains a constant voltage in the ribbon 7.

The device thus described has the many advantages previously indicated and allows in particular to deposit handles said prepared by means of a device 18 rotating arm.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the form of described above as an example but it embraces contrary all forms of realization. So, if in the example described, the ribbon 7 has handles whose central part consists of a cardboard label, one could consider using the device according to the invention for handles whose central part is simply materialized by an impented zone. For detecting the offset of a handle upstream of the handle being laid, a system is provided optical detection but it could be consider a probe detecting the excess thickness of a label 8, when it is not at its position normal.

Claims (9)

Device for placing on a load (3), moved on a conveyor (2), a handle n of nominal length L located at the end of a ribbon (7) comprising a succession of handles n + i each handle comprising two adhesive ends and a central part, the device comprising ribbon feeding means (7) to a laying rotary arm having a length equal to the nominal length L, which can deposit an adhesive end of the handle n on one face of the burden (3) then the second end of the handle n on a second face of the burden (3) during a rotation of the arm (18) of 180 ° synchronous with the advancement of the burden (3) on the conveyor (2), characterized in that the device comprises: means for detecting an offset of the position of a handle n + i awaiting installation located upstream of a handle n, with respect to the theoretical position of the handle n + i corresponding to a multiple of the length nominal, offset due to an elongation of the handle n beyond the nominal length of a handle, and means for extending the length of the arm (18) which is rotatable beyond the nominal length L, which makes it possible, during a rotation thereof, to pull a portion of ribbon (7) longer than the nominal length, a control unit (16) connected, on the one hand, to the detection means that can receive a signal from the latter in the case where an offset of the position of a handle n + 1 relative to the theoretical position of the handle n + i is detected and connected, on the other hand, to the elongation means for controlling the elongation of the latter in the case where an offset is detected. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for optical detection of a shift of the position of a handle (n + 1). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is placed on the unwinding path of the ribbon (7) at a distance from the rotating arm (18) equal to a multiple of the nominal length of a handle minus the length of the an adhesive end. Device according to one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the ends of the rotating arm (18) are each equipped with a jack (22) supporting a roller, on which the ribbon (7) can be wound, each cylinder (22) being able to occupy a retracted position in which the length of the arm (18) is equal to the nominal length and an extended position in which the length of the arm (18) is then greater than the nominal length. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the ribbon feeding means (7) comprise a mandrel (4) on which a coil (6) of ribbon (7) can be engaged and a series of pulleys (13) guiding the ribbon (7) to the rotating arm (18). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the supply means further comprises a drum (14) for driving between the mandrel and the arm (18) rotating. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the supply means comprise, in addition, an oscillating muffle positioned between the drum (14) for driving and the arm (18) rotating. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the supply means further comprises an oscillating muffle positioned between the mandrel and the drum (14) drive. Method for laying on a load (3) moved on a conveyor (2), a handle n of nominal length L located at the end of a ribbon (7) comprising a succession of handles n + i each comprising two adhesive ends and a central part, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: bringing the ribbon (7) to a rotary arm (18) having a length equal to the nominal length, triggering the rotation of the arm (18) so that a first adhesive end of the handle n is deposited on a front face of the burden (3) and the second adhesive end is deposited on a rear face of the burden (3) during the 'progress of the burden (3), detecting an offset of the position of a handle n + i, located upstream of the handle n, with respect to the theoretical position of the handle (n + i) corresponding to a multiple of the nominal length L, controlling, in the case of detecting an offset, an elongation of the length of the arm (18) beyond the nominal length, rotating the arm (18) to pull a length of tape (7) exceeding the nominal length of a handle bring the length of the arm (18) back to a length corresponding to the nominal length L.

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