EP1711402A1

EP1711402A1 - Labeling apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP1711402A1
Application number: EP04813183A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter Bender
Original assignee: Checkpoint Systems Inc
Current assignee: Checkpoint Systems Inc
Priority date: 2003-12-12
Filing date: 2004-12-06
Publication date: 2006-10-18
Also published as: TW200528354A; JP2007513844A; AU2004303842A1; MXPA06006656A; DE10358318A1; EP1711402A4; KR20060103951A; CA2549002A1; CA2549002C; AU2004303842B2; JP4469858B2; CN1894135A; WO2005061335A1

Abstract

The invention is directed to a labeling apparatus for dispensing and applying self-adhesive labels arranged on a carrier web (15) adapted to be fed step-by-step. By means of a lever mounted for pivotal movement on a housing of the labeling apparatus a feeding mechanism (19) for the carrier web is adapted to be driven. The feeding mechanism (19) includes a transport slide (40) with a transport pawl (46) and a table (45). On each pivoting cycle of the lever the carrier web (15) is adapted to be held clamped between a clamping member (52) of the transport pawl (46) and the table (45) for entrainment by the transport slide (40). The clamping member (52) includes several cutting edges (52a-52c) arranged adjacent to each other in the feed direction, hence enabling line contact to be established between the clamping member (52) and the carrier web (15) in a direction transverse to the feed direction of the carrier web. By virtue of the line contact between the clamping member (52) and the carrier web (15), service life, reliability and accuracy of the feeding mechanism (19) are improved.

Description

LABELING APPARATUS

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a labeling apparatus for dispensing and applying self-adhesive labels arranged on a carrier web adapted to be fed step-by-step, with a lever mounted for pivotal movement on a housing for driving a feeding mechanism for the carrier web, said feeding mechanism including a transport slide with a transport pawl and a table, so that on each pivoting cycle of the lever the carrier web is adapted to be held clamped between a clamping member of the transport pawl and the table for entrainment by the transport slide.

Labeling apparatus of this type are known as hand-held labelers in a wide variety of designs. They are used for price marking in retail stores, in particular in supermarkets and self-service establishments.

A labeling apparatus of the type initially referred to is known from DE 43 09 441 A1. This known labeler is a tongs-type hand-held labeling apparatus in which the labels are paid out of a label supply roll one by one, printed by a print mechanism and subsequently fed to a dispensing lip where each individual label is delami- nated from the carrier web and dispensed. The carrier web is moved through the labeling apparatus by the feeding mechanism, with the feeding mechanism and the print mechanism for printing on the label being driven by the pivotally mounted lever. This lever is arranged opposite a handle rigidly mounted on the housing. Using a pivotal motion of the lever in opposition to the force of a spring, the print mechanism is moved against a platen in order to effect printing on a label that rests on the platen. As the lever is caused to swing back by the spring force, the carrier web is held clamped between the clamping member of the transport pawl and the table of the transport slide and advanced by the transport slide through a distance corresponding to the label spacing, in which process the printed label is delami- nated from the carrier web at the dispensing lip, being subsequently applied and rolled onto the item to be labeled by the on-press and rolling action of an applicator roll. In all known labelers in which the feeding mechanism includes such a transport slide with a transport pawl provided on a clamping member, the clamping member is a critical part. Conventionally, this clamping member is comprised of a small pad coated with corundum on the side making contact with the carrier web. In the simplest case the clamping member is a piece of corundum paper or corundum tape as used in grinding applications. To make sure that each label held on the carrier web can be moved into an accurately defined position underneath the print mechanism, it is important for the clamping member to establish a contact as defined as possible with the carrier web so that with each pivoting cycle of the lever the carrier web is advanced by precisely one label spacing. This is of particular importance with preprinted labels so that the additional print produced in the labeler is precisely within the boundaries of, and not on, the preprinted section. An undefined advance however not only has the disadvantage that the preprinted section is printed over when printing on the label but also that too much of an advance, for example, causes the label to leave the dispensing lip before being applied to an object. The label becomes a "flyer" and cannot be properly rolled onto the object. Furthermore it is important for the clamping member to have a maximum possible service life to enable the labeler to be also used as long as possible before needing repair or maintenance. Proper operation of the labeler requires the clamping member to clamp the carrier web reliably between it and the table to prevent any relative movement occurring between the carrier web and the clamping member during the transport slide's feeding movement. Experience has shown that the clamping member equipped with a corundum pad is unable to meet the afprementioned requirements in respect of service life, reliability and accuracy. When the corundum pad is entrained by the transport slide, it drags along the carrier web which is made of paper. As a result, the corundum pad may become soiled by abraded paper and lose its grip, whereby its reliability and accuracy regarding the carrier web advance are impaired. In addition, the corundum pad has a relatively undefined contact zone because it contacts the carrier web only where corundum particles protrude a sufficient amount. Abraded paper between the corundum particles results in a still more undefined contact zone. Furthermore it frequently shows to be a disadvantage that the use of a corundum pad as clamping member does not allow the advancing stroke of the carrier web to be adjusted when labels with a different adhesive are to be processed by the hand-held labeler. For example, labels used in a deep-freeze environment are provided with an adhesive different from labels used at room temperature, hence requiring a different feed setting.

It is an object of the present invention to improve service life, reliability and accuracy of the label feed in a labeling apparatus of the type initially referred to.

According to the present invention this object is accomplished with a labeling apparatus incorporating the features indicated in claim 1.

Because in the labeling apparatus of the present invention the clamping member of the transport pawl is constructed in a cutting-edge-type configuration enabling line contact to be established between the clamping member and the carrier web in a direction transverse to the feed direction of the carrier web, any soiling of the clamping member liable to impair its service life, reliability and accuracy is precluded. The line contact obtained by the cutting-edge-type configuration of the clamping member enables an accurately defined contact between the clamping member and the carrier web whereby it is ensured that with each pivoting cycle of the lever the transport slide of the feeding mechanism advances the carrier web by precisely one label spacing and the label to be printed and dispensed is invariably moved to precisely the same position. The cutting-edge-type configuration of the clamping member of the invention affords the added advantage of enabling any excess of advance to be avoided, so that no "flyers" are produced which leave the dispensing lip prematurely. In addition, the cutting-edge-type clamping member ensures a defined, pre-adjustable advancing stroke regardless of the adhesive used on the labels.

Advantageous embodiments of the labeling apparatus of the invention are the subjects of the subclaims.

When in one aspect of the labeling apparatus of the invention the clamping member includes several cutting edges arranged adjacent to each other in the feed direction, multiple line contact can be established between the clamping member and the carrier web whereby reliability and accuracy of label feed can be further enhanced.

When in another aspect of the labeling apparatus of the invention the cutting edges are arranged at a progressively increasing distance to the carrier web in the feed direction, a swiveling motion of the transport pawl up to its final clamping position causes the individual cutting edges to make contact with the carrier web successively, thereby ensuring reliable and accurate feeding of the labels without the cutting edges cutting into the carrier web. Since no cuts are made, the clamping member cannot become soiled either.

When in still another aspect of the labeling apparatus of the invention the clamping member is comprised of several blades, the transport pawl can be equipped with the clamping member in a particularly simple and convenient way, with the number of line contacts between the clamping member and the carrier web being selectable by the number of blades.

When in yet another aspect of the labeling apparatus of the invention the blades are made of metal, a particularly long useful life of the clamping member can be ensured.

When in another aspect of the labeling apparatus of the invention the blades protrude from the transport pawl on the side of the transport pawl facing the carrier web by equal amounts and when the blades are mounted on the transport pawl in such a manner that in the clamping position they are inclined to the carrier web relative to a perpendicular, not only is the configuration described further above enabled in simple manner in which the blades' distance from the carrier web increases progressively in the feed direction, but also an increasingly stronger fric- tional-engagement contact between the clamping member and the carrier web is ensured when the carrier web is entrained by the transport slide due to the pivota- bility of the transport pawl, whereby reliability and accuracy of the feed are further enhanced.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawing. In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a detailed bottom view of a transport slide of a carrier web feeding mechanism of a labeling apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the transport slide taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the transport slide of FIG. 1 with the flap in open position;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of a transport pawl of the transport slide of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the transport pawl of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a hand-held labeling apparatus known in the art; and

FIGS. 7a - 7f are schematic views of the transport slide of the labeling apparatus of FIG. 6 and of the carrier web to explain the mode of operation of the feeding mechanism.

The labeling apparatus shown in FIG. 6 is constructed in the same way as a labeling apparatus of the invention, apart from the construction of a feeding mechanism 19. Therefore, to avoid repetitions only a transport slide 40 and as detail its transport pawl which are part of the feeding mechanism 19 of the labeling apparatus of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. Before describing FIGS. 1 to 5 in more detail, the mode of operation of the known labeling apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

The labeling apparatus shown in FIG. 6 has a housing 11 on which a handle 12 is integrally formed. Provided on the housing upper side is a compartment 13 for accommodating a supply reel 14 for a carrier web 15 to which self-adhesive labels 16 are adhered. The carrier web 15 is routed in the labeling apparatus from the supply reel 14 in the compartment 13 to bottom left in the representation of FIG. 6 via a projection 17 on the housing forwardly to a dispensing lip 18 where the carrier web 15 is deflected to be routed through a feeding mechanism generally designated as 19 to the rearward end of the housing 11. Mounted in the housing 11 for rotation about an axis 20 ahead of the dispensing lip 18 is an applicator roll

10 with which a label 16' peeled from the carrier web 15 at the dispensing lip 18 and hence in the position ready for application can be adhered to an object by a rolling motion of the applicator roll 10.

Provided underneath the handle 12 is a lever 22 mounted on the housing 11 for pivotal motion about an axis 23. Seated between the handle 12 and the lever 22 is a spring 24 indicated schematically in FIG. 6 and trying to urge the lever 22 into the position of rest shown in FIG. 6. In the housing 11 is a print mechanism lever 25 which is likewise pivotal about the axis 23. The print mechanism lever 25 supports a print mechanism 26 enabling printing of a self-adhesive label 16 positioned on a platen 27. Seated between an arm 28 of the lever 22 and the print mechanism lever 25 is a spring 29 which serves to transmit a movement of the lever 22 directed against the handle 12 to the print mechanism lever 25. In the position of rest shown in FIG. 6 the print mechanism lever 25 is held in a raised position by the lever 22.

For a brief description of an operating cycle of the labeling apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6 it is assumed that no self-adhesive label 16' is as yet in the dispensing position underneath the applicator roll 10. To initiate an operating cycle, the lever 22 is pulled against the handle 12 as a result of which the print mechanism lever 25 is pivoted, due to the action of the arm 28 and the spring 29, in anticlockwise direction about the axis 23, causing the print mechanism 26 to be lowered down onto the platen 27. When striking the platen 27, the print mechanism 26 produces a print on the self-adhesive label 16 positioned on the platen 27 at this particular instant. Via a lever 30 likewise mounted for pivotal motion on the housing

11 but driven by the print mechanism lever 25, the feeding mechanism 19 has been moved at the same time from the position illustrated in FIG. 6 in the direction of the platen 27 longitudinally of the carrier web 15. When the lever 22 is released, the spring 24 operates to return the lever 22 to the initial position illustrated in FIG. 6, with the lever 22 pivoting the print mechanism lever 25 clockwise about the axis 23. At the same time, also the feeding mechanism 19 is returned to its initial position shown in FIG. 6. As this movement occurs, it is however in frictional engagement with the carrier web 15, hence causing the carrier web to be pulled about the dispensing lip 18 by a distance corresponding to the width of a self-adhesive label. As this occurs, a self-adhesive label 16 is delaminated from the carrier web 15 at the dispensing lip 18, reaching the position of the self-adhesive label 16' underneath the applicator roll 10. The self-adhesive label 16' is then ready to be adhered to an object by a rolling motion of the applicator roll 10.

The feeding mechanism 19 includes a transport slide 40 mounted for displacement in the housing 11 on the underside thereof, said feeding mechanism being described here in detail with reference to FIG. 6 only to the extent necessary for the understanding of the invention. For better clarity reference is also made to FIG. 7a. The transport slide 40 has a housing 42 out of which a flap 44 carrying the table 45 can be swung out in downward direction. Above the flap 44 a transport pawl 46 is mounted on the housing 42 for pivotal movement about an axis 48. A helical spring not visible in FIGS. 6 and 7a has its ends take support upon the housing 42 and, respectively, the transport pawl 46 and biases the transport pawl 46 in clockwise direction about the axis 48, thus urging it in the direction of the table 45. At its end adjacent to the flap 44, the transport pawl 46 has two skids 50 enabling the transport pawl 46 to take support upon adjacent longitudinal sides of the carrier web 15. The arrangement of the transport pawl 46 on the transport slide 40 is selected such that when the transport slide 40 moves to the left in FIG. 6 the transport pawl 46 is in a raised position, whilst during a movement of the transport slide to the right in FIG. 6 the transport pawl 46 can be lowered in order to hold the carrier web 15 clamped between a clamping member 52 and the table 45 formed on the flap 44, hence enabling the transport slide 40 to entrain the carrier web to the right in FIG. 6, as will be described in the following in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 7a - 7f.

In FIGS. 7a to 7f the individual labels 16 on the carrier web 15 are numbered consecutively from 1 to 5, with label no. 1 and label no. 3 being shaded to show the different relative positions of the transport slide 40 and the carrier web 15 in greater detail. The initial position of the transport slide 40 shown in FIG. 6 is shown also in FIG. 7a. The carrier web 15 has wave-shaped longitudinal edges and carries labels referred to as wave-edge labels. The labels involved here are only imaginary because the carrier web 15 passing through the transport slide 40 is empty. The labels were previously removed from the carrier web 15 at the dispensing lip 15. The arrangement is selected such that each label 16 has two wave crests lying opposite each other and combines with its two adjacent labels 16 to form a wave trough. Furthermore, the arrangement is such that in the initial position of FIG. 7a the transport pawl 46 rests with its two skids 50 on the two wave crests of the carrier web 15 corresponding to the crests of the imaginary label no. 2. Proceeding from the initial position of FIG. 7a, the transport slide 40 is moved to the left as indicated by an arrow pointing to the left. As this occurs, the clamping member 52 is lifted clear of the carrier web 15 so that the carrier web 15 is not entrained by the transport slide 40. When the transport slide 40 moves to the left by a distance corresponding to half the width of a label, the skids 50 according to the representation of FIG. 7b reach two adjacent wave troughs on the carrier web 15 between the imaginary labels no. 2 and no. 3. As a result, the clamping member 52 moves downwards, urging the carrier web 15 against the table 45. With the transport slide 40 now continuing its movement to the left through a distance amounting to half the width of a label, according to FIG. 7c the skids 50 reach the two wave crests of the carrier web 15 corresponding to the imaginary label no. 3, causing the transport pawl 46 to be again lifted clear of the carrier web. The transport slide 40 now reverses its movement, moving to the right according to FIGS. 6 and 7c. When the skids 50 in FIG. 7d reenter the wave troughs of the carrier web 15 between the imaginary label no. 2 and the imaginary label no. 3, the carrier web 15 is held clamped on the table 45 by the clamping member 52 in the zone of the imaginary label no. 3. From now on the carrier web 15 is entrained to the right as indicated in FIG. 7e by an arrow on both the transport slide 40 and the carrier web 15. According to FIG. 7f the transport slide 40 causes the carrier web 15 to follow its movement through a distance corresponding to a label spacing. Thereafter the transport pawl 46 is again lifted clear of the carrier web 15 so that with the next pivoting cycle of the lever 22 the same sequence of movements results which commences again as shown in FIG. 7a.

The present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. To the extent possible, the same reference numerals as those used for the known labeling apparatus of FIGS. 6 and 7 are applied.

FIG. 1 shows as detail the transport slide 40 of a labeling apparatus of the invention which differs from the known labeling apparatus only in the construction of the transport slide and the improved entrainment of the carrier web 15 by the transport slide thereby accomplished. FIG. 1 shows the transport slide 40 in a view from below, that is, as seen looking from below at the labeling apparatus shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 2 shows the transport slide 40 of FIG. 1 in a sectional view taken along the line ll-ll of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows the transport slide 40 of FIG. 1 with the flap 44 open. In the representation of FIG. 1 a length of the carrier web 15 reaching about from one end of the slide to the other end is in the transport slide 40. FIG. 4 shows as a detail the transport pawl 46 of the transport slide 40 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 shows the transport pawl 46 in a vertical sectional view.

According to the representations of FIGS. 2 to 5 the transport pawl 46 has a recess 54 extending over its effective width and receiving the clamping member 52. According to the invention the clamping member 52 is constructed in a cutting- edge-type configuration such that line contact is producible between the clamping member 52 and the carrier web 15 in a direction transverse to the feed direction of the carrier web 15. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 the clamping member 52 has several cutting edges 52a, 52b and 52c arranged adjacent to one another in the feed direction of the carrier web 15. The relative distance of the cutting edges 52a - 52c to the carrier web 15 increases progressively in the feed direction, as can be seen in FIG. 2 where the cutting edge 52a already sits on the carrier web 15 whilst the cutting edge 52b is at some distance from the carrier web 15, and the distance of the cutting edge 52c from the carrier web 15 is greater still. The cutting edges 52a - 52c may be provided on a single body forming the clamping member 52. In the embodiment herein shown and described the clamping member 52 is comprised of several blades 56a, 56b and 56c. The recess 54 is shaped such as to receive the blades 56a - 56c fixedly therein. When the housing 42 of the transport slide 40 is fabricated as an injection-molded part, the blades 56a - 56c may be placed in the mold as an insert prior to molding so that upon demolding the trans- port pawl 46 is available as a finished part, as shown in FIG. 4. Arranged in the recess 54 are ribs 55 supporting the blades 56a - 56c in the feed direction and dividing the recess generally designated as 54 into several smaller recesses. The blades 56a - 56c are preferably made of metal as, for example, cutlery steel. As becomes apparent from FIG. 2 the blades 56a - 56c protrude from the transport pawl 46 by equal amounts on the side of the transport pawl 46 facing the carrier web 15, and the blades 56a - 56c are fastened to the transport pawl 46 in such a way that in the clamping position shown in FIG. 2 they are inclined to the carrier web 15 relative to a perpendicular. As the transport slide 40 moves to the right in FIG. 2, first the blade 52a will make line contact with the carrier web 15. With continued movement of the transport slide 40 to the right in FIG. 2, the transport pawl 46 swivels progressively in clockwise direction about the axis 48, hence causing also the second cutting edge 52b and finally, with the transport slide 40 exerting a correspondingly strong pull on the carrier web 15, the cutting edge 52c to make line contact with the carrier web 15 in order to progressively clamp the carrier web 15 on the table 45.

Claims

1. A labeling apparatus for dispensing and applying self-adhesive labels arranged on a carrier web adapted to be fed step-by-step, with a lever mounted for pivotal movement on a housing for driving a feeding mechanism for the carrier web, said feeding mechanism including a transport slide with a transport pawl and a table, so that on each pivoting cycle of the lever the carrier web is adapted to be held clamped between a clamping member of the transport pawl and the table for entrainment by the transport slide, characterized in that the clamping member (52) of the transport pawl (46) is constructed in a cutting-edge-type configuration such as to enable line contact to be established between the clamping member (52) and the carrier web (15) in a direction transverse to the feed direction of the carrier web (15).

2. The labeling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the clamping member (52) includes several cutting edges (52a - 52c) arranged adjacent to each other in the feed direction.

3. The labeling apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the cutting edges (52a - 52c) are arranged at a progressively increasing distance to the carrier web (15) in the feed direction.

4. The labeling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the clamping member (52) is comprised of several blades (56a - 56c).

5. The labeling apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the blades (56a - 56c) are made of metal.

6. The labeling apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the blades (56a - 56c) protrude from the transport pawl (46) on the side of the transport pawl (46) facing the carrier web (15) by equal amounts, and the blades (56a - 56c) are mounted on the transport pawl (46) in such a manner that in the clamping position they are inclined to the carrier web (15) relative to a perpendicular.