EP2042437A1 - Labelling device - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has a labeling unit (12) for processing labels from label strip rolls (14), and comprising a cutting device (1) and a common support device. The cutting device is formed of a rotating vacuum roller (2) and a rotating parting element (3) that includes a parting tool e.g. cutting blade, on its circumference. The common support device holds the cutting device, and includes base and cover parts. The mean coefficient of thermal expansion of the support device corresponds to the mean coefficient of thermal expansion of the vacuum roller and the parting element.

Description

The invention relates to a labeling machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

For high-performance labeling applications, endless label tapes are usually used that have been wound onto a roll core into a label roll. This type of labeling allows a possible uninterrupted labeling, as well as several label rolls are mounted in a memory, which are then transferred seamlessly into the labeling when needed. This allows high-speed labeling operations.

For example, the labeling device is known DE202005002793U1 which, inter alia, provides a high speed cutter for endless label belts from roll processing labeling machines, the cutter comprising a rotating vacuum roll and a rotating separator. In order to be able to produce the highest possible cutting length variation, the vacuum roll and the separating element are each equipped with their own drives.
However, this device has the disadvantage that the wear of the cutting element attached to the cutting tools is very high, since the cooperating elements expand in high-speed operation and thus the set tolerances can no longer be met.

Also known is the DE69822238 T2 , which also provides a high speed labeling machine. The problem of changing tolerances in the thermal expansion of components in the label cutting unit is avoided by interspersing the cutting unit with channels in which tempered oil circulates. As a result, a change in the temperature during operation is prevented. Disadvantage of this arrangement is the enormously high design effort operated here.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a high-speed labeling, which realizes a good Etikettierergebnis with simple design effort throughout the operation.

The object is achieved by the characterizing part of claim 1. With a labeling machine according to the invention are all whatever kind of container to be provided with a label from the roll, editable. Containers can u. a. Cans, PET bottles, glass bottles, cans, jars or tubs.

The preferably designed as a rotary labeller has preferably a linear container feed, at the end of a Einteilschnecke or a Einteilstern (eg sawtooth star) provides for the division-oriented feeding of the container to the Etikettierbereich. After the transfer of the containers to the labeling area, where labeling is carried out by the provided labeling unit, they are transferred by a transfer element to the container removal area. The labeling area can be designed differently. It is possible, for example, for the items to be labeled Support plates, such as turntables are or that they are ground-free, for example, hung at the mouth or transported seized. The labeling unit for wrap-around labels consists of at least one label roll, a label feeder, a cutting device, a gripper cylinder and a gluing unit, wherein the label strip to be separated from the label roll is withdrawn and fed via the label feed the vacuum roller and the cutting device. The transport of the label strip on the vacuum roller preferably takes place without slippage, but in certain cases (eg for cutting position correction), it can also be carried out with slippage. The label tape, which is located on the vacuum roller, is severed by the cutting device. The thus isolated labels are handed over to the gripper cylinder, which provides them with a start and end adhesive strip or a more or less completely formed glue film when passing the gluing unit. The gripper cylinder passes the label to the article to be labeled, the label being wound up by the self-rotation of the article. Then the Endleimstreifen is glued to the article or overlapping with the label.

The cutting device is preferably formed by a rotating vacuum roller and a rotating separating element, wherein the separating element has at least one separating tool on its circumference. The cutting tool is preferably a cutting tool, in particular a cutting blade, wherein the formation of the cutting tool can also be carried out as a punching tool.

The cutting device is preferably held by a carrying device which has at least one bottom part and a Cover part has. According to a preferred development of the invention, the carrying device is designed such that the vacuum roller and the rotating separating element are mounted directly or indirectly in the carrying device. Between the bottom part and the lid part connecting elements can be attached, which provide a mechanical, non-positive coupling. The bottom part and the lid part are preferably each formed in one piece and have an average thermal expansion coefficient which is approximately equal. There is often talk here of the mean thermal expansion coefficient. This refers to the effective coefficient of thermal expansion that actually exists. It may be, for example, that the bottom part is constructed of different materials, each having different coefficients of expansion. With the mean coefficient of thermal expansion, therefore, the practically existing extent of the various materials, for example the bottom part, should be indicated.

Preferably, the support means is formed so that its average coefficient of thermal expansion corresponds to the average coefficient of thermal expansion of the vacuum roller and the rotating separating element. According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom part and the cover part of the support device made of the same material, so that this results in an approximately equal coefficient of thermal expansion. More preferably, the support device and the vacuum roller and the cutting blade are constructed of the same basic materials, thereby resulting in an approximately equal coefficient of thermal expansion. A preferred material for said parts is aluminum. Preferably, therefore, the cylindrical basic structure of the vacuum roller consists mainly of aluminum as well as the rotating partition, this does not mean that the addressed elements consist only of aluminum.

Another embodiment of the invention is that the separating element, the vacuum roller and the supporting device made of steel, so that here there is a substantially equal coefficient of thermal expansion.

According to a further preferred development counter-elements are mounted on the vacuum roller, with which the cutting tool for cutting the label can be brought into contact, wherein the counter-elements are formed of metal strips. The cutting operation of the label is carried out by the contact of separating tool and counter element. The metal strips are preferably introduced into the vacuum cylinder so that they do not protrude from the cylinder surface.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotating separating element has at least two separating tools, but preferably exactly two separating tools for severing the label. With more than one cutting tool, which is attached to the rotating separator, the rotational speed of the separator decreases with the same performance of the labeling, since from one label cut to the next no 360 ° rotation, but with two cutting tools a rotation of 180 ° and four cutting tools only a rotation of the separating element of 90 ° must be made.

Preferably, the rotating vacuum roller contains two counter-elements, on which the cutting tool can perform the cut through the label. According to a preferred Development of the invention are located on the rotating vacuum roller at least four, more preferably exactly four counter-elements. Are the counter-elements integrated in the manner in the rotating vacuum roller that three counter-elements each with a distance of 120 ° and that the fourth counter-element is attached to any of the three counter-elements with a distance of 180 °, so there is the advantage that with a rotating vacuum roll can be produced label lengths that correspond to the simple circumference, two-thirds of the circumference, one and a half times the circumference or one-and-a-half times the circumference of the vacuum roller.

However, other arrangements of the counter elements are conceivable, such as e.g. the equidistant arrangement of six counter-elements so that they are each at a distance of 60 ° to each other.

A particularly flexible arrangement with respect to the lengths of label to be produced arises when the entire circumference of the vacuum roller is designed as a counter element, i. the surface material of the vacuum roller corresponds to that of the counter-elements. Thereby, the cutting tool can be engaged at any position with the rotating vacuum roll for the purpose of cutting. An alignment of the vacuum roller to the cutting tool is therefore not necessary.

According to a particularly preferred development, both the rotating vacuum roller and the rotating separating element are each equipped with their own motor drive, with the drive particularly preferably being a servo drive. This configuration makes it possible to have both synchronous and asynchronous To generate movement pattern of both the vacuum roller and the separating element, whereby a maximum of flexibility in terms of the length of the labels to be created is achieved. For certain applications, it may be sufficient to design the two motor drives as stepper motors.

The equipment of the separating element and the vacuum roller, each with its own drive has the advantage that as flexible as possible adapted to the present situation cutting process can be used. If e.g. the separating element has two separating tools, but one is worn, so it is possible to rotate the separator from one to the next cut by 360 °, so that the worn cutting tool is no longer used. This is advantageous because then a change of the separating element can be made when the machine is serviced anyway. Additional interruptions can thus be minimized to a necessary level.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the peripheral speeds of the separating element and the vacuum roller, which may well differ during a revolution, so matched to one another that they are the same at the time of cutting the label.

If the rotating separating element has one or two separating tools on its circumference, then it preferably has a substantially diamond-shaped shape, at the flattened pointed ends of which or the separating tools are attached. This embodiment has the advantage that at high peripheral speed of the separating element low masses must be moved. Does the rotating separator more as two separating tools, for example four, the rotating separating element can be formed, for example, as a substantially rectangular structure, on the flattened edges of which the separating tools are respectively fastened. Another possible arrangement consists in the cylindrical configuration of the separating element, on the lateral surface of which the separating tools are fastened.

In order to minimize the wear of the cutting tools when cutting the label by the contact with the vacuum roll, the cutting tool is preferably spring-mounted in the separating element.

According to a particularly preferred development of the invention, the gluing unit belonging to the labeling unit of the labeling machine consists at least of a tank, a heater, a glue roller and an adhesive strip, wherein the gluing unit is designed as a complete structural unit which can be exchanged as a whole. This hotmelt unit, which can be replaced as a whole, has the advantage that, when the label adhesive is changed, the cleaning of the tank, the glue roller and the glue bar as well as the cleaning of the adhesive guides can only take place after removal of the gluing unit from the labeling unit, whereby the downtime of the labeling machine can be considerably reduced , Preferably, the gluing unit is fastened with the aid of quick-release elements on the labeling unit, whereby an even faster changing process is made possible.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine Etikettiermaschine,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine Schneideinrichtung einer solchen Etikettiermaschine,

Fig. 3

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht der Schneideinrichtung,

Fig. 4

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine Vakuumwalze in einer Etikettiermaschine,

Fig. 5

eine schematische Draufsicht auf ein Leimwerk und eine Schneideinrichtung.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. It shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic plan view of a labeling machine,

Fig. 2

a schematic plan view of a cutting device of such a labeling machine,

Fig. 3

a schematic perspective view of the cutting device,

Fig. 4

a schematic plan view of a vacuum roller in a labeling machine,

Fig. 5

a schematic plan view of a gluing unit and a cutting device.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a labeling machine, which allows a continuous high-performance application of wrap-around labels on a single-line row continuously supplied bottles 10.

It has a feed conveyor 24, an inlet star wheel 25 with upstream Einteilschnecke 23, a guide arc 22, a carousel 27 with a plurality of equally spaced on a common pitch circle turntables 26, a discharge star wheel 8 and a discharge conveyor 9. The said, the bottles 10 transporting elements moving through the machine are continuously drivable with respect to each other in terms of speed and position.

In the circulation area between the inlet star wheel 25 and the outlet star wheel 8 is located on the outer periferia of the Carousels 27 a labeling unit 12 for applying wrap-around labels. The labeling unit 12 has two label roll receptacles 14 with an intermediate splicing station 15, a cutting device 1, a gluing unit 17 and a gripper cylinder 7 for transferring a pre-cut label glued to its leading and trailing edges onto a bottle 10 passing by.

The labeling process of a bottle 10 proceeds in detail as follows:

A brought up by the feed conveyor 24 bottle 10 is introduced in connection with the laterally arranged Einteilschnecke 23 positionally correct in the inlet starwheel 25 and pushed by this in cooperation with the opposite guide arc 22 in continuous motion on a turntable 26 of the rotating carousel 27. There, the bottle 10 is rotatably clamped by an unillustrated, relative to the turntable 26 controlled raised and lowered centering axially on the turntable 26 with this and brought by the orbital motion of the carousel 27 tangentially to the gripper cylinder 17 of the labeling unit 12.

For this purpose, running in parallel, the label tape is withdrawn controlled from one of the label tape rolls 14 and guided past a print mark or print image sensor which is not shown here, and cut into the printed image or the cut marks in the cutting device 1 connected to the sensor. The separated label, which is located during the cutting process with the printed image to the outside on the rotating vacuum roller 2, after the separation process with the passed vacuum-operated gripper cylinder 7, from where it is guided past the glue roller 18 with the back to the outside and is provided with a glue strip at the beginning and at the end. This provided with the beginning or Eindleimstreifen label is tangentially the carousel 27 on which the bottles 10 are supplied. The initial glue strip is brought into contact with the bottle 10 and by rotating the bottle 10 about its own axis the label is wound up, whereby the end glue strip is glued either overlapping or edge to edge with the beginning of the label. The described attachment of the label takes place during a continuous forward movement of the carousel 27th

After passing through the labeling unit 12 and after completion of the winding process, the labeled bottle 10 reaches the outlet starwheel 8 in the further course and is transferred to the outlet conveyor 9.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the cutting device 1 of the labeling unit 12. The label tape, which is subtracted from the label tape rolls 14, the cutter 1 is fed tangentially in the direction of arrow 31 of the vacuum roller 2. The peripheral speed of the rotating vacuum roller 2 is equal to the feed speed of the label tape, so that the transport of the label tape on the vacuum roller 2 is frictionally without slippage. A print-image or cut-mark sensor, not shown here, scans the label tape with respect to the points to be cut and forwards its information directly to the drive unit of the separating element 3 and / or the vacuum roller 2. A program control can determine the time of cutting and thus the Set peripheral speed of the separating element 3 and / or the vacuum roller 2. It is considered that the peripheral speed of the cutting tool 4 in the rotating separator 3 is equal to the peripheral speed of the vacuum roller 2 and thus also the transport speed of the label tape. In addition, the bottom part 29 of the cutting device 1 can be seen, wherein the parts mainly made of aluminum separating element 3 and vacuum roller 2 are rotatably mounted in the bottom part 29. The connecting elements 30a serve to connect the bottom part 29 and the lid part 30, not shown here, to each other. In high-speed operation, the aluminum components in the cutting device 1 heat up, resulting in thermal expansion. Thus, due to the heat-related change in volume, the diameter Dv of the vacuum roller 2 becomes the same as the diameter Dt of the separating element 3. This enlargement causes the two components to move toward each other by 30 to 60 micrometres due to the aluminum thermal expansion coefficient. This distance reduction between the components would cause the same despite increased suspension of the separating tool in the separating element increased wear. For this reason, the support means 28 is also made of aluminum, so that for the bottom part 29 due to the approximately equal thermal expansion coefficient results in an expansion in the direction of A1 and A2, which approximately eliminates the reduction in distance between the vacuum roller 2 and 3 separating. The same applies to the lid part, not shown here, which is also made of aluminum.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the cutting device 1 of the labeling unit 12. The zu cutting label tape is fed to the vacuum roller 2 in the direction of the arrow 31. The vacuum roller 2 and the separating element 3 are driven by their own drive units, in which case only the motor drive unit 5 of the separating element 3 is shown, in such a way that the separating tool 4 engages with the counter element 6 on the vacuum roller 2 at the time of cutting the label , wherein at this moment the peripheral speed of the separating element 3 and the vacuum roller 2 are the same. The cutting tool 4 is resiliently mounted in the separating element 3 in order to be able to separate wear-resistant for the separating tool and gently for the label when engaging with the counter-element 6.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic plan view of a vacuum roller 2, wherein in the lateral surface of the vacuum roller 2, the counter-elements 61, 62, 63 and 64 are introduced parallel to the axis of rotation A of the vacuum roller 2. The distance of the counter-elements 61, 62 and 63 to each other is chosen so that they enclose an angle of 120 ° (63α, 62α, 61α). The fourth counter element 64 is also introduced parallel to the axis of rotation of the vacuum roller A in the lateral surface of the vacuum roller 2, wherein the fourth counter element 64 with the counter element 61 forms an angle 64α of 180 °. With this arrangement of the counter-elements 61 to 64 label lengths can be produced which correspond to the entire circumference, the three-quarter circumference, half the circumference or the third periphery of the vacuum roller 2. With this one vacuum roller 2 and the counter-elements 61 to 64 mounted therein, differently structured gripper cylinders 7 can be charged. The loadable gripper cylinders 7 may be those which either two corresponding to the circumference of the vacuum roller labels, or three the two-fold the circumference of the vacuum roller corresponding, or four four and a half times the circumference of the vacuum roller corresponding, or six corresponding to the one-and-a-half perimeter of the vacuum roller labels can accommodate.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the cutting device 1 and the gluing unit 17. The withdrawn from the label tape rolls 14 label tape is fed via the guide roller 20 and the roller pair 19 of the cutting device 1. There, the label tape is on the vacuum roller 2, which rotates in the direction of the arrow 33, and is cut by the separating element 3 according to the Schnittmarken- or printed image.

These label pieces are transferred to the gripper cylinder 7, which rotates in the direction of the arrow 35. The gripper cylinder 7, which holds the labels by means of vacuum on its peripheral surface, has on its lateral surface elevations, each receiving the beginning or the end of the label piece. From this fact it follows that at different label lengths other gripper cylinder 7 must be used to tune the surveys on the label lengths.

During the passage of the label pieces, which are located on the gripper cylinder, on the glue roller, the elevations mentioned cause the respective beginning and end of the label piece to be pressed against the glue roller and thus to receive a glue strip. These glue strips are required for bonding the label pieces to the object to be labeled. The transfer of the provided with glue strips label piece takes place at the point where the turntable 26 in Fig. 5 is shown.

In order to be able to provide the label piece with glue strips as just described, a gluing unit 17 is required. The gluing unit 17 consists of a glue tank 36, a glue heating 37, a gluing bar 38, an glue pump 40 and quick-action clamping elements 39. The hot glue added to the glue tank 36 and liquefied via the glue heating 37 is thus pumped out of the glue tank 36 via the glue pump 40 and the glue roller 18 fed to the lateral surface. The glue bar 38 is delivered to the glue roller 18 so close that during the rotation of the glue roller 18 it removes the superfluous glue and only a thin glue film remains on the jacket surface of the glue roller 18. The glue remaining on the glue bar 38 is supplied to the glue tank 36 again, thus creating a glue circulation.

Belonging to the gluing unit 17, just described components are mounted on a Glimwerksgrundplatte 16. The gluing unit base plate 16 can be attached as a whole to the labeling unit 12. For this purpose, it is applied to two strips of the labeling unit 12, not shown here, and fastened with a quick-release element 39 on one of these two strips. By releasing the quick-release element 39, the gluing unit base plate 16 with all its components can be removed from the labeling unit and replaced by another gluing unit.

Claims (16)

Labeling machine for labeling containers at least comprising a container feed, a labeling area, a container removal and at least one labeling unit for processing labels from the roll, wherein the labeling unit consists of at least one label roll, a label feeder, a cutting device, a gripper cylinder and at least one gluing unit, wherein the cutting device is formed by a rotating vacuum roller and a rotating separating element having at its periphery at least one cutting tool, in particular a cutting blade and wherein the cutting device is held by a common support means at least comprising a bottom part and a lid part, characterized in that the mean thermal expansion coefficient the support means substantially corresponds to the average coefficient of thermal expansion of the rotating vacuum roller and the separating element. Labeling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the material of the bottom part and the lid part of the cutting device is substantially equal. Labeling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting device, the vacuum roller and the bottom and lid part are made substantially of the same material having substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion. Labeling machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the bottom and the lid part and the vacuum roller and the rotating separator are made of aluminum. Labeling machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the bottom and the lid part and the vacuum roller and the cutting device made of steel, in particular stainless steel. Labeling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that counter-elements are mounted on the rotating vacuum roller, with which the separating tool for cutting the label can be brought into contact. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating separating element contains two separating tools, in particular two cutting knives for severing the label. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating vacuum roller contains at least two counter-elements, in particular four counter-elements, which can be brought into contact with the cutting tool for severing the label. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the four counter-elements are arranged so that three Counter-elements are mounted on the circumference of the rotating vacuum roller, each with a distance of 120 ° and that the fourth counter-element to one of the three counter-elements has a distance of 180 °. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating vacuum roller is the counter element for severing the label. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating vacuum roller and the rotating separating element are each equipped with its own motor drive, in particular a servo drive. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating vacuum roller and the rotating separating element are drivable at the same circumferential speed at the time of cutting. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotating separating element substantially has a diamond shape, at the flattened pointed ends of the at least one separating tool is attached. Labeling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating tool is resiliently mounted in the rotating separating element. Labeling machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one, belonging to the labeling unit gluing unit consists at least of a glue tank, a glue heating, a glue roller and an adhesive strip, characterized in that the gluing unit is formed as a single unit, which is interchangeable as a whole. Labeling machine according to claim 15, characterized in that the gluing unit can be secured by means of at least one quick-release element on the labeling unit.

Images