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
  • B65C9/08—Label feeding
  • B65C9/18—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls
  • B65C9/1865—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip
• • 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
  • B65C2009/0081—Means for forming a label web buffer, e.g. label web loop

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a buffer device to be used in labelling machines that apply self-adhesive labels to objects, particularly containers.
• Labelling machines that separate self adhesive labels from a backing film and transfer them onto the surface of containers are known and widespread used.
• the containers are carried by a carrousel and come into contact with a labelling unit.
• a reel film comprising a backing film that carries a plurality of self adhesive labels adhered thereon is delivered, by means of appropriate driving gears, to the containers rotating around the carrousel.
• the self adhesive label is separated by the backing film by means of a suitable blade or wedge device.
• the backing film portion separated from the labels is wound again to form a recovering reel.
• the driving system comprises a driving roller that moves the film from the reel to the containers labelling station, a feeding roll that synchronises the label film to the containers and a rewinding motor that recovers the empty portion of the film onto a recovering reel.
• the feeding roll and the removing roll move discontinuously .
• the pitch between the containers on the carrousel is greater than the pitch between the labels on the backing film, as it is convenient to adhere the labels close together on the backing film to save costs, the said backing film being very expensive with respect to the labels. It is therefore necessary that the feeding roll stops dispensing the labels to the carrousel between an application and the subsequent one and that the removing roll follow the same motion law.
• the dispensing reel and the recovering reel are motorized and move of a continuous motion. This means that both upstream the feeding roll and downstream the removing roll the label strip tends to form a loop that lengthen or shorten with an oscillating behaviour, as the rolls stop or move. In fact, when the feeding roll stops, the dispensing reel continues to dispense the film and the loop lengthens. When the feeding roll starts, the loop shortens. The contrary happens for the loop downstream the removing roll.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional plan view of the buffer device according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view with phantom lines of the buffer of figure 1 ;
• Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional plan view of a second embodiment of the buffer device according to the invention .
• the buffer device of the invention is indicated with the numeral 1.
• the buffer device 1 is positioned along the path of the self-adhesive label film 3, only part of which is shown in the figures, and particularly it is intermediate between the driving roller 5 of a label film, coming from a label reel 50, and a feeding roll 6 that moves the label film toward the point of the application of the label onto the objects.
• a second buffer device 1 is positioned between the removing roll - that moves the backing film free from labels from the point of application of the labels onto the objects toward the recovering reel and the recovering reel itself. This path is not shown in the figures as it is specular to the one of figure 1.
• two pinching rollers 2, 2' are provided to press the label film against the driving roller 5 and the feeding roll 6, respectively.
• the self-adhesive label film 3 forms a loop 4.
• the said loop 4 is due to the fact that, while the label film 3 is dispensed continuously from the driving roller 5, it is pulled in a discontinuous way by the feeding roll 6 as explained in the background discussion above. For this reason, the loop 4 oscillates between two different loop lengths 4', 4'', wherein the shorter loop length 4' is reached at the end of the motion of the feeding roll 6, while the longer loop length 4" occurs just before the said feeding roll 6 starts again to work.
• the label loop 4 comprises a first rectilinear portion 4a, a second rectilinear portion 4b and an arc- shaped portion 4c joining the two rectilinear portions 4a, 4b.
• the buffer device 1 is designed to contain the said loop 4 of the label film 3 in the way that will be described herein below.
• the buffer device 1 comprises a first side panel 7a and a second side panel 7b, that extend substantially parallel to each other and to the said first and second rectilinear portions 4a, 4b of the label loop 4, for a length that is at least equal to the longer loop length 4".
• the said side panels 7a, 7b comprise respective first and second blowing means 8a, 8b for blowing air tangentially to the loop 4, towards its arc-shaped portion 4c.
• the blowing means 8a, 8b comprise a body 9a, 9b that has a substantially V-shaped recess 10a, 10b (or other aerodynamic shaped slot or orifice) being vertically carved on the body 9a, 9b side facing the loop 4.
• the body 9a, 9b also comprises a vertical blind channel 11a, lib, open at the top of the body 9a, 9b. From the channel 11a, lib a plurality of transversal ducts 12a, 12b depart, the ducts 12a, 12b opening at corresponding outlets 13a, 13b positioned on the side of the recess 10a, 10b facing towards the arc-shaped portion 4c of the loop 4.
• a cannula 14a, 14b is slidably inserted in the said channel 11a, lib such as to be set at a desired height.
• the cannula 14a, 14b is in fluid communication with fan means or any other source of pressurised air (not shown) .
• fan means or any other source of pressurised air not shown
• only some or all of the ducts 12a, 12b are put into flow communication with the source of pressurised air. This different arrangement depends on the width of the label film 3 that on its turn depends on the dimension, shape and requirements of the object to be labelled.
• the distal end of at least one of the first and second side panels 7a, 7b is bended inwardly of an angle of between 45° and 90°, in order to create a shield 15a, 15b that directs the air flow in a downward direction far from the operator of the machine.
• the inventive buffer device 1 operates as it will be now described.
• the air blown off the outlets 13a, 13b flows as a laminar layer along the side panels 7a, 7b.
• a sort of "Venturi effect” or "ejector effect” wherein the loop 4 of the label film 3 is aspirated and maintained substantially parallel to the side panels 7a, 7b without contacting them.
• the second rectilinear portion 4b is pulled by the feeding roll 6 against the force imparted by the air flow exiting the respective outlets 13b, that would recall the loop into the buffer device 1.
• the second rectilinear portion 4b of the loop 4 is tensioned.
• the second side panel 7b and blowing means 8b are replaced by vacuum means 20.
• the vacuum means 20 comprise a hollow body 21 in fluid communication with a vacuum source 23 such as a vacuum pump.
• the face of the hollow body 21 looking at the rectilinear portion 4b of the loop 4 has a plurality of through holes 22 from which vacuum is applied on the said rectilinear portion 4b of the loop 4 to keep it tensioned.
• the operation of the buffer device 1 is substantially similar to the first embodiment, but the vacuum means 20 withdraw the rectilinear portion 4b of the loop 4 against them, so that it slides on the surface of the vacuum means 20.
• the inventive buffer device achieves the scope of the invention, as it is simple in operation, of low cost and moreover allows to avoid bulky fan means or any other part positioned outside the buffer box long the path of the label film 3. This latter is always easily accessible by the operator of the machine.
• inventive buffer device does not need an adjustable cover plate to be provided on the top of the device and which must be regulated, according to the prior art machine, depending on the label height.

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• Labeling Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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• 2008
  • 2008-10-17 CN CN2008801316146A patent/CN102186728B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-10-17 WO PCT/EP2008/064011 patent/WO2010043267A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-10-17 EP EP08877375A patent/EP2334562A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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