EP3085503B1 - Puncture punching process for producing labels - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a puncture punching method for producing labels in a butterfly shape or in a cross shape, wherein the labels are in particular made of paper.

State of the art

The present invention addresses the problem of producing butterfly or cross-shaped labels, such as those used as so-called in-mold labels in the manufacture of margarine cups or cups for other spreads. The shape of these labels is referred to as a cross shape or butterfly shape because there are four incisions so that when viewed over the label, the impression is created that it looks like a butterfly or cross-shaped. The incisions have a so-called undercut, that is, they are wider at their widest point than at their mouth opening. Because of this, such labels have not heretofore been able to be produced in the punch through punching process.

Instead, they either had to be punched by rotation on the single sheet or a rotary punching process was also connected to the printing and painting process in-line. In both methods, it is disadvantageous that each sheet must be individually punched, so that the production time is relatively long. Another very big drawback is the fact that the cutting edge is crushed, resulting in relatively large amounts of cutting dust, which in turn makes problems with injection molding. As a result, the punching edges must be laboriously reworked to remove adhering cut dust. Moreover, the sheet is poorly utilized, since the individual labels must be set relatively far apart, so that the remaining after punching punched grid can still be deducted. Finally, the stamping sheets are relatively expensive and the set-up times for setting up the punching plates are relatively high. As a result, there are relatively high costs for the production of such labels in butterfly or cross shape.

In punch-through punching these labels have not been produced until now, because due to the wedge-shaped course of the punching knife in cooperation with the narrow cut-out shape and the undercut in the neck of the occurring through the punching waste pressure on the punching blade during Durchstoßstanzhub becomes so large that the punching blade breaks. The punching waste would consequently lead to knife breakage in the course of fewer strokes, since the pressure on the knife becomes so high as the punching movement progresses through the stack that the knife will inevitably break.

It should be noted that the above-described problems occur especially in paper labels in butterfly or cross shape. Foil labels with the same shape can usually be produced in a puncture-punching process, since the stamping waste can be discharged due to the flexibility of the film and the better lubricity of the individual film sheets lying one above the other with a longitudinal cut in the cut-out region. However, since some manufacturers of, for example, high-quality margarine products do not want to use film labels, in particular for optical reasons, but place value on the look and feel of paper labels, there is a need for paper labels in butterfly or cross shape.

A similar problem was already recognized by the inventors of the European patent application EP 0 495 379 A1 , For neck labels for beverage bottles are also cutouts with undercuts to produce, but only two cutouts and not four cutouts. These cutouts have created similar problems with the puncture punching process. Therefore, those inventors devised a two-part stamping method on the one hand. With a pre-punching process only a part of the cut-out is punched. In a second punching operation, the re-punching process, the final shape of the label is produced, wherein the cut-out is enlarged and the end contours of the label are otherwise generated. By pre-punching enough space has been created in the cutting area, in which the punching waste of the re-punching process can be recorded. At the same time a conveyor belt is ever used in the cutting area to carry away the punching waste of the pre-punching process. Since the neck label has two cutouts, two conveyor belts - for each section of one - are used accordingly. Due to the conveyor belts, the punching waste is removed quickly, so that a knife breakage is prevented. In this way, neck labels can be produced in the puncture punching process.

For butterfly and cross-tabs, however, this method is only very limited suitable. For one, four conveyor belts would have to be arranged, since butterfly labels and cross labels have four cutouts with undercut, which results in the described problems. On the other hand, the cutouts are relatively small, so that it is almost impossible to construct a corresponding mini conveyor, which also sufficiently effectively removes the punching waste. It was therefore not possible in the EP 0 495 379 A1 described method and the device described there for butterfly labels and Kreuzetiketten for use bring.

task

Based on the above-described problems, the inventor of the present patent application was faced with the problem of producing labels in the form of a butterfly or cross-shaped, in particular paper labels, in a puncture-punching process.

invention description

This object is achieved by a puncture punching method according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

As in the conventional puncture punching method, a stack of sheet-like punched material is pressed against the cutting edge of a frame-shaped punching knife. The frame-shaped punching knife receives the stamped material in its interior, that is, the punching waste is located on the outside of the punching knife. The stack of arcuate punched material and the punching blade are moved relative to each other. A stack of sheeted stock typically comprises 1,000 sheets; Of course, other stack sizes are known and workable. By the relative movement of punched and punched the punching operation is effected and the waste is displaced on the outside of the punching knife. To make the label in butterfly shape or cross shape, two punching operations are performed. Consequently, every single sheet is punched twice. First, a pre-punching operation is performed in which a label is made having at least rounded cutouts instead of the final cutout shape. Only in the second punching process, the re-punching process, the final shape of the label, also referred to as the final shape of the label, produced. Consequently, in the re-punching process, the cutout is also completely produced, of which only a partial area has been punched during the pre-punching process. In this respect, the puncture punching corresponds to the in EP 0495379 A1 described process. There, too, the label to be produced was produced in two punching operations.

Preferably, the pre-punching process basically cuts the shape of the label in its final shape. However, it has only rounded cutouts instead of the final cutout shape. Only in the second punching process, the re-punching process, is the final shape of the label, the so-called final shape of the label, produced by punching only the cutout to its final shape.

According to the invention, provision is made for a follow-up cutting knife to be provided. The follow-up knife has two areas. In a first area with which the punching knife first reaches the punched material during the punching process, the pre-punching process is carried out. With the second area, which reaches the punched material during the punching process, after it has passed through the pre-punching, the re-punching process is performed. In this way, it is possible to make a label in a butterfly shape or a cross shape in a single punch puncture stroke. It was also shown that punching waste transported conveyor belts as in EP 0 495 379 A1 are not necessary in this way; As already explained, the previously known construction was not applicable at all for the special room situation in butterfly and cross-hatch labels.

It is extremely advantageous if paper labels in butterfly or cross shape can also be produced by the puncture punching method. The time-consuming reworking of the cut edges for removing cutting dust, as is necessary in the rotary punching process, is eliminated. Instead of punching individual sheets, a stack of thousands, for example, can now be punched in a single stroke. The individual sheets can be exploited much better, since the pile can be prepared in advance according to the puncture punching method so that as little punching waste occurs. The setup times for the puncture punching process are relatively low, at least in comparison to the rotary punching process. The inventive method achieves at least a doubling of the number of labels that can be produced per unit of time.

As explained above, the advantages of the present invention are manifold. The inventor had to overcome various difficulties and prejudices on his way to the invention.

The only known puncture punching method for labels with undercut-containing cutout, namely the EP 0 495 379 A1 , concerns necklaces, no butterfly or cross labels. It was found that the discharge of punching material by mini conveyor belts for the present labels is not practicable. Furthermore, aside from the difficult-to-use and error-prone conveyor belts, the process is still quite cumbersome because of the need to accomplish two separate puncture punching steps. Consequently, the cut material must first be pre-cut with a first tool, then removed from this punching station and fed to the next tool. In order to achieve a precise cut in the second punching step, the pre-cut material must be aligned as closely as possible to each other, which is usually done by shaking. This is only possible because of the pre-punching process mainly the cut is precut and the label is practically not punched otherwise. Incidentally, even if the final shape of the label were to be produced by the pre-blanking, with the exception of merely the cutout, as in the preferred embodiment, it would not be possible to feed the individual pre-cut labels exactly one above the other to the re-punching station. As a result, the process of the said European patent application is very limited and not applicable to the present case of the butterfly and cross-tabs.

According to a preferred aspect of the punch-through punching method according to the invention, the width of the outlet opening of the cutout which is present in the final shape of the label is at least approximately completely opened by the pre-punching process. In other words, in the pre-punching process, the maximum width is already cut at the outlet opening of the cutout. The shape of the cutout in the pre-punching process is therefore such that as far as possible the entire width of the final outlet opening is cut.

Overall, the shape of the cutout should be rounded during the pre-punching process. Moreover, the shape should preferably be such that the rounded section of the pre-punching process has two legs or two legs can be applied, which run convergently viewed from the outlet opening. In other words, the two legs of the rounded section produced by the pre-punching operation converge towards each other. Consequently, a shape is produced which, in the manner of a truncated cone or cone, has its greatest width in the region of the outlet opening and narrows towards the rear, in the direction of the depth of the cutout. Preferably, the two legs extend in a convergence angle of between 20 and 30 °; if the legs are extended so far that they meet, then the included angle between 20 and 30 °.

If one considers the area of the cutout which is to be produced by the two punching processes, then it has proved to be favorable if about 50 to 70% of a surface of the entire cutout is opened by the pre-punching process. In terms of surface area, at least approximately half of the section of the final shape is thus punched by the pre-punching process. If during the pre-punching process only too small an area proportion is punched, then the pre-punching process can be carried out without problems, however, too much material remains for the re-punching process, so that under certain circumstances problems may arise again during the removal of the punching waste. If the cutout is too large during the pre-punching process, problems arise with the removal of the punching waste during the pre-punching process.

Butterfly labels and cross labels, more precisely the cutouts in the same, point Typically, a ratio of the length of the punching line to the width of the outlet opening of about 4 to 5 on. In other words, the length of the punching line, that is, the distance of the cutout, starting from one side of the outlet opening and ending on the other side of the outlet opening, is approximately 4 to 5 times longer than the width of the outlet opening. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, this ratio is reduced to about 2 to 3 by the two punching operations. The cuts are made during the pre-punching process and during the re-punching process so that the punching line is approximately 2 to 3 times longer than the width of the outlet opening.

As explained above, the full width of the outlet opening is preferably already developed during the pre-punching process. Due to the undercut shape, it follows that each cutout in the final shape does not have its widest point at the exit opening, but instead has the widest point in the cutout inside area. According to a further preferred aspect of the invention, the cut is created in the pre-punching process so that the cutout is opened so far that it reaches the region of the maximum width of the cutout in its final shape after the pre-punching process. In this area, however, the full width is not opened up by the pre-punching process, because the largest width of the cut-out effected by the pre-punching process is in the region of the outlet opening, but the cutout of the pre-punching process extends so far into the cut-out in its final form that the cut-out its widest part is partially developed.

For the application of the pre-punching operation, it proved to be advantageous if the cut-out for the pre-punching process is laid in such a way that surface areas which are undercut-free are punched both during the pre-punching process and during the re-punching process.

In the following, advantageous embodiments and developments are set forth, which in themselves, both individually and in combination, can also disclose inventive aspects.

The previously described combinations and exemplary embodiments can also be considered in numerous other connections and combinations.

Brief Description

Figur 1:

ein Beispiel eines Schmetterlingsetiketts in Aufsicht;

Figur 2:

einen einzelnen Ausschnitt eines Schmetterlingsetiketts im Detail;

Figur 3:

eine Aufsicht auf ein Schmetterlingsetikett nach dem Vorstanzvorgang;

Figur 4:

einen Ausschnitt, bei dem die Führung des Vorstanzvorgangs und des Nachstanzvorgangs im Detail ersichtlich sind.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings and described. Show it:

FIG. 1:

an example of a butterfly label in supervision;

FIG. 2:

a single section of a butterfly label in detail;

FIG. 3:

a view of a butterfly label after Vorstanzvorgang;

FIG. 4:

a section in which the leadership of the pre-punching and the Nachstanzvorgangs are visible in detail.

figure description

The design options shown in the individual figures can also be interconnected in any form.

FIG. 1 shows a label 1 in its final form. As can be seen, it has four cutouts 2; to distinguish them from each other by 2, 2 ', 2 "and 2''' in the detail of the FIG. 2 a single section 2 is shown.

Characteristic of a label 1 in the form of a butterfly or in a cross shape is that the cutouts 2 have a so-called undercut. An undercut is an angle with a negative amount. In the presentation of the FIG. 2 this negative angle is registered and designated with -α. In other words, the greatest width of the cutout 2 is not achieved at the outlet opening 3 of the cutout 2, but in the interior region 4 of the cutout 2 FIG. 2 this largest width is registered with B. The width of the outlet opening 3, which can also be referred to as a mouth opening, is denoted by b.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the label after the pre-punching process. To distinguish the label 1 in its final form, the label is referred to after the pre-punching process with 1V. The label 1V is an intermediate product. The re-stamping process converts the label 1V into the label 1 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 3 ).

During the pre-punching process, the final form of the label 1 is already produced per se in the exemplary embodiment described here, but not the final shape of the cutout 2. The final shape of the cutout 2 is only produced by the re-punching process. By the pre-punching process, a rounded cutout is produced, but not the final shape of the cutout 2. The cut-out produced by the pre-punching process is designated by the reference numeral 20. The four individual sections are distinguished accordingly as 20, 20 ', 20 "and 20' ''.

In FIG. 4 is to be seen in the detail view, as the cutting guide during pre - punching in Area of section 2 or 20 is created. The cutout 20, which is produced by the pre-punching process, is rounded, that is to say it has a rounded tip 21. The two legs 22 and 23 of the cutout 20 are convergent, that is, they run towards each other, each viewed from the outlet opening 3. In the present case, the two legs enclose an angle β of about 26 °. As in FIG. 4 can be seen further, the width b of the outlet opening 3 through the cutout 20, that is, by the pre-punching process, already fully developed. The largest width B is not developed by the pre-punching process, but is only in the second step, caused by the re-punching.

As can also be seen, the cutout 20 has already penetrated so far into the inner region 4 of the cutout 2 that its tip 21 reaches the region in which the greatest width B of the cutout 2 is located.

The length of the punching line of the cutout 2 - that is, the length of the line, if one follows from the point C to the point H on the point F of the outer contour of the section 2 (see also the double arrow in FIG. 2 ) - in the present example is about 54 mm. The outlet opening 3 has a width b of about 12.5 mm. The punching line of the pre-punching, that is, if one follows from the point C to the point H on the point E of the outer contour of the cutout 20, has an overall length of about 32 mm. The ratio of the length of the cut line of the cutout 2 to the width of the outlet opening is thus approximately 4.3, whereas the ratio of the length of the cut line of the cutout 20 to the width of the outlet opening is approximately 2.6. During the re-punching process, only one punching line has to be created, which extends from the point D to the point H over the point F, which in the present example is approximately 44 mm long. In addition, results from the pre-punching process for the punching waste during re-punching a re-punching outlet 203, the in FIG. 4 is entered as a diagonal between the points D and H in dotted line. The re-punch outlet 203 has a length of about 16 mm. In other words, during the subsequent cut, the punching waste 200 escapes with a punching line of 44 mm over the distance DH = 16 mm and no longer over the distance CH = 12.5 mm. The ratio of the length of the punching line of this cut-out part - denoted by the reference numeral 200 - to the length of the re-punch outlet opening 203 is therefore approximately 2.7.

Exact dimensions of a 500g margarine cup are given below by way of example; the given points and angle designations are in the Figures 2 and 4 registered and designated: Distance / angle Length / degree C - H 12.51 mm D - F 17.78 mm D - E 7.80 mm C - D 9.96 mm E - F 5.90 mm THERE 16.67 mm A - G 11.56 mm G - E 6,44 mm E - H 11.29 mm D - H 15.99 mm Arc D - E 9.83 mm Punching line C - H over F 54.15 mm Punching line C - H via E 32.00 mm Punching line D - H over F 44.19 mm Angle α - 5.23 ° Angle β 25.82 ° Angle δ 38.73 °

• Ausgangssituation: 54,15 mm Stanzlänge und 12,51 mm Austrittsöffnung = 54,15/12,51 = 4,33 Dies wurde wie folgt in 2 Schritte zerlegt:
  1. 1. Vorstanzung: 32 mm Stanzlänge zu 12,51 mm Austrittsöffnung = 32/12,51 = 2,56
  2. 2. Nachstanzung: 44,19 mm Stanzlänge zu 15,99 mm Austrittsöffnung = 44,19/15,99 = 2,76

With reference to the above example for a 500g margarine legend, the relationship between punch length and exit opening is as follows:

• Initial situation: 54.15 mm punch length and 12.51 mm exit opening = 54.15 / 12.51 = 4.33 This was broken down into 2 steps as follows:
  1. 1. Punching: 32 mm punching length to 12.51 mm outlet = 32 / 12.51 = 2.56
  2. 2. Re-punching: 44.19 mm punching length to 15.99 mm exit opening = 44.19 / 15.99 = 2.76

By dividing the punching process to produce the cutout 2, ie the final shape of the cutout 2 in the label 1, in a pre-punching step and a re-punching step, only two individual cut-outs 20 are needed - the cutout after the pre-punching process - and 200 - the one to be produced by the re-punching process Cut-out area - which are each considered unproblematic in punch-through punching process, are punched. The two cutout areas 20 and 200 are each undercut-free in each case. In addition, both cutout portions, the cutout portions 20 and 200, are rounded, that is, the tip 21 of the cutout 20 and the tip 221 of the cutout portion 200 are rounded. Both sections each have converging legs. Both the legs 22 and 23 of the cutout 20 and the legs 222 and 223 of the cutout region 200 run towards each other. The cut-out regions 20 and 200 therefore, each considered individually, have a favorable shape for the punch-through punching process.

Both pre-punching step and re-punching step are carried out according to the invention with a single punching knife, a so-called follow-up knife. For this purpose, the knife has a first area, which is closer to the stamped material, with which it is pre-punched. In the described embodiment, the final shape of the label 1 is punched with the first region, but not the final shape of the cutout 2. Thus, all the contours are finished, but the cutout 2 is only pre-cut and accordingly has a roundish shape. In the figures, it is designated in this state by the reference numeral 20. The second area of the punching knife, which is farther away from the punching material during the punching stroke than the first area, is stamped. When re-punching only the final shape of the section 2 is generated. The remaining contours of the label 1 have already been produced by the pre-punching process.

In principle, it is conceivable and also encompassed by the invention that the complete contours of the label 1 are produced only by the re-punching process. When pre-punching at least the cutout 20 is generated accordingly. In addition, even more portions of the final shape of the label 1 can be made or it is punched an intermediate stage, z. B. by the cutout 20 and the central region 5, 5 'is punched, the wing region 6, 6', however, is not yet cut to its final shape.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

label

1V

Label after the pre-punching process

2, 2 ', 2 ", 2' ''

neckline

3, 203

outlet opening

4

Interior of the clipping

5, 5 '

Middle area of the label

6, 6 '

Wing area of the label

20, 20 ', 20 ", 20' ''

Section after the pre-punching process

21

Top of the clipping 20

22, 23

Legs of cutout 20

200

in the re-punching process to be removed cutout area

221

Top of the clipping area 200

222, 223

Legs of the cutout area 200

B

largest width of the clipping

b

Width of the outlet opening

α

negative angle of the undercut

β

Angle, the two legs 22 and 23 include

d

Angle of leg 223 to baseline C - D

Claims (10)

1. A puncture punching method for producing labels (1) in the shape of a butterfly
   or a cross, in particular paper labels,
   wherein a stack of sheet-shaped punching material is pressed against a blade of a frame-shaped punching knife that receives the punching material in its interior space and the stack of sheet-shaped punching material and the punching knife are moved relative to each other, whereby the punching process is effected and waste on the outside of the punching knife is displaced,
   wherein two punching processes are carried out for producing a final shape of the label, to be precise a pre-punching process for producing at least rounded cut-outs (20, 20', 20", 20''') and a post-punching process for producing the final shape of the label,
   characterised in that
   a sequential cutting knife is provided that carries out the pre-punching process in a first area that is first to reach the punching material and the post-punching process in a second area that does not reach the punching material until after the pre-punching process,
   as a result of which the label is produced in a single puncture punching travel.
2. The puncture punching method according to patent claim 1, characterised in that the label (1) is in principle produced by the pre-punching process in its final shape with the exception of the cut-outs (2, 2', 2", 2''') that are punched in a rounded shape (20, 20', 20", 20''') without the final shape being punched.
3. The puncture punching method according to patent claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the final shape exhibits cut-outs (2, 2', 2", 2''') in each case having a width (b) of an exit opening (3) and that during the pre-punching process the width (b) of the exit opening (3) is punched at least approximately completely.
4. The puncture punching method according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterised in that each rounded cut-out (20, 20', 20", 20''') produced by the pre-punching process exhibits two legs (22, 23) that on viewing from the exit opening (3) extend in a converging manner.
5. The puncture punching method according to patent claim 4, characterised in that the two legs (22, 23) extend at a convergence angle between 20° and 30°.
6. The puncture punching method according to one of the preceding patent claims,
   characterised in that the pre-punching process opens up 50-70% of an area of the cut-out (2, 2', 2", 2''').
7. The puncture punching method according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterised in that a cut-out (2, 2', 2", 2''') of the final shape of the label (1) exhibits a ratio of a length of a punching line to the width of the exit opening (3) of about 4-5 and that in the case of both punching processes the ratio of the length of the punching line to the width of the exit opening (3, 203) is in each case reduced to about 2-3.
8. The puncture punching method according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterised in that the cut-out (20, 20', 20", 20''') of the punching process is so deep that a maximum width (B) of the cut-out (2, 2', 2", 2''') of the final shape is achieved.
9. The puncture punching method according to patent claim 1 or 2, characterised in that after the pre-punching process the width (b) of the cut-out (20, 20', 20", 20''') at an exit opening (3) corresponds to the width (b) of the cut-out (2, 2', 2", 2''') at the exit opening (3) of the final shape and that after the pre-punching process a depth of the cut-out (20, 20', 20", 20''') corresponds at least to the depth of the cut-out (2, 2', 2", 2''') of the final shape at its widest point (B).
10. The puncture punching method according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterised in that the cut-out (2, 2', 2", 2''') in the final shape exhibits at least one undercut (α) and that an area of the cut-outs (2, 2', 2", 2'''; 20, 20', 2", 20''') to be punched is divided up for the two punching processes such that the cut-out shapes to be punched are undercut-free.

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