EP3385178A1 - Labelling machine for labelling containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a labeling machine (100) for labeling containers (130), such as bottles, comprising a transport device (101) for the containers and a vacuum cylinder (122) for transporting and transferring labels (131) to the containers in a transfer point ( 160), downstream of the transfer point a vacuum board (140) for holding at least a portion of the label while the label is being applied to the container, and wherein the vacuum board has a cavity formed at least on the label side by a perforated plate (142). is limited by a plurality of openings for sucking the labels and on the other side by a base body, characterized in that in the cavity an insulating mass (144) is arranged.

Description

The present invention relates to a labeling machine for labeling containers, such as bottles, in the beverage processing industry according to the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art

Labeling machines are basically known from the prior art. Through these labels of different lengths can be applied to containers. The labels may be pre-cut in a magazine or be rolled from a label roll and then applied to the container. Also, different variants of the gluing of the labels are known.

The longer the labels become, the longer the time required to apply the labels to the containers. Especially with wrap-around labels, lengths between 15 and 30 cm can occur.

After the labels have been transferred from the vacuum cylinder to the container, the labels are wound by rotation of the container on this. For long labels, to avoid "fluttering" parts of the labels not yet applied to the containers, a vacuum board is provided which holds the portion of the label not yet wrapped around the containers until the label is completely wound onto the container.

The necessary vacuum is generated by a vacuum pump, which is connected to a perforated plate of the vacuum board, and sucks air through this perforated plate, whereby the label is sucked to the openings and ultimately held by the vacuum board.

In order to hold the label effectively on the vacuum board, flow velocities in the openings of the perforated plate in a range of 50 m / s to 300 m / s are not uncommon.

At these magnitudes, however, there is a generation of sound waves either already in the openings or at least in the cavity of the vacuum board. This noise is disturbing and can even be harmful to health for workers working in the immediate vicinity of the labeller in the worst case.

task

Starting from the known prior art, the technical problem to be solved is therefore to provide a labeling machine which allows reliable labeling without leading to a disadvantageous for operators noise.

solution

This object is achieved by the labeling machine according to claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are covered in the subclaims.

The labeling machine according to the invention for labeling containers, such as bottles, in the beverage processing industry comprises a transport device for the containers and a vacuum cylinder for transporting and transferring labels to the containers in a transfer point, wherein downstream of the transfer point a vacuum board for holding at least a portion of the label while the label is applied to the container, and wherein the vacuum board has a cavity bounded at least on the label side by a perforated plate having a plurality of openings for sucking the labels and on the other side by a base body and is characterized in that a Dämmmasse is arranged in the cavity.

In this context, holding the labels by the vacuum board merely means that the labels are prevented from moving in an uncontrolled manner while being wrapped around the container. Parts of the label that have not yet been completely applied to the surface of the container can be sucked by the vacuum board so that their movement is possible only along the path defined by the vacuum board. At the same time the force acting on the labels by the suction or holding of the vacuum board is designed so that the label or the part of the label can be solved by the vacuum board, as soon as it is wound onto the container without the vacuum would have to be turned off ,

The main body of the vacuum board provides only a limitation of the cavity on the not limited by the perforated plate sides of the vacuum board. It therefore has no particular shape or other function, but may be connected in a known manner, for example via lines to a vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, so that the cavity can be connected via the body with the vacuum source.

Under the Dämmmasse is any flexible, especially any porous material, such as sponges or mats or nonwovens to understand. In particular fall under the concept of Dämmmasse materials that are permeable to air, so that even when arranged in the cavity Dämmmasse the perforated plate can be subjected to a vacuum.

By filling at least a portion of the cavity with the Dämmmasse a significant reduction in noise with otherwise constant size of the holes in the perforated plate and suction of the vacuum source can be achieved, so that with constant suction or adhesive force acting on the labels, the noise prevail can be reduced. In particular, by this Dämmmasse the noise can be reduced to an acceptable level for the operator.

In one embodiment, the insulating compound is or comprises a nonwoven, in particular a nonwoven abrasive. These materials are particularly permeable and at the same time have good noise absorption.

Further, the insulating compound may comprise polyester-based polyurethane. This material is simple and inexpensive to manufacture in a form suitable for use as an insulating compound.

In a further embodiment it is provided that the insulating mass has a specific weight of between 20 and 40 kg / m ² , more preferably between 25 and 35 kg / m ² . Since the cavities in the vacuum board usually only a few square centimeters or square decimeters are large, despite the additional weight of the Dämmmasse the basic construction of the vacuum board remain unchanged, which allows upgrading existing vacuum boards with the Dämmmasse cost.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the insulating mass has a pore count of 5 to 90, preferably 10 to 80 and / or has the Dämmmasse 1 to 35, preferably 4 to 32 pores per centimeter. The pore number or number of pores per centimeter is sufficiently large to allow a sufficient permeability to the intake air and is at the same time sufficient to ensure the absorption of noise.

In one embodiment, in the transfer point on the vacuum cylinder a not with the vacuum cylinder with rotating wedge for depositing a, handed over to a container in the transfer point label is arranged and the vacuum board extends from the wedge from the downstream, the Dämmmasse not completely fills the adjoining the wedge part of the cavity.

The part of the cavity adjoining the wedge is the part of the cavity that follows next to the wedge. This part may for example be 1/5 or 1/4 or 1/3 of the total cavity. The fact that the insulation mass does not completely fill this part does not mean that there is no insulation compound in this part of the cavity, but merely means that the insulation mass does not fill this part of the room completely, but for example only half or 80%.

In this way it can be achieved that the unavoidably occurring reduction of the suction effect of the vacuum source at the openings of the perforated plate, at least immediately after the wedge, which causes a release of the label from the vacuum cylinder, is avoided in order to avoid an uncontrolled movement of the label at this point before at least a substantial part of the label is taken from the container.

In another embodiment, the Dämmmasse 40 to 90, preferably 60 to 80% of the volume of the cavity fills. Depending on the desired noise reduction, for example only by 5 dB or by up to 20 dB, a complete filling of the cavity of the vacuum board may be disadvantageous, also with regard to possible losses in the suction power for holding the labels. If only so much of the cavity is filled with the insulating compound, as is essential for the reduction of the noise level, these disadvantages can be minimized.

It may further be provided that there is an Anbürstung downstream of the vacuum board, which comprises a brush plate for pressing the labels to the container. Thus, a reliable pressing of the labels can be ensured to the container, which can improve their adhesion to the containers.

In a further development of this embodiment, the distance traveled by a container in the transport device along the entire vacuum board and the brushing is 30 cm or more. Especially with such traveled distances of the container, the use of a vacuum board is necessary. However, since these then have a considerable length, it comes here especially for noise, so that the use of Dämmmasse is particularly advantageous in such a vacuum board.

Brief description of the figures

FIG. 1

shows a schematic view of a labeling machine according to the invention according to an embodiment

Figure 2a + b

shows a schematic view of a vacuum board according to an embodiment

Figure 3a-3d

shows schematic representations of different embodiments of Dämmmasse

Detailed description

FIG. 1 schematically shows a plan view of a labeling machine 100, which is designed as a rotary machine with a carousel 101. At the periphery of the carousel in this case are usually provided a plurality of container receptacles comprising, for example, a turntable and centering means for receiving containers 130 and rotating about their longitudinal axis. At the periphery of the carousel 101, a labeling unit 102 is shown in this embodiment, which supplies a vacuum cylinder 122 with labels via a label feed 121. The labels may either come from a magazine with pre-cut labels or be provided by a roll (as shown here). When the labels are provided on a roll, a cutter 123 may be provided on the labeling unit 102 which may sever the otherwise continuous label tape and cut the labels to length.

By the vacuum cylinder 122, the labels are finally transferred to the container 130. In order to prevent that during or immediately after this transfer not firmly pressed on the container parts of the label due to the high transport speed and rotational speed of the container in uncontrollable motion and gain wrinkles or cracks, for example, is a vacuum board 140 downstream of the transfer point 160 at the vacuum cylinder 142 passes the label to the container arranged.

In this case, the vacuum board is arranged such that it can hold the part of the label, which is not yet fully attached to the container, by sucking the labels at least on this part. For this purpose, the vacuum board comprises a cavity, which is delimited by a main body 141, for example in the form of a cuboid or cylinder jacket segment, and a perforated plate 142. In the perforated plate openings 142 are arranged such that its openings point in the direction of the containers 130 loaded with the labels (also referred to below as the label side). Further, the cavity is connected to a vacuum source 143, for example, a vacuum pump or a ventilation system, so that the air can be sucked out of the cavity, which in turn leads to a draft through the holes of the perforated plate, so that a label can be sucked.

Furthermore, downstream of the vacuum board 140, a brushing 150 may be arranged, by means of which the labels applied to the containers can be pressed again to ensure, for example, that a sufficient adhesive effect is achieved.

According to the invention, an insulating mass 144 is arranged within the vacuum board 140, which can reduce at least the noise within the cavity of the vacuum board by absorbing sound waves or by influencing the air flow within the cavity from the holes to the vacuum source 143.

This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the distance traveled by the container along the carousel from the transfer point 160 to the exit from the region of the brushing 150 is at least 30 cm. In such embodiments of labeling machines, the paths traveled by the labels, as long as they are not yet completely wound up on the container, are comparatively long, so that the use of a vacuum board is almost essential. The associated size of the vacuum board usually leads to unfavorable noise for operators, which can be advantageously reduced by using the Dämmmasse 144 according to the invention within the vacuum board 140.

FIGS. 2a and b show in more detail the construction of the vacuum board 140th In the FIG. 2a A container 130 moves along the carousel 101 and is meanwhile held on a turntable 270 and by means of a centering device 271. In the situation shown here, the label 131 is wound onto the container. This label is partially held by the vacuum board 140 in the region 272, which is hatched here. As the container moves along the periphery of the carousel, at least a portion of the label is sucked and held by the apertures 245 in the vacuum board and vacuum, respectively, so that the label 131 is no longer free in its motion and the course of the Vacuum board 140 must follow.

For this purpose, a number of openings 245 may be provided in the perforated plate 142, which may be distributed uniformly over the perforated plate 142, for example. Except these openings the vacuum board 140 preferably has no further openings - except an opening in the base 141, which leads to the vacuum source, which is not shown here - on. The Dämmmasse 144 is shown here as a cuboid mass, which is disposed within the space enclosed by the base 141 and the perforated plate 142 cavity. As with respect to Figure 3c described, the Dämmmasse can be secured, for example by releasable connections to the body. As already in FIG. 2a As can be seen, the Dämmmasse 144 does not necessarily fill the entire cavity.

FIG. 2b shows the vacuum board, wherein the perforated plate 142 is at least partially removed from the base 141. An opening 274 leading to a line 273 is provided in the main body 141 so that the cavity can be connected to the vacuum source 143 via the line 273.

In the embodiment shown here, the Dämmmasse 144 is shown as a fibrous mass, such as a nonwoven or the like, and fills only a portion of the cavity between the perforated plate 142 and body 141. In particular, no Dämmmasse 144 is disposed over the opening 274 or in the region of the opening 274 in the illustrated embodiment, so that the suction of air from the cavity through the opening 274 is unhindered possible and damage the Dämmmasse can be avoided by permanent suction.

This embodiment of Dämmmasse, especially in the form of a fibrous mass is not mandatory.

The FIGS. 3a to 3d show different embodiments.

In the FIG. 3a the vacuum board 300 is shown only with the main body 301. In the main body 301, a Dämmmasse 302 is arranged, whose width I corresponds approximately to the width b of the cavity within the body. However, the height h of the insulating mass 302 is smaller than the height d of the cavity in the main body 301. The insulating mass 302 is thus provided as a strip within the cavity, which extends substantially over the entire width of the cavity extending in the transport direction of the containers. However, the cavity is not filled or covered along its entire height by the Dämmmasse. Likewise, the depth k of Dämmmasse corresponds to only a fraction of the depth c of the cavity in the body, the Dämmmasse 302 preferably on the label side (the side on which the perforated plate is arranged) opposite side of the main body 301 is arranged to cover the Prevent holes in the perforated plate. Thus, filling in this embodiment the insulating mass 302 has a volume smaller than the volume of the cavity. In particular, the strip shown here may extend over a region of the cavity which connects the opening (not shown) to the conduit, which in turn leads to the vacuum source (see FIG. 2b ) does not include, so that it is not covered and air flow is possible without hindrance.

In FIG. 3b is one to FIG. 3a illustrated alternative embodiment, in which instead of a large-scale Dämmmasse several Dämmmassen 312 to 314 are arranged in the main body 311 of the vacuum board 310. These may be spaced apart from each other and also have different shapes. While shown here as rectangular structures, one or more insulating masses 312 to 314 may also have other shapes. For example, they can be triangular, circular or otherwise shaped. Such piecewise formation of the insulating masses may be helpful, for example, to retrofit various existing vacuum boards without covering the opening leading to the vacuum source.

In principle, the insulating compounds used can consist of different materials. However, preferred are soft, especially porous and flexible materials such as polyester-based polyurethane. Also fibrous materials such as abrasive nonwovens or other fabric-based nonwovens and foams are conceivable here. The materials have in common that they can absorb sound well or provide a distribution of the incoming air to reduce the resulting noise level.

For this purpose, materials are particularly preferred in which the proportion of openings or cavities in the total volume is greater than the proportion provided with material. In particular, materials having a pore number between 10 and 90, more preferably between 50 and 80 are advantageous. These still allow a good flow of air while effectively reducing the noise level. Likewise, in the case of particularly porous and mechanically produced foams, a pore number of from 1 to 35 pores per centimeter, particularly preferably from 4 to 32 pores per centimeter, can be realized.

In order not to significantly increase the load on the vacuum board by the additional weight of Dämmmasse, is primarily intended for materials whose specific weight does not exceed 40 kg / m ² . In this case, materials with a specific mass of 20 to 40 kg / m ² are particularly preferred.

In the Figure 3c an embodiment is shown in which the main body 321 of the vacuum board 320 has a connecting element 323 and the Dämmmasse 322 via a complementary Connecting element 324 has. These may be, for example, buttons or plugs or similar elements that can be detached without tools. These connecting elements allow a reliable installation or a reliable positioning of Dämmmasse 322 in the cavity of the base body 321. Instead of a single connecting element and a plurality of connecting elements 323 may be provided in the cavity of the base body 321 and the Dämmmasse 322. Is not a single Dämmmasse provided but several Dämmmassen, such as with respect to FIG. 3b described, each of these insulating compounds may have one or more connecting elements and be connected at appropriate locations in the body with suitable connecting elements 323.

3d figure shows a further embodiment in which in particular the position or position of Dämmmasse 332 in the main body 331 of the vacuum board 330 is relevant. In the in 3d figure illustrated embodiment, the vacuum board 330 is immediately downstream of the vacuum cylinder 122, as this example in the FIG. 1 was described arranged. In addition, the vacuum cylinder has a wedge 334 which can detach a label 131 from the vacuum nozzles 335 in order to ensure a transfer to the container 130, which is only shown in dashed lines.

As the vacuum cylinder 122 rotates at a substantial speed, the detachment of the label from the cylinder by the wedge 334 occurs very rapidly. In order to prevent the label from performing arbitrary movements in the immediate vicinity and at the same time reliably transferring it to the container, the vacuum board 330 can here already suck in the label and guarantee the transfer so reliably. Since a large suction effect is necessary for this immediately after detachment of the label by the wedge, it can be provided that the insulating mass 332 does not extend into the part of the vacuum board 330 which is directly adjacent to the wedge 334.

For example, the insulating mass 323 may be arranged such that the first third of the cavity extending downstream of the wedge 334 is not filled with insulation. Since the air can thus freely pass through the openings in the perforated plate 333, the suction effect is not significantly affected by the Dämmmasse arranged in the remaining region of the cavity and on an increase in the suction power of an intended vacuum source or an enlargement of the holes in the perforated plate can be dispensed with education to a consistent suction in vain with a vacuum board without Dämmmasse.

In particular, even existing vacuum boards can be retrofitted with a Dämmmasse without their function would be significantly affected.

The in the FIGS. 3a to 3d described embodiments can be combined with each other. So can one or more Dämmmassen according to the Fig. 3d be distributed in the cavity and be provided for basically any conceivable Dämmmasse corresponding connecting elements for connection to the base body. Likewise, all of these embodiments can be combined with the general embodiments of FIGS. 1 . 2a and 2 B be combined.

Claims (9)

A labeling machine (100) for labeling containers (130), such as bottles, comprising a transport means (101) for the containers and a vacuum cylinder (122) for transporting and transferring labels (131) to the containers at a transfer point (160) downstream of the transfer point, a vacuum board (140) for holding at least a portion of the label while the label (131) is applied to the container, and wherein the vacuum board has a cavity, at least on the label side by a perforated plate (142) a plurality of openings for sucking the labels (131) and on the other side by a base body (141) is limited, characterized in that in the cavity an insulating mass (144) is arranged. Labeling machine (100) according to claim 1, wherein the Dämmmasse (144) is a nonwoven, in particular a nonwoven abrasive or this includes. A labeling machine (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the insulating compound (144) comprises polyester-based polyurethane. Labeling machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the Dämmmasse (144) has a specific gravity between 20 and 40 kg / m ² , particularly preferably between 25 to 35 kg / m ² . Labeling machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the Dämmmasse (144) has a pore count of 5 to 90, preferably 10 to 80 and / or wherein the Dämmmasse 1 to 35, preferably 4 to 32 pores per centimeter has. Labeling machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein arranged at the transfer point (160) on the vacuum cylinder (122) not with the vacuum cylinder with rotating wedge (334) for depositing, to be handed over to a container in the transfer point label (131) and wherein the vacuum board (330) extends downstream from the wedge (334), wherein the insulating mass (332) does not completely fill the portion of the cavity adjacent the wedge (334). Labeling machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the Dämmmasse (144) fills 40 to 90%, preferably 60 to 80% of the volume of the cavity. Labeling machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein downstream of the vacuum board (140) an Anbürstung (150) comprising a brush plate for pressing the labels is arranged on the container. A labeling machine (100) according to claim 8, wherein the distance traveled by a container in the transport means is 30 cm or greater along the entire vacuum board (140) and the brushing (150).

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