EP3483080A1 - Glue supply for labelling device having glue printer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a glue supply device for a labeling unit (150, 250, 400) with size printers (119, 219, 419) comprising: a glue reservoir (110, 210), a supply line (116, 216) for feeding Glue from the hopper to the glue printer, a continuously conveying glue pump (111, 211, 311, 411) adapted to convey glue from the hopper into the feed line, and a hydropneumatic reservoir (117, 217) for the glue, wherein the hydropneumatic accumulator is arranged on the supply line in front of the glue printer.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a glue supply device for a labeling unit with a glue printer.

State of the art

Labeling machines are used in the industry to continuously apply high performance labels to continuously fed articles, containers of containers. The containers may be glass bottles, plastic bottles, in particular PET bottles, cans or can-like containers or the like, which are filled with liquid or solid foods, medical or cosmetic products, hygiene products or the like. The labeling machines generally comprise an often modular designed labeling.

Such labeling units for labeling machines, especially for labeling machines of rotating design, for labeling bottles or similar containers with labels, especially those made of paper, using cold glue are known in the art. Basically, such units comprise at least one pallet or glue segment carrier which can be driven circumferentially about a vertical axis of the unit, also referred to as a pallet carousel, on which several label pallets or glue segments forming at least one label receiver or contact surface are provided. The pallets or glue segments are each controlled pivotable about a separate pivot axis. During labeling, the pallets or glue segments can be moved past a gluing station to produce a glue application on their label contact surface and then at a label dispensing station each time the glue segment carrier passes, wherein each one label is taken, which then with its back on a provided with the glue order Label contact surface adheres and thereby glued on its back at the same time. About a gripper cylinder, the glued labels are each passed to the container moved past the labeling. Alternatively, the pallets, which may be designed in particular as vacuum pallets, are first moved past the label dispensing station in order to take over a label therefrom with the image side toward the label contact surface. Subsequently, the entrained label with the glue side passed to a gluing station, wherein the back of the label is glued. In this case, eliminates the above-mentioned gripper cylinder and the labels can be applied directly with their glued back on the past the pallet carousel container.

The glue application to the pallets or backs of the labels can be effected by means of a peripherally driven glue roller whose circular cylindrical surface is provided with a glue film by means of a glue application strip, or by means of a glue printer. A labeling with a glue printer is for example from the DE 10 2015 212 140 known. About individually controllable nozzles of the glue printer, the supplied glue, such as cold glue, applied by the ink jet printing process in a well-defined glue pattern on the pallets or labels.

Regardless of whether a glue roller or a glue printer is used, a continuous glue supply to the gluing station or the labeling unit is required. For this purpose, a glue supply device for the labeling unit is generally provided, which promotes glue from a storage container to the gluing station. In the case of a glue printer also a promotion with constant glue pressure is required to guarantee a uniform glue pattern.

The glue supply devices known in the prior art generally use a bottom-mounted glue container from which glue is pumped via hose lines to the gluing station by means of a piston pump, for example a scoop pump mounted on a lid of the glue box. Excess glue can be transported via appropriately arranged hoses back into the glue container. When changing the storage container for the glue, however, it usually comes to interruptions in production and to fluctuations in the glue pressure, since first the glue pump must be removed in order to be subsequently inserted into a new, full reservoir. It must be moved by the operator sometimes considerable masses, as filled glue containers for cold glue often have a weight of 30 kg or more to keep the number of production interruptions as low as possible. In addition to the high weight load for the operator, the contamination of the glue occurring during the glue container change and moisture losses during glue container change and during operation of conventional labeling units with glue roller pose a problem for the quality of the processed glue, since its durability, as in the case of Cold glue, often limited. Finally, the glue delivery by means of a piston pump is inevitably subject to pressure fluctuations, which makes efficient glue application by means of a glue printer difficult.

The present invention is therefore based on the object, a glue supply device for a labeling, in particular a labeling unit with glue printer, show that allows a possible interruption-free supply to a gluing station with glue with the glue pressure as constant as possible. More generally, the present invention has for its object to increase the productivity and quality of a Etikettieraggregats. In addition, the ergonomics of the operation of the glue supply device to be improved.

Description of the invention

The above-mentioned objects are achieved by a glue supply device for a labeling unit with a glue printer, comprising a reservoir for glue, in particular cold glue of low viscosity, a feed line for feeding glue from the reservoir to the glue printer, a continuously conveying glue pump, which is designed To promote glue from the reservoir into the feed line, and a hydropneumatic reservoir for the glue, wherein the hydropneumatic reservoir is arranged on the feed line in front of the glue printer. The hydropneumatic accumulator can in particular be designed to smooth out pressure fluctuations during the glue delivery to the size printer.

The glue can be hot glue, UV glue, cold glue or other glue. In particular, viscous cold glues, such as casein glue or dextrin glue, can be used. Alternatively, dispersion glues can also be used. The glue supply device according to the invention can be used both for low-viscosity glue, glue with a viscosity between 600 and 80,000 mPas and casein or dispersion glue with an optimum processing temperature of 18 ° C. to 40 ° C. According to a specific development, the glue supply device can be used in particular in combination with a glue printer for low viscosity cold glue. The viscosity of the cold glue used is between 3 and 300 mPas, preferably in the range of 10 to 100 mPas.

Possible glue printers are, for example, in the published patent application DE 10 2015 212 198 Described by the applicant, so omitted here to a detailed description can. It should only be mentioned that the size printer may have one or more controllable glue nozzles, by means of which the glue is sprayed dropwise or as a continuous jet under pressure on the glue application surface. By targeted activation of individual glue nozzles, a desired glue pattern can be produced on the glue application surface. The glue printer can apply the glue pattern to the glue application surface, in particular by the ink jet printing method. Both a job with a continuous stream and the DoD principle (drop on demand) are possible.

The glue reservoir may have a sufficiently large volume to allow glue supply for a sufficiently long period of time. For example, the storage container may have a glue volume of at least 20 l, preferably of at least 40 l and not more than 120 l. Depending on the glue pattern and the throughput of labels, the latter volume is sufficient for operating the labeling unit for about 8 to 24 hours.

The reservoir may have a level indicator. For example, a visual level indicator, in particular in the form of a sight glass or level tube, may be provided. Alternatively or additionally, one or more level sensors may be provided which determine the level, for example, via ultrasound and transmit it to the control and / or regulating unit described below. The fill level can then be read on a touch screen.

The supply line can be arranged such that it connects an output of the glue pump or a piece of pipe connected to the glue pump to the glue printer. In this case, the supply line consist of several sections, between and / or at which further of the devices described in more detail below are arranged. In particular, at least a portion of the supply line may be formed elastically, for example, to allow a relative movement of glue supply device and glue printer or labeling. In addition to the feed line, the glue supply device can also comprise a return line, in particular in the case of a completely closed system, by means of which excess glue can be passed from the gluing station, in particular from the glue printer, back to the storage container.

The feed line and / or the return line can, in particular when using hot glue, be equipped with a heating device which can be integrated, for example in the form of a heating wire in the respective line or wound around an inner tube of the line. A number of alternative heating devices, for example by means of channels through which hot water flows in or around the line, are conceivable. The heater In particular, it may be designed to be adjustable and connected to a control and / or regulating unit of the glue supply device, to which the glue temperature prevailing in the line is transmitted by a temperature sensor arranged in or on the glue line. The control and / or regulating unit can be a processor unit, in particular a programmable logic controller (PLC). The control and / or regulating unit can be designed to control the heating device in dependence on the transferred glue temperatures such that the glue with an optimum processing temperature, for example between 20 ° C and 40 ° C, preferably between 25 ° C and 35 ° C, is guided through the respective line. The desired glue temperature can be entered by an operator, for example, via a touch screen of the control and / or regulating unit or read out depending on the type of glue used from a storage unit of the control and / or regulating unit in terms of a variety management.

According to the invention, the glue supply device comprises a continuously conveying glue pump, by means of which glue is conveyed from the storage container via the feed line continuously to the glue printer. Unlike the previously mentioned piston pump, the glue pump is a continuously pumping pump. In this way, the pressure fluctuations in the feed line and the glue printer associated with the operation of the glue pump are reduced.

For example, the glue pump can be designed as a gear pump, in particular as an external gear pump. With a gear pump can, in particular low viscosity, continuously promote glue. The pump may further be designed controllable, for example by a controllable servo motor is connected to the aforementioned control and / or regulating unit. For this purpose, the glue supply device thus has a control unit. As mentioned, this can comprise a touchscreen as an input and playback unit. It may also be provided a common control and / or regulating unit for the glue supply device and the labeling.

The glue supply device may further comprise a pressure measuring device, for example a pressure sensor, which is arranged directly in front of or at the glue printer and is designed to determine the glue pressure in the feed line in the forerunner to the glue printer. Here, an arrangement immediately before the size printer is to be understood such that the pressure sensor is less than 20 cm, preferably less than 10 cm, from the size printer is arranged on the supply line. The specific glue pressure is transmitted from the pressure measuring device to the control and / or regulating unit via cable or wirelessly as a signal, which in turn regulates the pumping power of the glue pump as a function of the glue pressure. In this case, the pumping capacity can be regulated in particular in such a way that the glue printer has a, generally viscosity-dependent, desired glue pressure which can be stored in the control and / or regulating unit, for example in the form of variety management, or entered by an operator via the touchscreen.

The control and / or regulating unit can take into account further parameters in the regulation of the glue pump, or of the servomotor driving the glue pump, such as the aforementioned temperature, which has an influence on the viscosity of the glue. In addition, a flow measuring device, which is designed to determine the volume flow of glue through the supply line, can be arranged on or in the feed line. The flow measuring device can be designed, for example, as a magnetic-inductive flow meter or as an ultrasonic flow meter. The measured volume flow can be taken into account by the control and / or regulating unit in the pump control. In addition, the size of glue and / or the viscosity of the glue can be taken into account by the control and / or regulating unit. The control and / or regulating unit is thus designed to regulate the glue pump in dependence on the particular glue pressure, and optionally on parameters such as the volume flow, the temperature, the viscosity and the type of glue.

According to the invention, the glue supply device further comprises a hydropneumatic reservoir for the glue which is arranged on the supply line in front of the glue printer. The hydropneumatic accumulator can be designed to smooth pressure fluctuations in the glue delivery to the glue printer. Hydropneumatic accumulators are known per se in the art. In a closed container connected to a hydraulic connection with a conduit, a gas space is separated in a gas-tight manner from a liquid space by a displaceable and / or expandable separation element. A gas, for example nitrogen or an inert gas, is introduced into the gas space via a filling valve in a controlled atmosphere at a desired pressure. In the present application, this pressure corresponds in particular to the desired glue pressure. The liquid space is filled with the liquid by a fluidic connection with a line through which the liquid to be controlled with respect to pressure fluctuations flows. In the present invention, the liquid space of the hydropneumatic accumulator is thus fluidly connected to the feed line of the glue supply device, so that the liquid space is filled with glue. The Gas quantity in the gas space is adjusted so that the desired pressure prevails during operation of the pump. If the glue pressure deviates from the desired pressure, the gas in the gas space is compressed or expanded by displacing the separating element, depending on whether the glue pressure is above the desired pressure or below. The compressibility of the gas thus dampens the pressure fluctuations of the glue in the supply line. The gas present in the gas space thus acts as a gas cushion.

In other words, the hydropneumatic accumulator acts as a surge tank, causing hydraulic decoupling between the supply line and the size printer, which stabilizes the glue pressure. In order to effect an effective hydraulic decoupling, the hydropneumatic accumulator can be arranged at a small distance from the size printer. For example, a length of the feed line arranged between the connection point of the hydropneumatic accumulator with the feed line and the glue printer may be less than 1 m, preferably less than 0.25 m. Due to the small distance from the glue printer, the disturbing influence of any viscosity-dependent flow resistance is minimized.

The hydropneumatic accumulator may in particular be a membrane accumulator in which the gas space is separated from the liquid space by a flexible membrane. Alternatively, the hydropneumatic accumulator may be a bladder accumulator having a flexible bladder as the separating element between the gas space and the liquid space, or a bellows accumulator having a bellows as the separating element between the gas space and the liquid space. Finally, the hydropneumatic accumulator can also be designed as a piston accumulator with a freely movable piston as a separating element between the gas space and the liquid space. The respective separating elements may in particular have corresponding sealing devices for gas-tight separation of the gas and liquid space. Likewise, a spring or Metallbalgspeicher is conceivable in which instead of a gas, a compression spring is used. Such memories are maintenance-free.

The glue supply device described thus makes it possible to continuously convey glue with an approximately constant glue pressure from a storage container to a glue printer. Due to the constant glue pressure, on the one hand a well-defined glue pattern results. On the other hand, the amount of glue required can be adjusted exactly, so that both a sufficient gluing can be guaranteed, as well as excessive recycling of glue can be avoided. In the case of precise control, it is thus possible under certain circumstances to dispense completely with a return line for glue.

For applying glue by means of glue printer, an operating pressure of at least 15 bar, preferably of at least 30 bar, and up to 60 bar, may be required. The hydropneumatic accumulator described above thus also increases the safety of the glue supply device, since it reduces unwanted pressure peaks that could damage the glue nozzles of the glue printer or the supply line. For this purpose, the hydropneumatic accumulator may be formed, for example, with a volume of the liquid space in the range of 0.1 l to 1 l.

In addition, the glue supply device may comprise a safety valve on the supply line, which is designed to open a drain when a limit pressure in the supply line is exceeded. The drain can be connected to the outside or via a return line to the reservoir. The safety valve thus acts as a pressure limiter or pressure monitor. It can be arranged, for example, between glue pump and hydropneumatic accumulator. The safety valve can have an adjustment range for the limit pressure of 25 bar to 60 bar.

The glue supply device may further comprise a holding device, which is adapted to attach the glue pump height adjustable on the labeling. In particular, the holding device can be firmly connected to the labeling unit or designed as part of this. By means of the holding device can thus, either manually or automatically via a linear actuator motor, lower the glue pump or its intake pipe in the glue in the reservoir. To change the reservoir, the glue pump can be moved out of the reservoir by means of the holding device.

This is particularly simple if the holding device comprises a telescopic rail and a cylinder with a gas spring for height adjustment of the glue pump. The gas spring facilitates the vertical process of the glue pump. The term "vertical" is to be understood here and below with regard to a footprint of the labeling machine, for example with respect to the hall floor.

According to a development of the reservoir can be interchangeable, in particular as a mobile module, be formed, wherein the glue supply device further comprises a mechanical receiving device, in particular a tether, for coupling the reservoir to the labeling. Furthermore, the storage container can be interchangeably arranged on a mobile module, for example a container wagon. According to this development, the reservoir used in each case is thus not fixed, but sondem detachably connected to the labeling unit via the receiving device. The receiving device can only be a positioning aid or have a holder for the reservoir. The latter allows a Mitbewegen the reservoir, the labeling should, for example, for attaching labels to higher containers, must be raised vertically.

To change the reservoir, the glue pump can first be manually or automatically moved out of the empty reservoir by means of the height-adjustable holding device, which can then be easily removed by hand. Subsequently, a new, filled storage container can be rolled, for example by means of a container wagon to the labeling. For this purpose, the container wagon can have rollers and a guide rod which, together with a holder of the container wagon for storage containers, also fulfills a lever function by means of which the full storage containers can be picked up with little effort and loaded onto the container wagon. On Etikettieraggregat the new reservoir is inserted into the receiving device, for example by means of the lever function of the container car. The container wagon can then be removed or remain with the labeling unit. In the described development of the operator thus reservoir must be neither lifted nor carried. Thus, the reservoir can be brought into the intended position without much effort and by means of the tether. Subsequently, the glue pump is lowered again by means of the holding device in the glue. The change of a storage container can thus take place within only one minute, whereby a possible production interruption is considerably shortened. In addition, the described development increases the ergonomics of the device.

According to an alternative development of the reservoir can be fixed to the labeling, for example, with a housing or frame of the labeling, be connected. In this case, the reservoir does not need to be replaced, but only refilled. For this purpose, in particular, the glue pump must not be moved out of the reservoir. The reservoir may rather have a lid which can be at least partially opened. Through the open lid of the reservoir can be filled as needed. The refilling can be done for example via canisters, preferably in a container size of 5 l to 10 l. Due to the small package size, no large loads need to be moved by the operator. Alternatively, the reservoir can be refilled manually or automatically via a barrel pump or via a central glue supply via a corresponding pump control. The latter can depending on a detected fill level of the glue in the storage container, for which purpose the aforementioned fill level sensors can be provided.

The refilling of the reservoir with glue can in particular be carried out before the complete emptying of the reservoir by the operation of the labeling, so that a production interruption can be avoided. Since the reservoir is attached directly to the labeling, it can be with sufficient storage volume, for example in the range of 40 l to 120 l, designed to allow a continuous operation of the labeling of several hours. Assuming, for example, a label area of 175 cm ² , of which 60% are provided with glue, the result is a glued area of 105 cm ² . At a glue consumption of 16 g per m ² of glued area thus about 170 g glue for 1000 bottles are needed. If the labeling machine has a machine output of 50,000 bottles per hour, then about 8.5 kg of glue per hour are required. A storage volume of 120 l thus allows a continuous operation of about 14 hours.

Regardless of the arrangement of the reservoir, the glue supply device may further comprise an additional tank, wherein the additional tank is connected to the glue pump so that glue is removed from the additional tank in a change of the reservoir by means of the glue pump. This can be achieved, for example, by connecting an intake pipe of the glue pump via a valve to the additional tank, which can be opened when the storage container is changed. Accordingly, a further valve can be provided in an intake pipe with which the glue pump sucks glue out of the storage container, wherein the further valve for changing the storage container is closed. Alternatively, the glue pump can have a branching intake pipe, at the junction of which a three-way valve determines whether glue is sucked in from the storage tank or from the additional tank.

According to a special development, the additional tank can in particular surround the glue pump and have a valve element which is designed to open the auxiliary tank in contact with a bottom of the storage container and otherwise to close it. More specifically, the valve member for this purpose, a mechanical and / or magnetic device which is actuated by mechanical contact of the auxiliary tank with the bottom of the reservoir so that the valve element can be moved to an open position. In this case, glue can thus be conveyed out of the storage container through the glue pump located in the additional tank.

If the auxiliary tank is not in contact with the bottom of the reservoir, the valve element closes the auxiliary tank. In this case, the glue pump located in the auxiliary tank merely conveys the glue present in the auxiliary tank. The volume of the additional tank may, for example, be at least 0.3 l, preferably at least 1 l, in order to provide a sufficient amount of glue for the time required for the replacement of the storage container. Since the additional tank surrounds the glue pump, it may in particular be mechanically connected to it, so that the additional tank can be moved out together with the glue pump from the reservoir to change the reservoir.

The closable by the valve element opening of the additional tank can be located in particular in the bottom of the additional tank or in a lower portion of the additional tank. If the opening is in the bottom, the glue in the storage container can be almost completely pumped out. In addition to the opening closable by the valve member, the supplemental tank may have one or more inlet openings for the glue. These can be closed by valve or permanently open, in particular be arranged on an upper side of the additional tank, such as a lid. The dimensions and shape of the additional tank, as well as the relative position of the openings of the additional tank can be chosen such that the additional tank is first filled by lowering into the filled reservoir via the inlet openings with glue from the reservoir, which then when changing the reservoir as Buffer serves. If the additional tank moved out together with Leimpumpe to change the reservoir from the reservoir, the contact with the bottom of the reservoir dissolves and the valve element closes the lower opening, which serves as a suction for the glue pump in the reservoir. Subsequently, glue is thus conveyed exclusively from the additional tank, so that the reservoir can be changed in a convenient manner.

According to a special development, the glue pump can be designed to be displaceable relative to a bottom of the additional tank. In particular, the glue pump may be designed such that it no longer promotes glue from the additional tank in contact with the bottom of the additional tank. This can be made possible, for example, by appropriately arranging a glue inlet opening of the pump, ie the pump inlet, and providing a sealing ring which, in contact with the bottom of the additional tank, seals the pump inlet against the interior of the additional tank.

According to a special development, the bottom of the additional tank may have a bore, wherein the bore forms a supply line for glue from the reservoir by lowering the glue pump with a corresponding glue inlet opening of the glue pump, which can be closed by the valve element. The bore is thus arranged in particular opposite to the glue inlet opening of the glue pump. By lowering the glue pump, the glue feed opening is brought into contact with the upper opening of the bore, whereby a lead for glue is formed. Glue can then be sucked out of the storage container via the lower opening of the bore or via a glue channel connecting the bore to the outer space of the additional tank in the bottom of the additional tank. The feed line formed from the bore, glue inlet opening and glue channel thus connects a conveying space of the glue pump, for example the space in which the gear wheels of a gear pump are arranged, with the outer space of the additional tank or the storage volume of the storage container. In order to seal the supply line formed with respect to the interior of the additional tank, the previously mentioned sealing ring can be provided at the bottom of the glue pump.

By providing the additional tank described can be easily overcome the period in which the reservoir is changed. The additional tank thus guarantees an uninterrupted glue supply by the glue supply device according to the invention. The avoidance of an interruption of glue supply also allows a constant glue pressure on glue printer, since the start of any glue pump after a production interruption is always connected to a relatively slow increase in the glue pressure on the operating pressure. In combination with the damping of delivery-related pressure fluctuations by the hydropneumatic storage can thus be provided without interruption, a constant glue pressure with the glue supply device described, which makes in particular the use of a glue printer economically interesting.

The present invention also provides a labeling unit for applying labels to containers, which comprises a glue supply device according to the developments described above. In addition, the labeling unit according to the invention comprises a pallet carousel with a plurality of palettes circulating around an axis of rotation and a glue printer arranged in the periphery of the pallet carousel with a plurality of glue nozzles which can be controlled individually or in groups. Pallet carousels are well known in the art, so a detailed description is omitted here. It should be noted only that the pallets may be formed as vacuum pallets which are connected to a vacuum device for generating a negative pressure on the pallet. In In this case, the pallets in the run to the glue printer on a label providing unit, such as a label box, are passed, from which they take the labels with the image side to the label contact surface out. The backs of the labels are then provided by the glue printer with a desired glue pattern. Alternatively, glue application surfaces of the pallets can be provided with glue by the glue printer. In this case, the label supply unit is arranged in the wake of the glue printer and the labels are transferred with the back to the glued pallets. The labels can then be taken over by a gripper cylinder of the labeling unit and transferred to the containers. A variety of variations of the labeling unit is conceivable and can be combined with the glue supply devices according to the present invention. For example, instead of a label box, a label cutting device may be provided for cutting a continuously fed label tape. The size printer can be operated as already described above by the ink jet printing process and be provided with a plurality of individually or in groups controllable glue nozzles. The control can be done via the previously described control and / or regulating unit.

The above objects are also achieved by the use of the glue supply device described above, in which the reservoir is replaceable, in particular as a mobile module, wherein the glue pump is moved out to replace the reservoir by means of the holding device described above from the reservoir, and wherein a filled storage container is moved by means of a container wagon to the glue supply device.

If the remaining glue supply in the storage container is insufficient, as described above in more detail, the glue pump can be moved out of the storage container so far without much effort that the empty storage container can easily be removed manually. Subsequently, a filled reservoir is moved up to the glue supply device and docked there, for example, to a tether. The glue pump is then moved by means of the holding device in the filled storage container, in particular, as described in more detail below, the additional tank can be brought into contact with the bottom of the reservoir. As a result, a valve element of the additional tank is opened, can be sucked through the glue from the reservoir. The same valve element is automatically closed when moving out of the glue pump from the reservoir, for example, as described below via appropriately arranged magnets or a return spring, so that during the replacement of the reservoir glue from the Additional tank can be pumped. This thus serves as Leimpuffer for the replacement process. The use of the invention thus allows an uninterrupted supply of glue.

Finally, the abovementioned objects are also achieved by the use of a glue supply device, whose storage container is fixedly connected to the labeling unit, with a glue having a viscosity in the range from 3 to 300 mPas, preferably in the range from 10 to 100 mPas, the storage container is refilled with a canister through the opened lid. When using a low viscosity glue, i. with a viscosity within the specified ranges, the reservoir can also be filled in a comfortable manner via an openable lid. This can be done by the operator by means of a canister, the can size for the canister being in the range of 5 to 10 liters. In this way, the operator does not have to move large loads. The refilling of the reservoir can be done during operation, so that emptying of the reservoir can be effectively prevented. Even with this use of the glue supply device, an uninterrupted glue supply can be achieved.

• Fig. 1 zeigt schematisch eine Seitenansicht einer Leimversorgungsvorrichtung für ein Etikettieraggregat mit einem auswechselbaren Vorratsbehälter für Leim gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung.
• Fig. 2 zeigt die Anordnung eines hydropneumatischen Speichers im Zulauf zum Leimdrucker gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung.
• Fig. 3A und 3B zeigen eine Leimpumpe gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung.
• Fig. 4 zeigt die in den Vorratsbehälter abgesenkte Leimpumpe.
• Fig. 5 zeigt den die Leimpumpe umgebenden Zusatztank in einer schwebenden Position beim Wechsel des Vorratsbehälters.
• Fig. 6 zeigt den Zusatztank nach Absenken auf den Boden des Vorratsbehälters.
• Fig. 7 zeigt den Zusatztank mit vollständig abgesenkter Leimpumpe.
• Fig. 8 zeigt eine mit dem Etikettieraggregat verbundene Halteeinrichtung für die Leimpumpe.
• Fig. 9 zeigt schematisch eine alternative Weiterbildung einer Leimversorgungsvorrichtung gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung.
• Fig. 10 zeigt schematisch eine Draufsicht einer Etikettiervorrichtung des Stands der Technik.

Further features and exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. It is understood that the embodiments do not exhaust the scope of the present invention. It is further understood that some or all of the features described below may be combined with each other in other ways.

• Fig. 1 schematically shows a side view of a glue supply device for a labeling unit with a removable storage container for glue according to the present invention.
• Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of a hydropneumatic accumulator in the feed to the glue printer according to the present invention.
• FIGS. 3A and 3B show an glue pump according to the present invention.
• Fig. 4 shows the lowered into the reservoir glue pump.
• Fig. 5 shows the additional tank surrounding the glue pump in a floating position when changing the reservoir.
• Fig. 6 shows the additional tank after lowering to the bottom of the reservoir.
• Fig. 7 shows the additional tank with completely lowered glue pump.
• Fig. 8 shows a holding device for the glue pump connected to the labeling unit.
• Fig. 9 schematically shows an alternative development of a glue supply device according to the present invention.
• Fig. 10 shows schematically a plan view of a labeling device of the prior art.

Hereinafter, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. A repeated description of these elements is omitted for the sake of clarity. In addition, it should be understood that in the following embodiments, some or all of the elements may be replaced or combined with similar elements described in connection with other embodiments.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a side view of a glue supply device for a labeling unit with a removable storage container for glue according to the present invention. The figure shows the glue supply device 100 in combination with a modular labeling unit 150. In the illustrated, non-limiting development, the glue supply device is fixedly connected to the labeling unit 150 and forms a movably mounted on rollers 152 module, for example, to a container table (not shown). can be hired for the container transport. The labeling unit 150 is in the FIG. 1 shown only as a frame 151 which is mounted on rollers 152, but in particular those associated with FIG. 9 having described units and devices. The labeling unit 150 also has a glue application unit in the form of a size printer 119. In addition, the labeling unit 150 may have a guide handle 123 for moving the unit.

The glue printer 119 is supplied with glue from an exchangeable storage container 110 by the glue supply device. In the illustrated embodiment, the storage container 110 stands on a mobile container wagon 140. The container wagon 140 has in addition to a mounting or receiving surface 142 for storage and a guide rod 144, by means of which mounted on rollers 143 Dolly 140 without great effort to the labeling 150th can be approached. In this case, the guide rod 144 may be connected to a receiving device 142 such that a storage container 110 via a Leverage can be easily absorbed and lifted. The entrained storage container 110 can be parked or docked on or on a corresponding attachment point, for example a tether (not shown) of the labeling unit 150. In this case, the reservoir 110 for simplicity, as shown on the container car 140 remain. This allows a particularly effortless and easy change of the reservoir 110.

In the illustrated embodiment, the reservoir 110 has a level indicator 112 in the form of a sight glass on which the level of glue in the reservoir can be read. From the storage tank 110, the glue is pumped into the supply line 116 via the suction opening 111b of an intake pipe 111a by means of a glue pump 111, which is driven by a motor 114, in particular a controllable servo motor. Alternatively, as described in more detail below, a gear pump at the lower end of a riser pipe can be lowered into the reservoir, which is driven by a controllable motor. The motor 114 is connected to a control or control unit 160 of the illustrated glue supply device 100 which receives as input signals, for example, the volume flow of glue in the feed line 116 determined by a flow meter 126 and the glue pressure determined by a pressure sensor 125 arranged directly on the glue printer 119. Depending on these input signals and possible other input parameters, such as the glue temperature and / or the viscosity of the glue, the control and / or regulating unit 160 regulates the pumping power of the glue pump 111 in order to continuously convey glue with a glue pressure which is as constant as possible to the glue printer 119 ,

In order to mitigate pressure fluctuations on the size printer 119, a hydropneumatic accumulator 117, for example in the form of a membrane accumulator, is arranged at the inlet to the size printer and is fluidically connected to the supply line 116. As shown, the hydropneumatic accumulator can be arranged in particular close to the size printer 119. With the aid of the hydropneumatic accumulator, the size printer 119 can be hydraulically decoupled from the glue pump 111 so that pressure fluctuations generated by the glue pump are not or only partially transferred to the size printer. In this way, a uniform glue pattern can be guaranteed. The hydropneumatic reservoir 117 may also be connected to the control and / or regulating unit 160. For example, the hydropneumatic accumulator 117 may include a control valve (not shown) connected to a source of filling gas, such as nitrogen, which limits the maximum pressure in the headspace of the hydropneumatic accumulator. Depending on the desired Leimdruck the control and / or regulating unit 160 to control the control valve such that always the required amount of gas in the gas space of the hydropneumatic accumulator is present.

In the in the FIG. 1 illustrated development, both the supply line 116 and the sensors 125 and 126, the hydropneumatic accumulator 117 and the control and / or regulating unit 160 are fixedly connected to the labeling unit 150. Alternatively, the said elements can also be designed as part of a modular glue supply device which can be coupled to a separately designed labeling unit. In the illustrated embodiment, a height-adjustable holding device 165 is also provided for the glue pump 111 and the motor 114, which is fixedly connected to the labeling unit 150. With the aid of the holding device 165, the suction opening 111b can be immersed in the glue present in the storage container 110 and, after the storage container has been emptied, retracted therefrom. The empty storage container can then be easily replaced by the operator.

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of a hydropneumatic accumulator in the feed to the glue printer according to the present invention. The illustrated embodiment shows the lower part of a pallet carousel 130, on which a plurality of pivotally mounted pallets, which are not shown for clarity, are moved circumferentially. The pallets pass in their circulation at a small distance to the provided with a plurality of glue nozzles glue printer 119, the application of the desired glue pattern either on a glue application surface of the pallets or directly on a back of labels that are carried by the pallets. The glue nozzles can be controlled individually via a control unit 127 of the glue printer 119.

About a feed line in the form of an elastic tube 116 of the glue printer 119 is supplied with glue. To compensate for pressure fluctuations, a hydropneumatic accumulator 117 is arranged on the supply line 116 in the immediate vicinity of the glue printer according to the invention. This can, as described, have a volume of the liquid space in the range from 0.1 l to 1 l. The glue printer 119 is connected in the illustrated embodiment via a holder 118 with the pallet carousel and / or the labeling unit 150.

The FIGS. 3A and 3B show an glue pump 311 according to the present invention. The illustrated glue pump 311 is an external gear pump in which the gears 375 are arranged in a housing 371 enclosing a delivery chamber of the pump. The housing 371 has on its underside a glue inlet opening 372, via the glue can enter the delivery chamber of the pump. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, a sealing ring 373 is arranged on the underside of the housing 371, with which the glue inlet opening 372 as described in more detail below can be sealed against the interior of an additional tank surrounding the housing 371. The gears 375 are driven via a shaft which is arranged in a shaft housing 374 and driven by a motor (not shown) in such a way that the glue which has entered the conveying space of the glue pump 311 via the glue inlet opening 372 is conveyed into the riser 376. The riser 376 may be connected in particular to the above-mentioned supply line. By using a gear pump 311, a continuous glue delivery can be made possible with the lowest possible pressure fluctuations.

Fig. 4 shows the lowered into the reservoir 310 glue pump 311. The reservoir 310 is formed in the illustrated embodiment as a bucket with handles on the upper edge. The only schematically indicated gears of the glue pump 311 are driven via the above-mentioned shaft by a controllable servo motor 314, which is arranged outside of the reservoir 310. By jointly moving the motor 314 and the glue pump 311, the glue pump 311 can be moved out of the storage container 310 so that it can be exchanged.

Fig. 5 shows the glue tank 311 surrounding additional tank 380 in a floating position when changing the reservoir 310. According to the illustrated embodiment, the housing surrounding the gears 375, together with the shaft housing 374 and the riser 376 relative to the auxiliary tank 380 is movable. In the illustrated floating position, in which the auxiliary tank does not stand up on the bottom of the reservoir 310, the glue pump 311 is brought over, for example, on the shaft housing 374, spacer, which is in contact with an upper part, such as a lid, of the auxiliary tank 380 can be positioned so relatively within the interior of the auxiliary tank 380 that a large part of the glue located in the additional tank can be sucked off via the glue inlet opening 372 of the glue pump. In other words, the glue pump, and in particular the spacer, is designed such that the glue inlet opening 372 is in the floating position of the additional tank in the lower third, preferably in the lower quarter, of the interior volume of the additional tank. In this way, the additional tank in the floating position, which is present in particular when replacing the reservoir, be almost completely emptied. The interior volume of the additional tank 380 thus serves as a buffer for glue during the replacement process for the storage container. For this purpose, the interior volume in particular at least 0.3 l, preferably at least 1 l amount, so that an operator remains sufficient time to replace the reservoir and lower the glue pump back into the reservoir.

The completely or partially emptied additional tank 380 can be refilled with glue in the glue located in the new reservoir when lowering. For this purpose, the additional tank 380 in the upper region of the tank wall 381 or in a lid region of the additional tank can have one or more inlet openings, through which glue can enter the auxiliary tank. In the illustrated embodiment, this is achieved in an elegant manner in that the holes in the lid of the additional tank for the shaft housing 374 and the riser 376 are formed wider than the cross section of the respective tube, so that glue can flow through these openings. The constant relative movement of the shaft housing and the riser also ensures that the openings are not clogged with hardened glue. The dimensions of the additional tank 380, in particular its overall height and / or the arrangement of the inlet openings, can be selected in such a way with respect to the dimensions and the usual filling level completely filled reservoir that the additional tank is reliably filled after lowering to the bottom of the reservoir with glue via the inlet openings ,

According to the illustrated embodiment, the additional tank 380 in its tank bottom 383 has a bore 385, the interior of the additional tank via a, here annular, glue channel 386 in the bottom of the additional tank with the outside of the additional tank, i. the storage volume of the reservoir 310 connects. In this case, in the glue channel 386, a movable valve element 382 is arranged, which is designed such that it closes the glue channel and thus the connection to the outer space of the additional tank in the floating state of the additional tank 380.

For this purpose, the special valve element 382 shown here has a plug-shaped basic shape and also has a permanent magnet 384, which interacts repulsively with a similarly polarized, correspondingly arranged on the opposite side of the glue channel 386 permanent magnet 384. The plug-shaped valve element 382 has at its lower end a projecting beyond the bottom plate 383 of the additional tank 380 extension, which can be brought into mechanical contact with the bottom of the reservoir. The repulsive interaction of the magnets 384 presses the valve element 382 in a closed position as long as the auxiliary tank floats free and in particular the lower extension of the valve member is not in mechanical contact with the bottom of the reservoir. In the floating position, the additional tank 380 is thus closed downwards by the valve element 382, so that the glue pump 311 can pump off the glue present in the additional tank via the glue inlet opening 372. For this purpose, the arrangement of the glue pump in the interior of the auxiliary tank 380 in the floating position is particularly chosen so that a sufficient distance, for. B. remains at least 1 cm, from the bottom of the additional tank, so that the glue in the additional tank can enter via the glue inlet opening 372 in the pumping chamber of the glue pump. It is understood that other developments of the valve element 382 are possible. In particular, may be provided instead of the magnets 384, a return spring which presses the valve element in the closed position. Also, the arrangement and formation of the bore 385 and the glue channel 386 may be varied as long as the bore 385, as mentioned in more detail below, faces the lower opening of the glue feed opening 372 in the vertical direction. In a special development, the glue channel 386 can be completely dispensed with if the valve element 382 is arranged directly in the bore 385.

Fig. 6 shows the additional tank 380 after lowering to the bottom of the reservoir (not shown). By lowering the auxiliary tank 380 to the bottom of the reservoir, the extension at the lower end of the valve element 382 is brought into contact with the bottom of the reservoir 310. Thereby, the valve element 382 is pressed from the closed position against the resistance of the repulsive interaction of the magnets 384 upwards into an open position in which glue can enter the interior of the additional tank 380 via the glue channel 386 and the bore 385. In this position, the glue pump 311 can thus indirectly convey glue from the storage container via the interior of the additional tank 380. Due to the extension of the valve element 382 and / or a corresponding shape of the underside of the bottom of the additional tank sufficient clearance, for example, with a height of at least 1 cm, between the bottom of the reservoir and the bottom of the auxiliary tank can be formed so that glue reliably from the Reservoir can be removed.

Fig. 7 shows the additional tank 380 with completely lowered glue pump 311 in the operating state. By further lowering the glue pump 311, although the additional tank 380 is not further displaced in the vertical direction, since this already rests on the bottom of the reservoir 310. However, the glue pump 311 is now lowered within the auxiliary tank 380 so far that the bottom portion of the glue pump 311 is brought into mechanical contact with the bottom of the auxiliary tank 380. So that a close contact can be made, can the bottom 383 of the auxiliary tank 380 in particular as in FIG. 6 shown having a recess which corresponds in shape to the bottom portion of the housing 371 of the glue pump. In addition, the in the FIG. 3A shown sealing ring 373 are pressed against a flat surface of the bottom 383 of the auxiliary tank. In this way, the glue feed opening 372 of the glue pump is sealed against the interior of the additional tank, so that no more glue is conveyed from the additional tank.

On the other hand, by the described lowering of the glue pump on the bottom 383 of the additional tank 380, the glue inlet opening 372 brought into congruent contact with the upper opening of the bore 385 so that glue inlet 372, bore 385 and glue channel 386 a continuous, the outer space of the additional tank 380 with the delivery chamber form the glue pump 311 connecting supply line 387. In this way, glue is conveyed from the storage container 310 into the riser 376 in the operating state. Like in the FIG. 7 shown, the valve element 382 remains in the operating state due to the continuous contact with the bottom of the reservoir in an open position.

The additional tank 380 thus provides an efficient Leimpuffer available from the glue during the replacement can be promoted. In this way, emptying of the glue pump and an associated production interruption are avoided. The usual pressure fluctuations during startup of the glue pump omitted.

Fig. 8 shows a holding device 165 connected to the labeling 150 for the glue pump 111. On the left side of the figure is already in the FIG. 1 illustrated glue supply device together with the labeling unit 150 shown in a three-dimensional view. For the sake of clarity, a repeated description of the illustrated elements is omitted here. In addition, it should merely be mentioned that the frame 151 of the labeling unit 150 has a tether 163 to which the storage container 110 can be set or coupled. In addition, the shows FIG. 8 the holding device 165 connected to the labeling unit 150, which carries in particular the motor 114 and the glue pump 111. The latter is, as indicated schematically, surrounded by the additional tank 380 and already lowered to the bottom of the reservoir 110.

The holding device 165 includes in the illustrated embodiment, a telescopic rail 166, on which a provided with handles 169 cylinder with gas spring 167 is arranged height adjustable. Due to the gas pressure spring 167, the holder 168, which carries the motor 114 and the glue pump 111, can move vertically even without much effort, whereby the glue pump can be lowered into the reservoir 110 and moved out of this for changing the reservoir. The attached to the labeling unit 150 holding device 165 thus further increases the ergonomics of the glue supply device.

Fig. 9 schematically shows an alternative development of a glue supply device 200 according to the present invention. In this alternative development, the storage container 210 is firmly connected to the labeling unit 250. Thus, the glue supply device 200 forms, together with the labeling unit 250, a module which, as shown, can in particular be mounted on wheels 252 in a mobile manner. Here too, the labeling unit 250 has a frame 251, on which further components, such as a guide handle 223, can be arranged. In the FIG. 9 In addition, the pallet carousel 230 with a plurality of pallets 220, and a label unit 232 with a label container 231 for storing the labels to be glued are explicitly shown. These components are well known in the art and therefore will not be further described here. The components can also be used in conjunction with FIG. 1 be described training.

On the pallet carousel 230 and the frame 251, a holder 218 is arranged, which holds the glue printer 219, in particular height adjustable. The glue printer is connected via an elastic feed line 216 to the motor 214 of an glue pump 211, which has been lowered to the bottom of the storage container 210 as shown in the figure. Again, the arrangement is chosen such that a sufficient space for sucking glue is available. Since the storage container 210 is permanently connected to the labeling unit 250 in this development, it is possible to dispense with a height-adjustable holding device. Instead, the upper portion of the reservoir 210 has a lid 215 which can be opened to refill the reservoir. Since this refilling can also be done during operation, can also be dispensed with the additional tank described above. The glue pump can thus be designed in the form of a gear pump, which is controllably driven by the motor 214. The same developments described in connection with the previous figures for the glue pump, the supply line, the control and / or regulating unit (not shown), the sensors, ie flow meter, pressure sensor and temperature sensor, and the like, can also be applied to the in FIG. 9 Apply shown training. For example, the storage container 210 has a fill level indicator in the form of a fill level tube 212 or fill level sensors 222. Also, the supply line may have the heating device described above. However, such can also be arranged inside or on the storage container 210. At the supply line 216 of the already described hydropneumatic reservoir 217 is arranged.

In addition, the shows FIG. 9 a safety valve with a return line 221, can be routed back to the reservoir 210 on the excess of a limit for the glue pressure glue from the supply line 216. The safety valve is designed such that it automatically opens when the limit pressure is exceeded. Such a safety valve with return line can also be used in conjunction with FIG. 1 described training can be used.

Finally, the storage container 210 has a drain cock 213 in the lower region of the container wall for manually discharging the glue from the storage container should this be necessary, for example for cleaning the storage container.

The illustrated development with a fixedly attached to the labeling storage tank can be particularly advantageous for glues low viscosity, for example in the range of 10 to 100 mPas use, as they can be easily refilled by canister in the reservoir. Due to the smaller package size only small loads must be moved, which contributes to the ergonomics of the use of the system.

Fig. 10 shows schematically a plan view of a labeling device of the prior art, which can be used in connection with the previously described labeling and glue supply devices used.

The illustrated labeling device 400 comprises a transport device designed as a container table 494, along which the containers 493 or containers to be labeled rotate on a curved path on a multiplicity of holders (not shown) which are rotatable about themselves. Another commonly used element of a labeling device is, for example, a pre-treatment unit 495 which prepares the container 493 to be labeled for labeling by cleaning, pre-moistening or blasting, a heating and / or radiation and / or plasma, the container surface to be labeled. and / or subject to corona treatment. Furthermore, sensors 409 and 497 may be provided which control the condition of the surface to be labeled, e.g. B. smooth, rough, etc., and / or environmental conditions, such. B. an ambient temperature or humidity, measure and pass to control the labeling device to the control and / or regulating unit 460. Furthermore, a roll-on unit 434 and / or a brushing unit 435 may be provided in the wake of the labeling position 498, around the label 499 placed on the container completely apply and push. The containers provided with the label 436 are then transferred to a subsequent treatment station, for example a filling station for filling with a liquid food.

The labeling unit shown in the exemplary labeling machine comprises a pallet carousel 430 having a multiplicity of pallets 404, 405 and 420 revolving around an axis of rotation of the pallet carousel, which in turn are designed to pivot about their own, eccentrically mounted pivot axes 406. The pallets have on their outwardly facing side an abutment surface 408, which may be formed large enough that it can accommodate a variety of different label formats. The pallet 404, which is initially unloaded, is guided past the axis of rotation of the pallet carousel 430 in the form of a label box on a label storage 431 arranged at the periphery of the pallet carousel and pivoted so that the contact surface 408 of the pallet displays the foremost label 402 of FIG takes over the label box 431. Since the pallets can be designed as vacuum pallets, this assumption is reliably possible even without prior gluing of the contact surface 408. In order to be able to adapt the distance of the foremost label 402 to the pallet carousel 430, the label box 431 can be designed to be switchable via a pneumatic cylinder 401.

Since the labels 402 are provided with their image side forward, they also come with the image side on the abutment surface 408 of the pallet 405 to lie. Thus, the glue application surface 492 of the labels 407 transported by the pallets 405 and 420 faces away from the abutment surface of the respective pallet. The glue application surface of the label 407 thus pointing outwards can therefore be glued directly to the pallet by means of a gluing unit 403 arranged on the orbit of the pallets 404, 405 and 420, ie on the circumference of the pallet carousel 430. In the FIG. 10 According to the invention, a gluing unit 403 is shown by the ink jet method.

When using a glue printer 419, the cold glue from a plurality of glue nozzles in the form of a glue jet 491 is sprayed directly onto the glue application surface 492. For this purpose, the glue application surface 492 is preferably guided past the openings of the glue nozzles by circulating and pivoting the pallet 420 at a constant distance. By selectively controlling the glue nozzles, for example according to the DoD principle (drop-on-demand), an approximately arbitrary glue pattern can be imprinted on the glue application surface 492 in superposition with the pallet movement. In particular, exactly the required amount of cold glue can be printed, so that can be completely dispensed with a Leimrücklauf.

The supply of glue to the size printer 419 via the glue supply line 416 can be controlled in the required amount by means of one of the glue supply devices described above. This is in the FIG. 10 indicated for the gluing unit 403. The FIG. 10 1 shows only the glue supply line 416 and a schematic representation of the glue pump 411 representative of the previously described glue supply devices.

Since the cold glue is applied to the outwardly facing glue application surface 492, in this non-limiting further development no gripper cylinder is required for placing the now glued labels 407 onto the containers 493 to be labeled. Instead, the labels are placed directly from the pallets 404, 405 and 420 to the container 493 guided past the labeling position 498 and wound up by rotation of the holders of the container table 494. For this purpose, the pallets are thus guided past the container surfaces and thereby pivoted that the entrained labels are rolled in combination with the rotational movement of the container and its circulation around the container table on the container surfaces. As already mentioned, by suitably eccentric mounting of the curved pallets 404, 405 and 420 at their respective pivot axes 406, a slip-free rolling of the labels on the container surfaces can be achieved so that the applied labels do not slip unintentionally.

The orbital movements of the pallets 404, 405 and 420 and the holders of the container table 494 can be controlled by means of controllable drives (not shown) via the control and / or regulating unit 460 of the labeling device 400. Likewise, the rotational movement of the holders for the containers, for example via individually provided servomotors, can be controlled and / or regulated by means of the control and / or regulating unit. The pivoting movements of the pallets 404, 405 and 420 can be controlled and / or regulated by means of the control and / or regulating unit via corresponding control cams or likewise via dedicated servomotors. Finally, the vacuum supply and the glue nozzles can be controlled via the control and / or regulating unit 460 as described above. In particular, the control and / or regulating unit can be a programmable logic controller which has a memory unit, for example in the form of a flash memory, in which the memory parameters required for control, for. B. in relation to the desired glue pattern, are stored. In particular, a common control and / or regulating unit 460 may be provided for the labeling device 400 and the glue supply device.

It is understood that the glue supply devices described above can also be applied to differently designed labeling devices. For example, the positions of the label box 431 and gluing station 403 may be reversed so that a defined glue pattern is first applied to a glue application surface 408 of the pallets 404, which is then brought into contact with a backside of the labels 402. The image side of the labels is then transferred to a gripper cylinder, as is well known in the art. By means of the gripper cylinder, the labels are finally applied to the container 493.

The glue supply devices described above allow the application of a well-defined size image with approximately constant glue pressure without the usual production interruptions to replace the reservoir for the glue. The closed glue supply system also improves the durability of the cold glue. Since the amount of cold glue applied can now be set exactly, a return transport of superfluous cold glue can also be dispensed with. When using a cold glue with low viscosity, the energy consumption of the labeling unit can be reduced.

Claims (15)

A glue supply device for a labeling unit (150, 250, 400) with glue printers (119, 219, 419), comprising: a storage container (110, 210) for glue, in particular cold glue of low viscosity, a supply line (116, 216) for feeding glue from the storage container to the glue printer, a continuously conveying glue pump (111, 211, 311, 411), which is designed to convey glue from the storage container into the feed line, and a hydropneumatic storage (117, 217) for the glue, wherein the hydropneumatic accumulator is arranged on the supply line in front of the glue printer. Glue supply device according to claim 1, wherein the glue pump (111, 211, 311, 411) is designed as a gear pump, in particular as an external gear pump. A glue supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the glue pump (111, 211, 311, 411) is controllably formed, and further comprising a pressure measuring device (125) and a control and / or regulating unit (160, 460),
wherein the pressure measuring device (125) immediately before or on the glue printer (119, 219, 419) arranged and adapted to determine the glue pressure in the run to the glue printer, and
wherein the control and / or regulating unit (160, 460) is adapted to regulate the glue pump (111, 211, 311, 411) in dependence on the particular glue pressure. Glue supply device according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a holding device (165) which is adapted to the glue pump (111, 211, 311, 411) adjustable in height to the labeling unit (150, 250, 400) to attach. Glue supply device according to claim 4, wherein the holding means (165) comprises a telescopic rail (166) and a cylinder with gas pressure spring (167) for height adjustment of the glue pump (111, 211, 311, 411). Leimversorgungsvorrichtung according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an additional tank (380), wherein the auxiliary tank is connected to the glue pump (111, 311, 411), that glue is removed when changing the reservoir (110) by means of the glue pump from the additional tank , The glue supply apparatus of claim 6, wherein the supplemental tank (380) surrounds the glue pump (111, 311, 411) and has a valve element (382) adapted to open the supplemental tank in contact with a bottom of the reservoir (110) and otherwise to close. The glue supply device according to claim 7, wherein the glue pump (111, 311, 411) is slidable relative to a bottom (383) of the auxiliary tank (380). Glue supply device according to claim 8, wherein the bottom (383) of the auxiliary tank (380) has a bore (385), wherein the bore by lowering the glue pump (111, 311, 411) with a corresponding glue inlet opening (372) of the glue pump a feed line (387 ) for glue from the reservoir (110), which is closable via the valve element (382). Leimversorgungsvorrichtung according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (110) interchangeable, in particular as a movable module (140) is formed and further comprises a mechanical receiving means (163), in particular a tether, for coupling the reservoir (110) to the labeling unit (150 ) full. Glue supply device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the storage container (210) is fixedly connected to the labeling unit (250) and in particular a lid (215) which can be at least partially opened. A glue supply device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a safety valve (221) disposed on the supply line (216) adapted to open a drain upon exceeding a limit pressure in the supply line. Labeling unit (150, 250, 400) for applying labels to containers, comprising: a pallet carousel (130, 230, 430) having a multiplicity of pallets (220, 420) which can be driven in rotation around a rotation axis, a arranged in the periphery of the pallet carousel glue printers (119, 219, 419) with a plurality of individually or in groups controllable glue nozzles, and a glue supply device according to one of the preceding claims for the continuous supply of the glue printer with glue, in particular with cold glue. Use of a glue supply device (100) according to claim 10, wherein the glue pump (111) for replacing the storage container (110) by means of a holding device (165) is moved out of the reservoir, and wherein a filled storage container by means of a container carriage (140) moved up to the glue supply device becomes. Use of a glue supply device (200) according to claim 11 with a glue having a viscosity in the range of 3 to 300 mPas, preferably in the range of 10 to 100 mPas, wherein the reservoir (210) is refilled by canister through the opened lid (215).

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