EP3533719A1 - Labelling device for applying labels to containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Labeling device (1) for applying labels (5a) to containers (2), with an unwinding unit (20) for receiving at least one supply roll (21, 22) with a label tape (5); a drive unit (40) with a driven conveyor roller (41) for conveying the unwound label tape (5); and with a processing unit (50) arranged downstream of the drive unit (40) for separating the label tape (5) into the labels (5a), for optional gluing and for transferring the labels to the containers (2), characterized in that the drive unit ( 40) comprises a plastic guide element (43) with a guide surface (S) directed towards the conveying roller (41), which is formed in an arc around the conveying roller (41) around the label band (5) as it is being threaded around the conveying roller (41) to lead.

Description

The invention relates to a labeling device for applying labels to containers having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Typically, labeling devices are used to provide containers such as cans, tubes, plastic or glass bottles with labels that designate and / or advertise the container contents. Such a labeling device usually comprises a take-off unit for receiving one or more supply rolls with a label strip, a drive unit with a driven feed roller for driving the uncoiled label strip and a processing unit. The processing unit is designed, for example, with a cutting device, a gripper cylinder and with a gluing unit with which the label strip is cut into individual labels, glued and then transferred to the containers.

Such a labeling device is for example from the DE 20 2005 002793 U1 or the DE 299 04 561 U1 known.

Usually, the drive unit is arranged as close as possible to the cutting device for functional reasons. The disadvantage, however, has been found that the threading of the label tape is made more difficult by these spatial conditions, which is necessary, for example, at each grade change.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a labeling device for applying labels to containers, with the threading of the label tape is facilitated.

To solve this problem, the invention provides a labeling device for applying labels to containers with the features of claim 1 ready. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are mentioned in the subclaims.

Due to the fact that the drive unit comprises the plastic guide element with the guide surface directed towards the conveyor roller, which is designed like an arc around the conveyor roller, on the one hand the shape of the plastic guide element can be adapted particularly well to the guide function. On the other hand, it has been found that the label tape by the plastic material is particularly prone to adhere to the Kunststoffleitelement on. Consequently, the label tape is guided by the plastic guide during threading particularly well around the conveyor roller around, whereby the threading is facilitated.

The labeling device can be arranged in a beverage processing plant. The labeling device can be arranged downstream of a filling installation for filling a product into the containers. In particular, the labeling device can be arranged downstream of a filling plant for plastic bottles. The containers may be intended to contain drinks, toiletries, pastes, chemical, biological and / or pharmaceutical products. The containers may e.g. Bottles, cans, preferably of plastic or glass.

The labels may be designed to mark and / or advertise a product filled in the container. On the label tape several label imprints can be applied serially.

The labeling device may comprise a labeling unit with the unwinding unit, the drive unit and the processing unit. In particular, the labeling device may comprise a conveyor for the containers on which the labeling unit or a plurality of such labeling units are arranged. The transporter can be designed as a carousel with container receptacles on which the labeling unit or several such labeling units are arranged circumferentially. The container receptacles may preferably be rotatable to rotate the containers as the label is transferred to the processing unit. For example, the container receptacles may include a turntable and a centering bell to receive the containers therein.

The unwinding unit may comprise a plurality of supply rolls and a splicing unit to ensure an uninterrupted supply of the labeling device with the label strip. In addition, the labeling device may include an intermediate buffer for the label tape to bridge the assembly of two label strips with the splicing unit.

The drive unit may include an electric motor to drive the conveyor roller. The electric motor may preferably be a servomotor, which is controllable by a control unit. Plastic guide element may here mean a guide element for the label tape made of a plastic material.

In addition, the labeling device may comprise further deflection rollers in order to guide the label strip between the at least one supply roll and the processing unit. It is also conceivable that the labeling device comprises a running control unit in order to set the exact position of the label tape relative to the subsequent drive unit and the processing unit.

For controlling the unwinding unit, the drive unit and / or the processing unit, the labeling device may comprise a control unit. The control unit may preferably comprise a machine control with a processor, a memory unit, a data interface, a screen and / or with an input unit.

The plastic guiding element may comprise an antistatic plastic material for guiding the label strip in order to derive a static charge of the label strip during threading. This avoids that the label tape adheres to the plastic guide during threading by the static charge. It is conceivable that the antistatic plastic material is connected to an electrical ground pole in order to dissipate the static charge.

The guide surface of the Kunststoffleitelements may be formed with ribs to derive an air cushion when threading the label tape. This avoids that the air cushion counteracts the threading of the label tape.

It is conceivable that the ribs extend longitudinally to the arc-like formation of the guide surface. As a result, the air cushion is derived very quickly during the movement of the label strip. In other words, during threading, the ribs can run along a conveying direction of the label strip and / or parallel to a longitudinal edge of the label strip. Preferably, the plastic guide element may comprise at least 10, preferably at least 20 of the ribs. In particular, the ribs can be arranged parallel to one another.

The plastic guide may be formed on an input side with a Einführfase to introduce the label tape during threading in an intermediate space between the plastic guide and the feed roller. Thereby, a tapered gap is formed between the plastic guide member and the feed roller to assist threading. In particular, the Einführfase can extend transversely to the label tape. The introduction chamfer can be a chamfer of the plastic guide element running transversely to the ribs and / or the arcuate design of the guide surface.

The drive unit may include a pressure roller to press the label tape against the conveyor roller. As a result, a defined power transmission between the conveyor roller and the label tape is ensured during conveying. The pressure roller can be pressed by means of a spring mechanism against the conveyor roller. Preferably, the axes of the conveying roller and the pressure roller are parallel to each other.

The plastic guide element can be arranged on the conveyor roller downstream of the pressure roller. This allows the operator to insert the label tape between the conveyor roller and the pressure roller and then it is automatically guided by the plastic guide to the processing unit. In particular, the plastic guide element can be arranged circumferentially on the conveyor roller immediately after the pressure roller.

The separating unit may comprise a cutting device for separating the label strip into the labels, wherein the drive unit is arranged along the label strip immediately in front of the cutting device. As a result, the label strip is guided by means of the plastic guide element from the feed roller to the cutting device in order to automatically thread it into the cutting device.

The cutting device may comprise a vacuum cylinder and a knife roller which acts on the vacuum cylinder during the separation of the label strip. In addition, after the cutting device, the processing unit may comprise a gluing unit and / or a gripper cylinder in order to glue the individualized labels to the containers.

An exit side of the plastic guide element may be directed towards the cutting device to guide the label strip toward the cutting device, in particular in a gap between the vacuum cylinder and the knife roller. By the vacuum cylinder, the label tape is sucked automatically after the plastic guide element and the feed roller and thus introduced particularly reliable in the cutting device.

Figur 1

ein Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen Etikettiervorrichtung zum Aufbringen von Etiketten auf Behältern in einer Draufsicht;

Figur 2

ein Detail der Figur 1 im Bereich der Antriebseinheit, des Kunststoffleitelements und der Schneidvorrichtung als Draufsicht; und

Figur 3A - 3B

zwei perspektivische Ansichten des Kunststoffleitelements aus der Figur 1 und 2 von schräg oben.

Further features of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. Showing:

FIG. 1

an embodiment of a labeling device according to the invention for applying labels on containers in a plan view;

FIG. 2

a detail of FIG. 1 in the region of the drive unit, the plastic guide element and the cutting device as a plan view; and

FIGS. 3A-3B

two perspective views of the plastic guide from the FIG. 1 and 2 from diagonally above.

In the FIG. 1 an embodiment of the labeling device 1 according to the invention for applying labels 5a on containers 2 is shown in a plan view.

You can see the labeling device 1, with which the label tape 5 is processed into individual labels 5a, which are then transferred to the container 2. In addition, it can be seen that the containers 2 are taken during labeling in rotatable container receptacles 4 of the conveyor 3 and moved past the labeling device 1. The containers 2 can be rotated during the transfer of the labels 5a, so that they can be labeled all around or only partially.

The labeling device 1 itself comprises a take-off unit 20 for receiving the two supply rolls 21 and 22. In the FIG. 1 is just the label tape 5 unreeled from the supply roll 21. If its end is reached, it is connected to the splice device 23 with the beginning of the label strip from the supply roll 22. This ensures uninterrupted operation.

Furthermore, the intermediate buffer unit 30 with the rigid reel unit 31 and the movable reel unit 32 can be seen. The roller units 31, 32 each comprise a plurality of different sized pulleys, around which the label tape 5 is guided in a plurality of loops. In order to store more label tape 5 in the intermediate buffer unit 30, the movable reel unit 32 can be moved away from the rigid reel unit 31 with a spring element, not shown here. As a result, the loop length is increased accordingly. For removal of the label strip 5 from the intermediate buffer unit 30, the movement is correspondingly reversed, so that the loop length is reduced. Thereby, when connecting the label strips 5 of the supply rollers 21, 22 by means of the splicing device 23, the time required for this bridged.

Furthermore, the running control unit 60 can be seen to adjust the exact position of the label tape 5 with respect to the subsequent drive unit 40 and the processing unit 50. In particular, the track of the label tape is controlled in order to keep the label height accurately, i. that the position of the label tape relative to the container to be labeled.

For driving the label tape 5, the intermediate buffer unit 30 is arranged downstream of the drive unit 40 in the conveying direction F. It comprises the conveyor roller 41 and the pressure roller 42, wherein the conveyor roller 41 is driven by a drive, not shown here, preferably with a servomotor. Between the conveying roller 41 and the pressure roller 42, the label tape 5 is clamped by a spring mechanism, for example, so that the driving force is securely transmitted to the label tape 5. With the drive unit 40 so the label tape is the fifth pulled so that it is pulled from the supply roll 21 by the splicing unit 23, by the intermediate buffer unit 30 via the running control unit 60 to the deflection roller U ₄ .

Subsequently, the label tape 5 is fed to the processing unit 50. Here it is first separated with the cutting device 51 into individual labels 5a, wherein one in the FIG. 2 more accurately illustrated knife roller 51a against a vacuum cylinder 51b acts. As a result, the labels after separation can be safely continued to the subsequent gripper cylinder 53, which is also designed so that it sucks the individual labels 5a by means of a vacuum. The labels 5a adhered thereto are glued with the gluing unit 52 and then transferred to the containers 2 in the container receptacles 4.

You can also see the pulleys U _1-4 to guide the label tape from the unwinding 20 to the drive unit 40.

If the label tape now has to be re-threaded into the labeling device 1 during commissioning or after a grade change, the space between the conveying roller 41 and the cutting device 51 is very small due to the function. In order to facilitate the threading of the label strip 5, the drive unit 40 comprises the plastic guide element 43, that is to say in more detail with reference to the following Figures 2 . 3A and 3B is explained.

In the FIG. 2 the detail D of the FIG. 1 represented in the region of the drive unit 40, the plastic guide element 43 and the cutting device 51 as a plan view.

The cutting mechanism 51 comprises the vacuum cylinder 51b and the knife roller 51a, which acts on the vacuum cylinder 51b when the label tape 5 is singulated. For this purpose, the knife roller 51a comprises two or more cutting edges which cut the label strip 5 into the individual labels 5a. The drive unit 40 is arranged along the label tape 5 immediately in front of the cutting device 51, so that the label tape 5 can be securely guided to the vacuum cylinder 51b.

It can also be seen that the label strip 5 is guided between the conveying roller 41 and the pressure roller 42 rotating counter to it, so that it is conveyed in the conveying direction F. By the spring mechanism mentioned above, the pressure roller 42 is pressed to the conveying roller 41 so that the driving force is securely transmitted to the label tape 5.

The drive unit 40 comprises the plastic guide element 43 with the guide surface directed towards the feed roller 41 S _F , which is arcuately formed around the feed roller 41 around. As a result, the label strip 5 is guided around the conveying roller 41 during threading. The Plastic guide element 43 comprises an antistatic plastic material for guiding the label tape 5, whereby a static charge of the label tape 5 is derived during threading, for example, towards a ground pole.

In order to facilitate the threading, the plastic guide is formed on the input side S _E with the Einführfase 43 a, so that the label tape can be securely placed in the space between the Kunststoffleitelement 43 and the feed roller 41 into it. It can also be seen that the insertion bevel 43a is formed transversely to the label strip 5 and thus forms a tapering gap with the conveying roller 41.

In particular, it can be seen that the plastic guide element 43 is arranged on the conveyor roller 41 downstream of the pressure roller 42 and that an output side S _{A of} the plastic guide element 43 is directed towards the cutting device 51. As a result, the label tape 5 is automatically guided during threading from the pressure roller 42 up to the cutting device 51 securely between the conveyor roller 41 and the plastic guide 43.

The plastic guide 43 from the FIGS. 1 and 2 is individually more detailed in two perspective views of FIGS. 3A and 3B shown. You can see the plastic guide 43 in the FIG. 3A substantially tangential to the conveyor roller 41 and in the FIG. 3B substantially perpendicular to the guide surface S _F.

It can be seen in detail that the Einführfase 43 a is formed as a beveled on the input side S _E to the guide surface S _F surface, together with in the FIG. 2 shown conveying roller 41 to form a tapered gap. As a result, the label tape 5 can be guided more reliably during threading.

In addition, it can be seen that the guide surface S _{F is formed} with ribs 43 b, in order to derive an air cushion when threading the label tape 5. The ribs 43b preferably extend longitudinally to the arcuate design of the guide surface S _F , so that the air cushion is pressed to the output side S _A. In other words, the ribs 43b extend tangentially to the conveying direction F of the label tape 5.

In addition, results from the ribs 43b, a particularly small contact area between the label strip 5 and the guide surface S _{F of} the plastic guide element 43, whereby the friction during threading is reduced.

Furthermore, the fastening elements 43c can be seen, which are manufactured in one piece with the plastic guide element 43 during injection molding. As a result, the plastic guide element 43 can be attached to the labeling device 1 in a particularly simple manner. As an alternative to the aforementioned injection molding, production with Rapid Prototype / 3D printing is conceivable.

Overall, the in the Fig. 1-3B Labeling device 1 shown used as follows:
In a threading operation, a piece of the label tape 5 is first removed from one of the supply rolls 21 by an operator and, as in FIG Fig. 1 represented in the splicing unit 23, the intermediate buffer unit 30, the running control unit 60 and in the pulleys U ₁ -U ₄ inserted. Subsequently, the label tape 5 is clamped by the operator between the feed roller 41 and the pressure roller 42 of the drive unit 40, so that it can be safely conveyed therefrom.

By entering a command to a control unit, not shown here, the label tape 5 is then automatically conveyed further with the drive unit 40 and so threaded into the cutting device 51 without manual intervention. In this case, the label strip 5 is guided around the conveying roller 41 by the guide surface S _{F of} the plastic guide element 43 such that it subsequently strikes the vacuum cylinder 51 b and is sucked in by the cutting device 51. A static charge is dissipated by the antistatic plastic material of the plastic guide 43. In addition, an air cushion formed by the label tape 5 during threading is also removed by the ribs 43b of the plastic guide element 43.

By the Kunstoffleitelement 43, the label tape 5 is automatically guided during threading so that it is automatically drawn into the cutting device 51. As a result, the threading of the label strip 5 is facilitated.

In a labeling operation, the drive speed of the drive unit 40 is then ramped up and the label strip 5 with the cutting device 51 is separated into individual labels 5a. In this case, the knife roller 51a acts with its cutting against the vacuum cylinder 51b, whereby the label strip 5 is cut. The separated labels 5a adhere to the vacuum cylinder 51b by the vacuum during transport until they are transferred to the gripper cylinder 53.

The acquired from the gripper cylinder 53 labels 5a are first glued with the glue unit 52 and then applied to the carousel 3 on the container 2.

It is understood that in the embodiment described above mentioned features are not limited to these specific combinations and are also possible individually or in any other combinations.

Claims (10)

Labeling device (1) for applying labels (5a) to containers (2), with - An unwinding unit (20) for receiving at least one supply roll (21, 22) with a label strip (5); - A drive unit (40) with a driven conveyor roller (41) for conveying the unwound label strip (5); and - With a downstream of the drive unit (40) arranged processing unit (50) for separating the label strip (5) in the labels (5a), for optional gluing and for the transfer of the labels to the container (2), characterized in that
the drive unit (40) comprises a plastic guide element (43) with a guide surface (S _F ) directed towards the feed roller (41), which is formed in an arc around the feed roller (41) in order to move the label strip (5) around the feed roller ( 41) around. Labeling device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the plastic guide element (43) comprises an antistatic plastic material for guiding the label tape (5) to dissipate a static charge of the label tape (5) during threading. Labeling device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the guide surface (S _F ) with ribs (43 b) is formed to derive an air cushion during threading of the label strip (5). Labeling device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the ribs (43b) extend along the arcuate formation of the guide surface (S _F ). Labeling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the Kunststoffleitelement (43) on an input side (S _E ) with a Einführfase (43a) is formed to the label tape (5) when threading in a space between the plastic guide element (43) and to feed in the conveyor roller (41). Labeling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive unit (40) comprises a pressure roller (42) for pressing the label strip (5) against the conveyor roller (41). Labeling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic guide element (43) on the conveying roller (41) downstream of the pressure roller (42) is arranged. Labeling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the separating unit (50) comprises a cutting device (51) for separating the label strip (5) into the labels (5a), and wherein the drive unit (40) is arranged along the label strip (5 ) is arranged immediately in front of the cutting device (51). Labeling apparatus (1) according to claim 8, wherein the cutting device (51) comprises a vacuum cylinder (51b) and a knife roller (51a) which acts on the vacuum cylinder (51b) during the separation of the label strip (5). Labeling device (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein an output side (S _A ) of the Kunststoffleitelements (43) to the cutting device (51) is directed to guide the label strip (5) to the cutting device (51), in particular in a gap between the vacuum cylinder (51b) and the knife roller (51a).

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