GB2288588A

GB2288588A - Labelling containers and closures thereof

Info

Publication number: GB2288588A
Application number: GB9507560A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Georg Zepf; Erich Eder
Original assignee: Krones AG; Krones AG Hermann Kronseder Maschinenfabrik
Current assignee: Krones AG
Priority date: 1994-04-22
Filing date: 1995-04-11
Publication date: 1995-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2015-04-11
Also published as: DE4414011A1; DE4414011C2; GB2288588B; GB9507560D0

Description

1 2288588 PROCESS--AND DEVICE FOR PROVIDING CONTAINERS WITH LABELLING is

The invention relates to a process for providing containers with labelling and to a labelling device. It is concerned particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, with the provision of stopper security labels for containers having an abrupt change of outer profile in their upper region in which process the container is gripped and the labelling is affixed to a lateral surface of the container and to the top of the container stopper.

Labelling machines for affixing stopper security labels to containers are known from KRONES Handbook of Labelling Systems, Sth Edition, page 200, Figs. 7/13. In these machines a container is axially gripped between the container bottom and closure top faces by a ribbed centring plunger or bell on its associated holder on a turntable. While the container is being gripped in this way, a stopper security label is placed on the side surface of the container, with the label tab projecting above the closure initially adhering to the centring bell. Upon reaching the exit starwheel which serves to discharge the containers, the centring bell is lifted axially from the closure and the projecting tab is laid on the top of the closure by radially controllable slides with pressure rollers attached to the exit star-wheel.

Furthermore, German Patent 3925842 has proposed that the projecting tab be laid on the top of the closure 2 or stopper while the container is still located in its holder on the turntable of the labelling machine. To permit this, a second centring device is provided for each container, in addition to the centring bell, so that a container can be held by different regions in different stages of its orbit on the turntable for the setting-on or conforming of the projecting tab of the label.

However, this labelling technique has not proved satisfactory for all shapes of container. Unfortunately in labelling processes used hitherto the projecting tab has been pulled taut when the centring bell is raised, because it adheres or sticks to the latter, before it is stuck down on the top of the closure. This is a disadvantage in that, in the case of stoppered containers which have a marked change in diameter and/or.outer-profile in an upper region, and especially in the case of containers with radial necking eg. in the region of the lower rim of the closure or stopper, because the label is taut it is pulled away from the wall of the container at that point. If the container is picked up carelessly, eg. by customers at a supermarket, the stopper security label may then be to= at that point, being unsupported by the container wall. Especially in the case of containers which can be opened easily, it is then no longer possible to tell for sure whether the product has already been opened eg. to sniff or taste the contents. Because of perishable foods regulations and product liability which are obligatory for the manufacturers, such products with torn stopper security is 3 labels are no longer saleable.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process and apparatus that makes it possible to reduce the risk of inadvertent tearing of the stopper security label.

In one aspect of the invention this object is achieved by pressing the labelling onto the container so that it conforms to the surface of the container in a region of the abrupt change in external profile in the upper region of the container.

With the stopper security label conforming to the surface of the container in the upper region as well as in other regions of the container, inadvertent tearing of the security label can be largely eliminated. The result is that, should a security label be found to be broken, it can be inferred that the product, which has been stocked say in a supermarket, has already been opened, thus providing evidence that the product has been tampered with prior to purchase.

A device which is pressed against the upper region of the side surface of the container and in so doing adapts itself to the external profile of the container affords the advantage of ensuring complete contact between the stopper security label and that side surface. It allows the security label to be securely stuck to the side surface even where there are extremely complex external profiles with several projections, grooves or large changes of diameter. With two opposing pressure elements, the 4 pressure element on the side of the container opposite the security label can advantageously serve as a bearing support which takes the force of the pressure element pressing on the label, thus preventing the container from being overturned. Moreover it enables the container to continue to be held in a defined condition after the centrixig bell has been raised.

Shifting the pressure device into a pressing position by means of a cam gear allows particularly flexible and economical adaptation to the widest variety of container external profiles. It may be possible to effect this simply by altering the position of the cam, or by using a cam with a different configuration. Moreover an indirect drive ie. coupling the closing function of the is pressure device to another driven device, can be performed very reliably by means of-a cam gear.

If the container together with the pressure device in an open standby position is moved with respect to a fixed cam guide, and a cam roller connected to the pressure device is rolled over the cam guide so that the pressure device is actuated from a standby position to the operative position and back to the standby position, the pressure device can be held in an open rest or standby position until it has reached the point at which the pressure is to be applied. The cam guide and cam roller can constitute a separable cam transmission which does not need to be brought into engagement until the pressure position occurs. This results in particularly low energy is consumption in the rest phase of the pressure device during passage through the labelling machine.

Preferably, a labelling process according to the invention comprises the steps of loading the container on to a rotatable centring plate of a labelling turntable, gripping the container axially by lowering a centring bell on to an upper end face of the container, adhering a stopper security label to the side surface of the container, rotating the container through about 900 with respect to the turntable so that the label faces forwards, viewed in the transport direction, applying said pressure to conform the label to the container external profile, lifting the centring bell, folding down a portion of the label projecting above the stopper, removal of said pressure from the label and container, and discharging the container. By operating such a process it is possible to maintain a constant and defined grip of the container throughout the labelling process. The sequence is determined so that the pressure device is held in the operative position until the centring bell has been raised, the projecting tab of the label has been folded over, and the centring bell has been finally lowered again.

By using a pressure device which travels with the container, particularly accurate positioning of the device in relation to the wall of the container can be achieved, since it is not necessary to have any additional relative movements between pressure device and container which might be susceptible to error.

6 Forming the pressure elements from elastic pads of adhesive-repellant material allows gentle application of the portion of the stopper label that is drawn taut while also permitting flexible adaptation to slight differences in container profile, which can be compensated by the elasticity of the pressure element. Furthermore, any excess adhesive which might be present eg. at the edge of the label does not cause any disruptive sticking between pressure element and stopper security label.

By making the connections between pressure device and pressure elements with, for example, spring clips or snap or screw fastenings on the pressure elements, particularly ready flexibility is obtained with regard to the shape of the container, as the pressure elements can be exchanged by a few manipulations.

An L-shaped configuration of the arms is particularly effective in providing clearance for the folding-down bar, which is arranged at the same height, to sweep unhindered over the projecting tab of the label, without interference between the pressure device and the folding-down device.

The use of two opposing L-shaped pivotable arms, with lower portions of the arms extending essentially horizontally rearwards to beyond the depth of the container and each with a pressure element attached to its end portion, is able to provide at low cost reliable functioning of the pressure device in a rest or standby position, so that the pressure elements are securely parked 7 clear of the containers.

With only one pressure element controlled in its movement, the function of the opposite bearing element is not controlled, and can be driven with less complexity of movement.

By coupling a rocking action of the pressure elements with the orbiting motion of the pressure device as a whole, an additional drive unit for the pressure device can be eliminated, thus keeping down both the construction costs and the running costs.

The arms may be pivotably mounted on respective cross-pieces. The provision of slots in the cross-pieces enables the cam roller to accommodate different height settings of the cam guide or different heights of cam. The is slots in the cross-pieces also allow flexible adaptation to different sizes of container in a stepless manner.

Profiling the cam guide as a symmetrical raised curve can be arranged to impart to the pressure device a particularly smooth shift between the operative and standby positions. The acceleration of the arms of the pressure device as they shift to the operative position is determined by the gradient of the cam guide. Depending on how long the operative position is to be maintained, the highest part of the cam can be given a straight profile forming a horizontal plateau. However, it would also be possible, especially where resilient pressure elements are used, to adjust the pressure exerted by the pressure elements on the container by the height setting of the cam 8 guide. For this reason the cam guide may be given a similar profile to a Gaussian normal curve, yet afford a longer-lasting pressure position as a result of the elastic deformation of the pressure element.

To allow adaptation to different shapes of container, the height setting of the cam guide as a whole may be made adjustable. Hence the same cam guide can readily be adapted to different containers.

Folding down the projecting tab of the label by means of a folding-down bar arranged across the direction of travel both allows the tab to be folded down gently without damaging the label and also ensures that the tab is securely stuck to the container closure. One proposed form of folding-down device comprises a bar arranged just above is the closure but it can, if required, be replaced by a freely rotatable folding-down roller or by a suitable conforming plate.

The reliability of the bond between the tab and the container closure can be further increased by an additional pass through freely rotatably mounted sponge rollers provided eg. in the region of the exit star-wheel.

By way of example, the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a labelling machine according to the invention with conveyor devices, Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of one pressure device in the machine according to Fig. 1, 9 Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the pressure j device, Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of the pressure device illustrating further details, Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration, partly in section of a cam mechanism in the labelling machine of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 shows schematically partial front views of some shapes of container having the characteristics.already referred to.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the process sequence through which a container passes in a labelling machine. The containers, fed to the machine in a singleline stream 26 by a screw conveyor, are transferred in a known manner, one by one, to entry star-wheels 27 and 28, and are supplied to a turntable 25 so as to coincide with the holder spacing of the labelling machine. on the turntable the containers are axially gripped in the holders and are then provided with labels according to the specific labelling requirements. In Fig. 1 the containers first of all pass a unit 29 for applying back-labels, and after a corresponding rotation of the containers through 1800 they pass a unit 30 for applying stopper security labels. For the continuation of the sequence, the container is rotated through approximately 900 so that the stopper security label is no longer facing radially outwards, but forwards in the direction of transport. In a region marked A the stopper security label is pressed onto an upper region of the container and the top axial gripper engaging the container is raised vertically. The projecting tab of the label, now largely exposed, is then folded over in region B. Then, in region C, the axial grip of the container is restored and the lateral pressure on the upper region of the container is released. The axial grip is not released again until shortly before the containers are transferred to a first exit star-wheel 31, at which point the stopper security label is again pressed on to the stopper or closure by means of sponge rollers 32 which are rolled over the label in the direction of movement of the containers. Finally, a second exit star- wheel 33 transfers the containers from the first star-wheel 31 to a discharge stream or discharge conveyor.

is Figs. 2 and 3 show front and side views of the container when it is in the zone marked A in Fig. 1. At this stage, pressure device 1 conforming to upper region 7 of the container 6 is closed, and a centring bell 10 is lowered on to the top of the container. The axially centred grip of the container is obtained from above by a centring bell 10 which can be raised and lowered by a lifting device 11 and from below by a centring plate 13 with a bottom cam 14 engaging in a dimple in the container. A recess in the centring plate 13 which is adapted to the shape of the bottom of the container 6 ensures that the container is held securely, whilst the bottom cam 14 ensures that each container is held in a uniform defined position on its centring plate 13, which is especially 11 important for containers whose shape is not rotationally symmetrical. The recess in the centring plate 13 may be matched or shaped specifically to suit the shape of the container, or may be made elastically resilient. The centring bell 10 has a cylindrical main body with a diameter matched to the diameter of the top of the container 6, and has longitudinal ribs distributed around its circumference, like a cogwheel. Thus a stopper security label 8 can be stuck both to the lateral surface of the container 6 and to the lateral surface of the centring bell 10, as the portion 9 of the label sticks only lightly to the edges of the ribs on account of their small surface area. The controllable lifting device 11 connects the centring bell 10 to an upper turntable retaining device 12. The axial gripping device can be fitted with a drive unit (not shown in the drawing) operating either from below on the centring plate 13 or from above on the centring bell 10, enabling the container 6 to be shifted to the required orientation. For example, the drive unit may be arranged in the upper turntable retaining device 12 to rotate the container holder as a complete unit.

The pressure device 1 has two L-shaped arms 3a,3b, with horizontal portions 15a,15b extending laterally to behind the container where the vertically upwardly directed arm portions are located. Pressure elements 2a,2b, which may be formed eg. as elastic pads of adhesiverepellant silicone or similar, are provided at the ends of the horizontal portions 15a,15b. These pressure elements 12 2a,2b are attached to the arms 3a,3b in such a way as to be replaceable when changing over to other types of container. The pressure element 2a and the associated arm 3a are arranged with respect to the container 6 so that the element 2a presses the stopper security label onto the upper region 7 of the container 6 from the front, in the conveying direction. The arm 3b and the associated pressure element 2b are in engagement on the other, exactly opposite, side of the container 6. Rocker arms 4a,4b are non-pivotably connected to an upper region of the arms 3a,3b at an angle of 900 to the latter by means of a shaft 20a,20b pivotably mounted in a cross-piece 40.

The cross-piece 40 and the remaining components of the pressure device 1 are connected to the upper region is 12 of the turntable 25 by a support bracket 34 arranged centrally and above the centring bell 10. A tension spring linking the upper ends of the arms 3a,3b to one another keeps the pressure elements 2a,2b in a starting or standby position (drawn in broken lines in Fig. 2). As can be seen from Fig. 3, a cam roller 19 rotatable on a pin 16 is fitted behind the rocker arms 4a,4b, which are arranged one behind the other.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a pressure device 1 in the operative position with the centring bell 10 raised and with the label tab 9 folded over. This corresponds to the process stage marked B in Fig. 1. While the pressure device 1 presses the stopper security label onto the upper region 7 of the container 6, the container is made to pass is 13 under a folding-down device 21 which is immovably fixed to the machine frame. The folding-down device 21, which is for example in the form of a horizontal bar positioned just above the container closure, is not obstructed by the arms 3a,3b, since the arms are L-shaped and their vertical portions are advantageously located behind the container. As is moreover apparent from Fig. 4, the centring bell 10 is not raised completely clear of the projecting tab 9 still sticking to it. In an alternative embodiment, the centring bell 10 is not raised, and is made of soft yielding material so that as the folding-down bar 21 is able to force it aside as it passes through and smooths the projecting tab down on to the lid of the container 6.

Fig. 5 shows a partly cut-away rear view of the pressure device 1 in the operative position. In this position, the rocker arms 4a,4b, which are arranged partly overlapping one behind the other, are aligned with one another in a straight line so that the arms 3a,3b extend essentially parallel with one another. The pin 16 which carries the cam roller 19 is attached to the rocker arm 4a, and engages through a slot 22 in the rocker arm 4b. Operation of this pincer-like pressure device 1 is controlled by a cam guide 23 immovably fixed to the machine frame on the radially inner side of the orbital path of the containers. This cam guide may have a profile 24 similar to a Guassian normal curve, for example, with an extended plateau phase. The cam roller 19 is in engagement with the cam guide 23, that is to say it rolls on the cam guide 23, 14 so that the two parts form a cam mechanism. If the cam roller 19 has not yet rolled onto the highest region of the cam 24, or if it has descended from that region (ie. not as shown in Fig. 5), the lower ends of the arms 3a,3b are moved apart by the action of the tension spring 5 to a starting or standby position. The rocker arms 4a,4b are then no longer lying flush with one another where they partly overlap, but form a V shape. The tension spring 5 still keeps the cam roller 19 pressed against the cam guide 23. The position of the cam guide 23 can be vertically adjusted to set the closure angle of the arms 3a,3b. This adjustment can be made eg. by vertical slots and clamps (not shown in the drawing) at the points of attachment between the machine frame and the cam guide 23.

In a variant of this embodiment, it is sufficient to provide a single pressure element 2a, which either adapts itself automatically to the external profile of an upper region 7 of the container 6, or is specially shaped. If required, the pressure element 2b on the opposite side to the stopper label 8 may be replaced by an opposing bearing element of a different type, eg. a resilient pressure or roller element. By replacing the centring bell 10 with a centring and gripping device which does not need to be raised or which sticks less readily to the label tab 9, so that the stopper label on the upper region 7 of the container 6 is not pulled taut when the centring and gripping device is raised, or when the label tab 9 is folded over, the pressure element 2a can be held clear is is before the projecting label tab 9 is folded over and conformed to the top of the container.

Fig. 6 illustrates by way of example halfprofiles of some possible forms of containers or specially shaped receptacles which feature an abrupt change in their external profile in an upper region. None of the container shapes illustrated can be labelled by the state-of-the-art technique of sticking.on a flat stopper security label, as their external profiles have sharp bends and/or radii and/or large changes in outer diameter and/or crosssection.

16

Claims

CLAIMS is 1. Process for providing a container with labelling on an upper

region where the container has an abrupt change in outer profile, in which process the container is gripped and the labelling is affixed to a side surface of the container and is pressed down and conformed to the shape of the container in said region of abrupt change in external profile.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein a pressure device presses the labelling against the side surface of said upper region of the container thereby to conform it to the external profile of the container.

3. Process according to claim 2, wherein the pressure device is brought into engagement with at least two side surface portions of the upper region of the container so that the container is held by the pressure device.

4. Process according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the pressure device is displaced into an operative position by a cam mechanism.

5. Process according to claim 4, wherein the container together with the pressure device in an open standby position is moved with respect to a fixed cam 17 guide, and a cam roller connected to the pressure device is rolled over the cam guide so that the pressure device is actuated from a standby position to the operative position and back to the standby position.

is 6. Process according to any one of claims 2 to 5, comprising the following steps:

a) loading the container on to a rotatable centring plate of a labelling turntable, b) gripping the container axially by lowering a centring bell on to an upper end face of the container, c) adhering a stopper security label to the side surface of the container, d) rotating the container through about 900 with respect to the turntable so that the label faces forwards, viewed in the transport direction, applying said pressure to conform the label to the container external profile, lifting the centring bell, folding down a portion of the label projecting above the stopper, removal of said pressure from the label and container, discharging the container.

e) f) g) h) Process according to claim 6, wherein said folded 18 down label portion is pressed down to adhere it securely to the container closure.

8. Process according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein between process steps g) and h) the centring bell is lowered onto the labelled end face of the container and is raised again before process step i).

9. Processing according to claim 8 wherein said raising of the centring bell occurs between steps h) and i).

10. Apparatus for applying labelling to a container comprising at least one labelling station having a container centring bell and a container holder arranged to travel with the container and being relatively displaceable towards and away from each other for the axially centred gripping of the container, the apparatus further comprising a foldingdown device for folding down a label tab projecting above a closure of the container and a pressure device for pressing the label material into conformity with an upper region of the container.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the pressure device is mounted so that it travels with the container.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein 19 the pressure device comprises at least one pressure element adapted, or adaptable, to the external profile of the container.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the pressure element is in the form of a resilient pad.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the pressure element is in the form of a pad of adhesive-repellant material.

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the pressure element is exchangeably attached to the pressure device.

16. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein the pressure device has two opposing L-shaped pivotable arms, with lower portions of the arms extending is essentially horizontally rearwards to beyond the depth of the container and each with a pressure element attached to its end portion.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the arms are connected at their upper ends to a spring means for urging the pressure elements to a position clear of the container in an open standby position of the pressure device.

18. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 17, comprising means for controlling at least one pressure element in its pivoting action.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, the pivoting action of the pressure element or elements is controllable via a cam mechanism by orbiting motion of the pressure device with the container.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the cam gear has a fixed cam guide arranged on the radially inner side of the container orbital path and a freely rotatable cam roller connected to the pressure device, the cam roller being upwardly and downwardly displaceable by the curvature of the cam guide engaging with the cam roller.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the two is arms are pivotably mounted on a cross-piece, each being non-pivotably connected to a rocker arm projecting substantially at right angles, the rocker arms being coaligned and partly overlappable so as to lie flush one behind the other in a closed operative position, one rocker arm having in the region of overlap a slot through which a pin attached to the second rocker arm engages, and a cam roller is rotatably mounted on the end of the pin pointing radially inwards from the orbital path of the containers.

22. Apparatus according to claim 20 or claim 21, 21 wherein a highest portion of the cam guide is engageable by the cam roller to set the pressure device to the operative position.

23. Apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein a closure angle included by each of the arms between the standby position and the operative position is adjustable by an adjustable height setting of the cam guide.

24. Apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 23, wherein a foldingdown bar is arranged across the direction of travel and across the tab for folding down the projecting tab of the stopper security label.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the folding-down bar is resiliently or flexibly displaceable.

26. Apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 25, comprising at least one sponge roller for rolling down said label tab onto the container closure end face.

27. Apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 26, wherein the pressure device is arranged in the operative position to keep a container centred and gripped.

28. Process for providing containers with labelling substantially as described herein with reference to the 22 accompanying drawings.

29. Apparatus for applying labelling to containers, constructed and arranged for use and operation substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings