GB2299319A - Labelling or packaging different shaped articles - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus applies packaging or labels to articles 14, such as bottles or cartons, by extracting continuous material 5 from a store 4 and presenting the material such that it crosses and obstructs the progress of an article moving along a path AA', the amount of material being extracted from the store bearing a mathematical relationship to the amount applied to the article. Preferably the mathematical relationship is that the amount extracted, a2+a3, is equal to the length of material applied to an article, 5A. Preferably the material is extracted from the store, calibration mark 7 detected by sensor 8, vacuum 2 activated to engage portion 9, vacuum 3 activated to extract material across conveyor (see Fig's 1b and 1c), and the cutting means 12 then activated to sever the material from the store. Preferably, by varying the amount of material extracted, the apparatus is capable of delivering different lengths of material and thus wrapping variously shaped/sized articles (Fig's 2a-2d). The material may be either packaging, eg heat shrinkable plastic, labelling consisting of continuous labelling material or a plurality of labels on a continuous backing sheet. There may be means 23 for applying adhesive to the material.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO LABELLING AND/OR PACKAGING APPARATUS AND METHODS The invention relates to labelling and/or packaging apparatus and methods for use in the labelling or packaging industry and particularly, but not exclusively, to such apparatus and methods used in batch operation to provide labelling andlor packaging from continuous labelling and/or packaging material.

In the following application, reference to packaging includes reference to a form of packaging known as a sleeve with typically comprises a section of heat-shrinkable material arranged about a product.

In addition, also in the following application reference to a batch of products is intended to concern a plurality of identical or similar items destined for labelling and/or sleeving by an apparatus and thus sufficiently similar to overcome any need for the apparatus to be adapted in order to label and/or sleeve the said items.

Conventionally, labelling apparatus has been provided for use with a carrier web comprising a plurality of labels provided on a continuous backing tape. Typically the carrier tape is manipulated by manipulation of the backing tape for example by pulling the backing tape through a nip roller. In order to release the labels frorn the backing tape and thus facilitate their application to a product, typically, the carrier tape is pulled over a sharp or highly curved edge. In doing so, the backing tape follows the line of the sharp edge and the labels which are typically stiffer than the backing tape often by reason of their laminate composition, are at least partially ejected from the backing tape. Subsequently the labels are picked up by a roller appropriate for positioning labels of a given size and shape onto a product of a given size and shape.

Typically, the labels run between the roller and the product and are thus rolled onto the product. Alternatively, the label is picked up by a vacuum holder and blown or pressed onto the product. Application of labels to products is typically dependent on accurate positioning of the label adjacent tlle product. Thus, where a roller is used, the roller must be positioned to accommodate labels and/or products of a given size and shape.

The above apparatus and method as well as the carrier web comprising a plurality of labels pose a number of problems. Firstly, the backing tape and any cut offs from around the edge of the label represent waste. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide not only handling apparatus for the carrier web but also handling apparatus for the cut offs, which are typically continuous, and for the backing tape.

In conventional sleeving apparatus particularly when such apparatus is used to provide sleeving for multi-packs such as twin, triple packs etc, cans to cans, cartons to cans, bottles to bottles, bottles to cartons and so on, a number of problems have been encountered. Typically, because of the variety of combinations and shapes which may be required, especially for the sllort ntns associated with promotional packaging of for example multi-packs, it has often been necessary to resort to the more versatile hand application of sleeving rather than develop machinery to handle each batch or run.

Indeed where products of different size and shape are to be provided with packaging and/or sleeving, different parts for example rollers, scrolls and mandrels etc must be used. Thus, for example, where an identical product is produced in a range of sizes or different products are used, these represent different batches requiring different parts such as rollers, scrolls or mandrels in the sleeving and/or packaging apparatus depending upon the size of and shape of sleeving and/or packaging required.

Therefore it is necessary to provide a multiplicity of change parts to accommodate the differently sized and/or shaped sleeving required incurring expense not only in terms of providing the equipment itself but also in the downtime required to reconfigure the sleeving apparatus by replacing the rollers or other parts etc to accommodate different batches.

Furthermore, the sleeving around the packs and especially multi-packs is often provided as a fixed diameter sleeve or tube to be passed over the pack or multi-pack and subsequently heat shrunk in position. The length of tube is typically of comparable size to the size of the pack or multi-pack so that where the tube of heat shrink material shrinks about the corners and edges, the sleeve is securely held about the product. However this results in an excessive amount of material being used to provide the sleeving which is not only expensive but also wasteful of resources. In addition, loose packs can also be a problem where the heat shrink material has not properly gripped the multi-pack components.

In order to overcome some of these problems a combined labelling and sleeving web has been developed comprising a single continuous web having contact adhesive strips extending from one edge of tlle web to the other, which adhesive strips are intermittently placed along the length of the web. This tape eliminates the need for expensive sleeving of comparable size to a product or sleeving which must necessarily extend entirely about a product. Whilst this web eliminates the need for a backing and may be used to combine multi-packs, it is singularly difficult to apply to a product without using rollers, mandrels or the like to handle and position the tape for application to a product with all the disadvantages of the use thereof. Furthermore, the use of this web, highlights the problems of applying precut self-adhesive labels to different batches.The web, by being provided with spaced adhesive strips, is intended to be used to eliminate the need for sleeving which must surround or envelop a multi-pack in order to bind it together. Versatility in providing for its application to different batches involves, with the sleeving technology available to date, resorting to the use of rollers or other parts of a specific size to accommodate a particular amount of web for use in a particular batch application. Thus, expensive change parts are again necessary. The sleeving technology available to date would in addition, appear to teach that expensive hand application is the most adaptable and reliable way of applying such webbing particularly to multi-packs. Neither of these approaches is optimal.

It is therefore a first object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods for applying labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging to a range of different products and shapes in a versatile and easily adaptable manner.

It is a further object of the invention to eliminate the requirement for expensive change parts having a size and shape determined by the size and shape of the label and/or sleeving to be applied.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus which applies labelling and/or sleeving to an item.

It is a further object of the invention to provide automated apparatus and methods for applying such labelling and/or sleeving.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus which is easily adjusted to accommodate labelling and/or sleeving of different size and shapes or to dispense labelling and/or sleeving of different sizes and shapes determined by the size and shape of the label and/or sleeving to be applied.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus which can dispense labelling and/or sleeving from a store of continuous backingless labelling and/or sleeving material.

According to the invention there is therefore provided labelling and/or packaging apparatus for use in the labelling or packaging industry comprising: material delivery means adapted to extract continuous labelling and/or packaging material from a store and present an edge portion of said material to an extraction means which is arranged to extract a predetermined amount of said material so that said material obstructs the progress of an item travelling on a relatively movable mount and so results in the positioning of said material on or about said item and further wherein the degree of presentation of said material to said extraction means and the amount of material extracted by said extraction means bear a simple mathematical relationship to the amount of label or packaging needed to be applied to said item.

It will be understood that the said material may comprise either a web of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging adjoined to a backing tape; a plurality of pre-cut labels and/or sleeving and/or packaging adjoined to a backing tape; or a web of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is further provided cutting means arranged such that, at least in the instance where the labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging material comprises other than a pre-cut arrangement, the material extracted by said extraction means can be severed from the remainder and applied to said item.

Alternatively, or in addition, in the instance where the labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging material comprises a backing, there is further provided means for removing the backing prior to or substantially at the same point as the extraction of said predetermined amount of material.

In a further preferred embodiment said material delivery means comprises a material drive means for feeding material from a source into the material delivery means.

Preferably said drive means comprises a rotating wheel including ideally a vacuum hold mechanism for engaging said material. Alternatively or in addition the drive means comprises a manipulating mechanism which reciprocates in a linear fashion ideally including a vacuum hold mechanism for engaging said material.

In a further preferred embodiment, said material delivery means comprises a first manipulating means for manipulating said end portion so as to present same to said extraction means. Preferably, said first manipulation means is adapted to reciprocate in a linear fashion so as to repeatedly and sequentially present end portions for extraction by said extraction means.

In a further preferred embodiment, the extraction means comprises a second manipulating means for extracting said amount from said delivery means. Preferably said second manipulating means reciprocates in a linear fashion so as to repeatedly extract a plurality of such amounts of material for application sequentially to a plurality of said items.

Ideally said first and/or second manipulating means comprises a piston cylinder arrangement. Alternatively, said first and/or second manipulating means comprises a rack and pinion arrangement, a cable and pulley arrangement, screw thread arrangement or the like. Ideally, said first and/or second manipulating means comprises a vacuum means positioned at a functional end of said piston. Alternative manipulating means will be apparent to those skilled in the art other than the embodiments described herein and these alternatives are intended to be within the scope of this application.

In a further preferred embodiment said first and/or second manipulating means is adjustable in position or in degree of extension so as to vary the degree of presentation of said end portion or said amount of material extracted as determined by the amount of label and/or sleeving and/or packaging needed to be applied to said item. Preferably said manipulating means is mounted on a position adjustable support including for example a screw thread adjustment mechanism.

Alternative ways of mounting the manipulating means so as to render said manipulating means adjustable in position or in degree of extension will be apparent to those skilled in the art and these are intended to lie within the scope of this application.

In a further preferred embodiment the apparatus is adapted for batch labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging of a plurality of items by repeated operation of said apparatus in relation to a plurality of sequentially located items on said relatively moving mount.

In a further preferred embodiment, the extraction means is arranged so that obstruction of the passage of an item by said amount of material occurs directly without the need for additional positioning or repositioning of said amount of material.

In a further preferred embodiment, there is further provided positioning means arranged adjacent or about said relatively moving mount so as to position said item at a predetermined position on said mount having regard to the direction of travel.

Ideally, the mid-point of the moving mount defines a centre line and the positioning means positions the item for travel along tlle centre line.

It will be apparent to a man skilled in the art that where two or more units are placed next to one another so as to form an item on the moving platform, the combined units will be processed by the apparatus of the invention substantially simultaneously and thus the units will be provided with labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging which forms said units together in a combined item. References herein to an item will be understood by those skilled in the art to mean not only an item comprising a single unit but also an item comprising a plurality of units for example a multi-pack, which units may be of differing sizes and shapes In a further preferred embodiment, said amount of labelling and/or sleeving material is symmetric about said centre line, so that substantially half said amount extends each side of said centre line.

In a further preferred embodiment, said extracted material is positioned transverse to the direction of travel of said item.

In a further preferred embodiment, said moving mount, and/or said amount of material when extracted, is substantially horizontal. Preferably, the relatively moving mount travels with respect to the remainder of the apparatus and the surroundings. Ideally said mount is a conveyor.

In a further preferred embodiment, there is provided urging means for urging said amount of material onto said item. Preferably, said urging means comprises a first urging unit for urging said amount of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging against a forward portion of said item having regard to the direction of travel of said item and a second urging unit for urging said amount of labelling and/or sleeving against a rearward portion of said item. Preferably said urging units comprise one or more rollers, brushes or the like. Ideally, in the instance where sleeving is to be applied to the item, so that said amount of material is equal or greater than the circumference of said item, said second urging unit is adapted to operate in sequential fashion by firstly urging a first end portion of said amount against a rearward portion of said item and secondly urging a second end portion of said amount in, ideally, overlapping fashion adjacent said first end portion.

In a preferred embodiment, in the instance where sleeving and/or labelling material is provided with at least one or more regions of adhesive predisposed on at least one side, the apparatus is adapted so as to expose the adhesive bearing side towards the relatively moving item.

In a further preferred embodiment, and especially though not exclusively in the instance where the material is not provided with an adhesive predisposed on at least one side, there is further provided an adhesive applying head for applying adhesive to an exposed side of the material, which side is or will be exposed to the relatively moving item. Preferably, said head is a rotating head which either continuously or intermittently by virtue of its rotation, introduces adhesive to a side of said material passing adjacent to it. Alternatively, said head is a fixed head which operates in combination with the motion of tlle adjacent labelling and/or sleeving material to produce either continuous or intermittent adhesive on an exposed side of the material.

In a further preferred embodiment, the apparatus is provided with sensing means for determining the point at which the first manipulation means has attained the required degree of presentation to said extraction means having regard to the amount of material to be extracted and the amount of labelling and/or sleeving material required and for providing control signals to halt said manipulating means when said position is so reached.

In a further preferred embodiment, in the instance where the sleeving and/or labelling material comprises heat shrink material, there is provided a heat shrink arrangement for shrinking said amount of material on or about said item. Preferably, said heat shrink arrangement comprises a warm air blower, an oven or the like.

In a preferred embodiment there is provided a control means for providing control and in particular timing signals to at least said first and second manipulating means.

Ideally, said control means is adapted to provide control signals to said apparatus so as to reconfigure same to accommodate different batches. Thus the control means, for example, controls the amount of said edge portion presented to said extraction means; and/or the amount of material extracted by said extraction means; and/or the orientation, speed and/or positioning of said manipulation means; and/or the direction and/or speed of travel of said mount; and/or the timing and/or positioning of said cutting means and indeed the control of any other feature which will affect the precision labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging of said item.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is also provided a method of providing labelling and/or sleeving for an item comprising: 1. Providing labelling and/or sleeving apparatus according to the invention; 2. Determining the degree of presentation of labelling and/or sleeving material to an extraction means and the amount of material to be extracted having regard to the amount of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging required for the item; 3. Extracting continuous labelling and/or sleeving material from a store; 4. Presenting an end of said material to an extraction means; 5. Extracting a predetermined amount of material; 6. Causing obstruction of the progress of an item travelling towards said material so as to position said material on or about said item.

In a further preferred embodiment the method further comprises the following additional steps between steps 5 and 6; at least in the instance where the material is a backingless, continuous labelling and/or sleeving web: Cutting or severing said amount from the remainder. Alternatively or in addition, in the instance where the labelling material comprises a backing, the method comprises: Removing the backing prior to or substantially at the same point as extraction of a predetermined amount of said material.

In a further preferred embodiment the method comprises repeating the above steps in response to the approach of each unit of a sequence of units in a given batch.

In a further preferred embodiment, the method further comprises adjusting said material delivery means and said extraction means and, ideally, adjusting said first and/or second manipulating means so as to provide a variation in said amount of labelling and/or sleeving material and/or to accommodate different sizes and shapes of labelling and/or sleeving material and/or different batches comprising differently sized and/or shaped items.

From the above, further embodiments of the apparatus and the methods of the invention will be apparatus to those skilled in the art and these are intended to fall within the scope of this application.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of apparatus according to the invention and a number of steps in the operation thereof.

Figure 2 shows a perspective views of items provided with labelling and/or sleeving using the apparatus and methods of the invention.

Figure 3 shows a schematic drawing of an alternative apparatus in accordance with the invention and a number of steps in the operation thereof.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, web roll 4 comprises a source of web 5 for use in the apparatus of the invention and web drive 6 feeds web 5 into the apparatus. Web 5 is provided with a calibration mark 7 for detection by a position sensor 8 as mark 7 passes in the line of sight of sensor 8. A vacuum hold 1 is mounted on the end of a piston and cylinder arrangement (not shown) for movement backwards and forwards in a line spaced from and substantially parallel to web 5.

A further vacuurn hold 2 is provided for engaging end portion 9 of web 5. A third vacuum hold 3 is mounted on a piston and cylinder arrangement 11 thus comprising extraction mechanism 10. Finally, a guillotine cutter is arranged adjacent a portion of web 5 between vacuum holds 1 and 2. Typically, a controller is provided for coordinating and directing the sequence of operations within the apparatus as well as to vary adjustment of the apparatus determined by the size and/or shape of labelling, sleeving and/or packaging to be applied.

Line AA' defines a central line of an endless moving conveyor, not shown for clarity.

Line BB' defines the centre line of cutter 12. Whilst a guillotine is preferred for cutter 12, alternative means of cutting or severing web 5 can be provided, for example, using lasers.

At the start of the cycle, web 5 is moved by a vacuum hold I until mark 7 lies within the line of sight of sensor 8. Sensor 8 provides control signals so that vacuum hold 1 moves web 5 until such position is reached. Vacuum hold 2 is activated in order to engage end portion 9 of web 5. End 9 extends beyond vacuum hold 2 to provide an overhang region of length a 1. End portion 9 of web 5 extends beyond the centre line of guillotine cutter 12 by an amount a2. This is shown clearly in Figure 1A.

Furthermore, vacuum hold 3 is in its retracted home position within cylinder 11.

Extraction means 10 is here shown as a piston cylinder arrangement, whilst it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that altemative arrangements such as a rack and pinion, screw thread, cable and pulley arrangement or the like can also be used.

Referring now to Figure 1B, extraction means 10 has been extended so that vacuum hold 3 can grip end 9 of web 5 so as to extract web 5 across the conveyor. Vacuum hold 3 has been extended by a predetermined distance a3. Typically at this point, end 9 is gripped by vacuum hold 2 and vacuum hold 1 retracts to initial position in the direction of arrow 300.

Referring now to Figure lC, vacllum head 3 and also web 5 have been extracted by a distance a3 by retraction of tlle piston inside cylinder 11 to its home position.

Vacuum hold 2 may be switched off or reduced during this extraction process to allow web 5 to be slidably moved past vacuum hold 2. Once web 5 is in a position shown in Figure 1C vacuum hold 2 is switched on or increased and guillotine 12 is moved in position to sever web 5 along centre line BB'. An additional blower or vacuum hold can be provided near or adjacent vacuum hold 3 in order to hold web S in a stable position during the severing operation. Vacuum hold 1 particularly if vacuum hold 1 has not been retracted at this stage can also or alternatively be used to maintain the stability of web S during this operation. Vacuum hold 1 if it has not already been so moved is then retracted to its initial or home position as shown in Figure 1C in dotted lines.Since the degree or retraction of vacuum hold 1 directly determines, in this particular embodiment, the amount a2 of web S, extending beyond centre line BB' of the cutter, it follows that vacuum hold 1 must be retracted by a similar distance namely a2.

Once the cutting operation has been effected, a portion SA of web S is held between vacuum holds 2 and 3. Typically, as shown in Figure lC, web S is provided with adhesive patches on an exposed side of web S. Furthermore, web 5 may also be provided with non-adhesive regions 18 adjacent end 9 of portion SA so as to facilitate easy peeling of portion SA from the surface of the product to which portion SA will be applied. A product 14 comprising, in this particular embodiment, a multi-pack including two cylindrical packs seen in plan view in Figure 1C, travels along the conveyor (not shown) in the direction of arrow 100 towards the exposed adhesive bearing surface of portion SA. Product 14 has been moved into a preselected position for travel along a conveyor by orientation means or pushers 13 situated either side of the conveyor.Pushers 13 here move in the direction of arrows 200 and furthermore orientate the product 14 along the centre line of the conveyor. As product 14 approaches web portion SA, portion SA obstructs the progress of product 14 and is thus applied to it as product 14 travels along the conveyor. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, vacuum holds 2 and 3 are controlled typically by the control means or controller so as to release portion SA at the point when product 14 contacts portion SA.

The length of web portion SA is equal to bl plus b2. This length in this particular embodiment is directly equal to tlle amount end 9 extends beyond the centre line of the cutter, namely a2, plus the amount vacuum hold 3 extracts web 5, namely a3.

Thus, where the amount of labelling and/or sleeving web required on the product is large, portion SA can be lengthened by varying the amount of overhang extending beyond the centre line of the cutter and/or varying the amount of web extracted by extraction means 10. Therefore, in this particular embodiment, such variation may be achieved by varying the degree of extension of vacuum holds 1 and 3 and/or varying the initial and/or final position of vacuum hold 1 with respect to cutter 12 and/or the position of extraction means 10 with respect to the conveyor.In order to achieve this vacuum hold 1 and extraction means 10 may be provided with adjustable piston cylinder arrangements so that their degree of extension and retraction can be varied and usually in addition, vacuum hold 1 and extraction means 10 are mounted on adjustable supports for moving same towards or away from the conveyor. Typically such supports are mounted on screw threads for manual adjustment at the start of each batch processing operation. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art from the above such adjustment may be manual or automatic, for example controlled by the control means, and such adjustment will also depend on the degree of extension and retraction of vacuum hold 1 and vacuum hold 3, which are also typically adjustable, in order to provide a web portion 5A of a required amount.Thus, adjustment between batches does not require replacement of changed parts rather simple mechanical repositioning or adjustment either manually or automatically will suffice.

Referring now to Figure 1 D, product 14 has passed beyond vacuum holds 2 and 3 and vacuum hold 1 is in a start position so as to engage web S and urge web 5 towards the conveyor until mark 7 is aligned with sensor 8. This precutting position is shown in Figure lA. The cycle is repeated as each product 14 of a given batch travels along the conveyor.

Also shown in Figure ID is an adhesive supply head 23 so that in the instance where web S is not provided with adhesive, adhesive may be applied to an exposed side of web S either continuously or intermittently. Adhesive supply head 23 can be a rotating adhesive supply head so that for example, as web S passes continuously adjacent the supply head, adhesive is applied continuously or intermittently to the web as required. Alternatively, web 5 may be moved past a fixed supply head 23 so that in combination with the operation of head 23 adhesive is continuously or intermittently applied to web 5. The control means can be used to direct the operation of head 23.

Alternatively, adhesive supply head 23 may be placed near or adjacent the conveyor for application of adhesive to preselected regions of the outer surface of product 14 prior to engagement of product 14 with web portion SA.

Following application of portion 5A to a forward region of product 14 as product 14 engages portion 5A, brushes and/or rollers are provided to urge labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging portion 5A against product 14 so that it is securely attached to product 14. Where web portion SA is intended to form a sleeve encircling product 14, the rollers and/or brushes are made to operate sequentially to urge a first end of web portion SA against a rearward region of product 14 and secondly to urge the opposite end of web portion 5A adjacent and preferably overlapping said first end against the rearward part of product 14.

Finally, hot air blowers can be provided to heat shrink sleeving web SA about product 14.

In the following Figures like reference numerals refer to afore like referenced features.

Referring now to Figure 2, a plurality of products which may be provided with labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging are shown. Whilst the apparatus of the invention may have particular application to multi-packs, it may also be used to provide labelling and/or sleeving for products comprising a single unit.

Referring firstly to Figure 2A, cartons l5A and 15B are bound together by labelling and/or sleeving and/or packing material here in the form of a strip 16 having adhesive 17 thereon. Adhesive 17 7 is provided in a number of transverse regions along strip 16. An easy peel end 18 enables labelling 16 to be removed easily and quickly.

Referring now to Figure 2B, packs l9A and 19B are held together by strip 16 provided with a continuous layer of adhesive on its, in use, innermost side.

Here, end 20 of strip 16 is not provided with an easy peel strip. Furthermore, end 20 is cut at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of strip 16.

Referring now to Figure 2C, two cylindrical cartons or cans 21 A and 21B are bound by strip 16, which strip is provided with longitudinally extending adhesive portions 17C and an easy peel end 18.

Referring to Figure 2D, three bottles 22 are bound by strips 16A and 16B. The strips can either have been applied to the bottles in a single operation by the apparatus of the invention in which a plurality of amounts of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging material are applied in the same operation or the bottles have been processed in a second batch by apparatus reconfigured to place the strip at a different predetermined height about bottles 22. Each strip 16 is bound to itself by an obliquely angled adhesive region 17D. Altemative ways of binding the ends of strip 16 together can be envisaged by those skilled in the art such as heat welding, rnechanical binding or the like and these are intended to lie within the scope of this application.

Referring now to Figure 3A the apparatus is here adapted to dispense sleeving and/or labelling and/or packaging material SA which has backing SB. Labelling and/or sleeving SA may comprise a continuous web or a plurality of precut labels. In the diagrams shown, labelling and/or sleeving SA is precut and therefore a cutter is not required. However, it is typically useful to define a centre line BB' in order to identify the point at which each precut length of labelling and/or sleeving SB starts and/or finishes.

Vacuum hold 1 engages web 5B in position. Backing SC is separated from web SB by drawing it over a sharp edge. Typically, backing 5C will be drawn away from web SB along an arrow 400. Vacuum hold 1 moves web S until mark 7 on web S is aligned with a sensor 8. At this point, an overhanging portion 9A is provided beyond line BB'. Referring now to Figure 3B, vacuum head 3 extends to engage end 9A and extract portion 5A of precut sleeving and/or labelling and/or packaging web SB in the path AA' of items mounted on the conveyor. As vacuum hold 3 extracts the web vacuum hold 1 is retracted to an initial position and backing SC is removed as the backing travels past the sharp edge (not shown).

Referring now to Figure 3C, portion SA has been extracted and is held between vacuum holds 2 and 3. Typically, portion SA will be a precut self adhesive label having adhesive 17 on an exposed side of the label and easy peel non-adhesive regions 18 at its ends. The length of SA will be determined by the required application ie the size and shape of the label or sleeve or packaging which is to be applied and the purpose for which it is to be applied namely labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging. Furthermore, the initial positions of vacuum holds 1, 2 and 3 as well as the degree of extension of vactitim holds l and 3 will similarly be determined by the size of portion SA and hence the required application.Typically, the apparatus can handle portions of up to approximately 500 mm in length and approximately 150 to 200 mm in height. Further adaptation to accommodate portions of greater or lesser size can be envisaged from the disclosure contained herein without departing from the invention and these adaptations are intended to form part of this application.

Referring again to Figure 3C, the next precut label SA' is positioned ready to be moved by vacuum hold l into position for extraction by vacuum hold 3 as seen in Figure 3A. Thus, the cycle repeats as each product approaches the apparatus.

From Figures 1 and 3 it is apparent that there a number of steps involved in providing products with labelling, sleeving and/or packaging. These including determining the required length of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging and adjusting either the initial position or the degree of extension of vacuum holds 1 and 3. Once material has been extracted from the source of material, an end of the labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging is presented to the extraction means for extraction of a predetermined amount so as to cause obstruction to the progress of the product travelling on a conveyor in order to position the amount on or about the item. Where a precut amount of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging is not provided it is further necessary to cut the continuous labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging.

Furthermore, where material including a backing is provided, the backing must be removed typically as the sleeving and/or labelling and/or packaging is extracted.

It will be seen from the above that the invention provides a number of advantages including the fact that the apparatus of the invention dispenses with the need for a backing and for precut lengths of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging.

Furthermore, the apparatus and methods of the invention dispense with the requirement for rollers or mandrels of predetermined diameter, and hence circumference, in order to handle labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging of a given size. Furthermore, the apparatus is easily controllable so that the amount of labelling and/or sleeving and/or packaging is appropriate to the application with minimum downtime. Thus, given the apparatus of the invention and its application to continuous material as hereindescribed the invention provides numerous advantages over the apparatus and methods previously available.

Claims (31)

1. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus comprising: material delivery means adapted to extract continuous labelling andlor packaging material from a store and present an edge portion of said material to an extraction means which is arranged to extract a predetermined amount of said material so that said material obstructs the progress of an item travelling on a relatively movable mount and so results in the positioning of said material on or about said item and further wherein the degree of presentation of said material to said extraction means and the amount of material extracted by said extraction means bears a simple mathematical relationship to the amount of label or packaging needed to be applied to said item.

2. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said material is joined to a backing tape.

3. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein said material comprises a plurality of pre-cut labels.

4. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claims 1 or 2 wherein there is further provided cutting means arranged such that, the material extracted by said extraction means can be severed from the remainder and applied to said item.

5. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 2, or Claim 3, when dependent upon Claim 2, wherein there is further provided a means for removing the backing tape.

6. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein said material delivery means is adapted to reciprocate between a first position where it makes contact with said material and a second position remote therefrom such that a pre-determined amount of material is extracted from said store.

7. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein said material delivery means comprises a releasable vacuum hold means for engaging said material.

8. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 6, or Claim 7 when dependent upon Claim 6, wherein said degree of reciprocation is adjustable having regard to the nature of said item.

9. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceeding Claim wherein said material delivery means further comprises a manipulating means for manipulating said end portion so as to present same to said extraction means.

10. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 9 wherein said manipulating means comprises a releaseable vacuum hold means for engaging said material.

11. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claims 7 or 10 wherein said two vacuum hold means are adapted to work in synchrony.

12. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 11 wherein said vacuum hold means work so that at least one of said means is in contact with said material.

13. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claims 10, 11 or 12 wherein a cutting means is positioned between said two vacuum hold means.

14. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein said extraction means is adapted to reciprocate between a position where it makes contact with said material and a second position remote therefrom such that a predetermined amount of material is extracted from said store.

15. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 14 wherein said extraction means comprises a releasable vacuum hold means for engaging said material.

16. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 14, or Claim 15 when dependent on Claim 14, wherein said degree of reciprocation is adjustable having regard to the nature of said item.

17. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 15, or 16 when dependent on Claim 15, wherein said extraction means vacuum hold means works in synchrony with the material delivery means vacuum hold means and/or the manipulating means vacuum hold means.

18. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein the amount of said material positioned on or about said item is determined by the relative movement of the material delivery means and the extraction means.

19. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein the amount of said material positioned on or about said item is determined by the relative positioning of said material delivery means and/or said extraction means with respect to the position of said item.

20. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein there is further provided positioning means associated with said relatively moving mount so as to position said item at a predetermined position on said mount having regard to the direction of travel of said mount.

21. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 20 wherein the mid-point of the moving mount defines a centre line and the positioning means positions the item for travel along the centre line.

22. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 21 wherein, when fully extracted, the mid point of a pre-cut label or a severed portion of said material is aligned with said centre line.

23. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein said extracted material is positioned transverse to the direction of travel of said item.

24. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein there is further provided urging means for urging said material onto or about said item.

25. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to Claim 24 wherein the amount of said material is equal to or greater than the circumference of said item, and said urging means is adapted to firstly urge a first end portion of said material against a rearward portion of said item and secondly urge a second end portion of said material in an overlapping fashion adjacent to said first end portion.

26. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein, there is further provided an adhesive applying head for applying adhesive to at least a part of at least one side of said material.

27. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein the apparatus is provided with a sensing means for determining the amount of extraction performed by said material delivery for the purpose of regulating same.

28. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein, there is provided a heating means for heat shrinking said material on or about said item.

29. A labelling and/or packaging apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein there is provided a control means for controlling the relative movement and/or positioning of said material delivery means with respect to said extraction means so as to enable the apparatus to label different items.

30. A method of labelling and/or packaging an item comprising: arranging for an item to be labelled to travel in a first direction; extracting continuous label material from a store; positioning said label material so as to obstruct the path of travel of said item; and characterised in that the amount of label extracted from said store and so made to obstruct the path of travel of said item bears a simple mathematical relationship to the amount of label to be applied to said item.

31. A method according to Claim 30 wherein a pre-determined amount of said label is cut from said store.