JP7092772B2 - Labeling system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a label mounting system.

Various label attachment systems have been proposed in which a tubular label made of a film is attached to a container for beverages and the like. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional label mounting system. In the label mounting system described in the same document, a container is supplied from a container supply device to a rotary type label supply device, and a label folded into a sheet is supplied from the label supply device via a label relay device. Will be done. The label mounting device expands the folded label into a cylinder and mounts the label on the container. The container with the label attached is carried out by the container unloading device. In the labeling system, labeling is continuously performed on a plurality of containers.

Japanese Patent No. 5138626

In the label mounting device of the label mounting system described above, a plurality of containers are continuously transported at a constant speed along an annular transport path. On the other hand, labels are intermittently supplied from the label relay device. Therefore, there is a problem that the label mounting capacity of the label mounting system may be limited by the label relay capacity of the label relay device.

The present invention has been conceived under the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a label mounting system capable of speeding up label mounting.

The label mounting system provided by the present invention is supplied from a container supply device that supplies a container to a container supply position, a label supply device that supplies a tubular label in a folded state into a sheet, and the label supply device. The label relay device that receives the label and supplies the label to the label supply position, and the label received at the container supply position to carry the container to the container carry-out position and receive the label at the label supply position are described. A rotary type label mounting device having an annular transport path, which is attached to the container between the container supply position and the container carry-out position, and the container to which the label is attached received at the container carry-out position are carried out. The label mounting device comprises a container unloading device, each of which receives the label at the label supply position, and has a plurality of label delivery portions that orbit the transport path at intervals from each other. The relay device supplies the label to the first label relay unit that supplies the label to the first label supply position and the second label supply position located upstream of the first label supply position in the transport path. The second label relay unit is included, and the label delivery unit that has passed the second label supply position without supplying the label from the second label relay unit is subjected to the first label supply position at the first label supply position. The first label supply process for supplying the label from the one-label relay unit and the label delivery unit to which the label is supplied from the second label relay unit at the second label supply position are transferred from the first label relay unit. The second label supply process of passing the first label supply position without supplying the label is performed.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first label relay unit and the second label relay unit each move at intervals along an annular transport path and are arranged in parallel with each other. Each of the relay suction rods has a plurality of label relay units, and the label delivery unit has a plurality of transfer suction units that are alternately arranged with the plurality of relay suction rods when intersecting with the label relay unit. Has a rod.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of relay suction rods and the plurality of delivery suction rods extend in the vertical direction, and the label relay portion connects the lower ends of the plurality of relay suction rods to each other. It has a relay connecting portion to be connected, and the label delivery portion has a delivery connecting portion for connecting the upper ends of the plurality of delivery suction rods to each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of relay suction rods and the plurality of delivery suction rods extend along the radial direction of each of the transfer paths, and the label relay portion is the plurality of relays. The label delivery portion has a relay connecting portion that connects the radial inner ends of the suction rods to each other, and the label delivery portion has a delivery connection portion that connects the radial inner ends of the plurality of delivery suction rods to each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the relay suction rod has a plurality of relay suction holes, each of which is open on a surface facing the downstream side of the transport path and is arranged in the vertical direction. The plurality of relay suction holes formed in the relay suction rods of the above are arranged in a plurality of rows, each of which is along the radial direction and separated from each other in the vertical direction.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the delivery suction rod has a plurality of delivery suction holes, each of which is open to a surface facing the downstream side of the transfer path and is arranged in the vertical direction. The plurality of relay suction holes formed in the relay suction rod and the plurality of delivery suction holes formed in the plurality of delivery suction rods are arranged in a plurality of rows, each of which is radially separated from each other and vertically separated from each other. Has been done.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of relay suction holes located on the outermost side in the radial direction among the plurality of relay suction rods are formed on the radial outer side of the relay suction rod. Although the plurality of relay suction rods are located on the innermost side in the radial direction, the plurality of relay suction holes are formed closer to the inner side in the radial direction of the relay suction rods.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of delivery suction holes located between the two relay suction rods among the plurality of delivery suction rods are vertically separated from each other and radially separated from each other. It is arranged in multiple columns.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of relay suction rods are located on the front surface and the upstream side located on the downstream side of the transport path, which are vertically adjacent to each other on the downstream side of the transport path. It has a groove-shaped rear surface along the radial direction, and one of the plurality of relay suction holes is open to the rear surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the depth of the rear surface is 0.1 to 2.0 mm, preferably 0.2 to 1.2 mm.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dimension of the rear surface of the relay suction rod in the longitudinal direction is 5 to 20 mm, preferably 8 to 12 mm.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rear surface is made of a concave curved surface, and the front surface is made of a flat surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the radius of curvature of the rear surface is 8 to 60 mm, preferably 12 to 45 mm.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of the relay suction holes arranged in the vertical direction are opened on one rear surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the relay suction rod has a plurality of the rear surfaces separated in the vertical direction, and the relay suction hole is formed in the front surface located between the two rear surfaces. Is not open.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of relay suction rods and the plurality of delivery suction rods extend along the radial direction of each of the transfer paths, and the label relay portion is the plurality of relays. The label delivery portion has a relay connecting portion that connects the radial inner ends of the suction rods to each other, and the label delivery portion has a delivery connection portion that connects the radial inner ends of the plurality of delivery suction rods to each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of relay suction rods are provided with a high friction portion on the downstream side of the transport path.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the high friction portion comprises a surface treated into an uneven shape.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the label supply device includes a first label supply mechanism that supplies the label to the first label relay unit and a second label that supplies the label to the second label relay unit. Including the supply mechanism.

According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the speed of label mounting.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent by the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is a top view which shows an example of the label mounting system which concerns on this invention. It is a front view which shows the label supply device of the label mounting system of FIG. It is a side view of the main part which shows the label supply device of the label mounting system of FIG. It is a front view of the main part which shows the label relay device of the label mounting system of FIG. It is an enlarged front view of the main part which shows the relay suction rod of the label relay device of FIG. It is a side view which shows the label mounting head 30 of the label mounting system of FIG. It is a front view which shows the label mounting head 30 of the label mounting system of FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. It is a side view which shows the label delivery part of the label mounting system of FIG. It is a front view which shows the label delivery part of the label mounting system of FIG. (A) to (m) are perspective views showing a label mounting operation by the label mounting head of the label mounting system of FIG. 1. (A) to (g) are plan views of a main part showing a label mounting operation by the label mounting head of the label mounting system of FIG. 1. It is an enlarged front view of the main part which shows the label relay part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13 and an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part. It is an enlarged perspective view of the main part which shows the label relay part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged front view of the main part which shows the 1st modification of the label relay part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the 2nd modification of the label relay part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged front view of the main part which shows the label relay part which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part along the XIX-XIX line of FIG. It is an enlarged front view of the main part which shows the 1st modification of the label relay part which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged sectional view of the main part which shows the 2nd modification of the label relay part which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged front view of the main part which shows the label relay part which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged front view of the main part which shows the label relay part and the label delivery part which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows a label mounting system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The label mounting system A1 of the present embodiment includes a container supply device 1, a label supply device 2, a label mounting device 3, a container unloading device 4, and a label relay device 5. The label mounting system A1 is a system for mounting the label L on the container B.

The type of the container B is not particularly limited, and is, for example, a container for beverages. The label L is a tubular film attached to the container B, and is a shrink film that can be brought into close contact with the container B by shrinking due to heating, for example. The label L is made of, for example, a polyester resin or a polystyrene resin, and its thickness is, for example, 20 μm to 60 μm.

The container supply device 1 is a device that supplies a plurality of containers B to the label supply device 2. The container supply device 1 of the present embodiment includes a conveyor 11, a pair of screws 12, and a star wheel 13. The conveyor 11 is provided along the left-right direction in the figure, and conveys a plurality of aligned containers B from the right side to the left side in the figure.

The pair of screws 12 are arranged parallel to each other. A spiral groove (not shown) is formed in the screw 12. The container supply device 1 includes a drive source (not shown) such as a motor that drives the pair of screws 12. As the pair of screws 12 rotate in opposite directions, the plurality of containers B conveyed by the conveyor 11 from the right side of the figure are continuously fitted into the gaps between the pair of screws 12. The plurality of containers B fitted in the pair of screws 12 are conveyed to the left in the figure at a pitch determined by the spiral grooves formed in the pair of screws 12.

The star wheel 13 is for changing the transport direction of the plurality of containers B in order to appropriately introduce the plurality of containers B transported by the pair of screws 12 into the label mounting device 3 at the container supply position β. be. The star wheel 13 has a circular shape in a plan view and has a plurality of holding portions on the outer periphery. Each holding portion can hold the container B. The container B conveyed from the pair of screws 12 is held by the star wheel 13 and then supplied to the label mounting device 3.

The container unloading device 4 is a device for unloading a plurality of containers B each having a label L attached from the label attaching device 3. The container unloading device 4 of the present embodiment is composed of a bottle delivery unit 41 and a conveyor 42. The bottle delivery unit 41 is for changing the transport direction of the plurality of containers B in order to appropriately deliver the plurality of containers B received from the label mounting device 3 to the conveyor 42. The bottle delivery unit 41 has a substantially circular shape in a plan view and has a plurality of holding portions on the outer periphery. Each holding portion can hold the container B. The container B delivered from the label mounting device 3 at the container delivery position γ is held by the bottle delivery unit 41 and delivered to the conveyor 42. The conveyor 42 is provided along the left-right direction in the figure, and conveys a plurality of containers B from the right side to the left side in the figure. The conveyor 42 and the conveyor 11 may be configured by a part of the same conveyor.

The label supply device 2 is a device that sequentially supplies a plurality of labels L to the label relay device 5. In the present embodiment, the label supply device 2 sequentially supplies a plurality of labels L to each of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B of the label relay device 5, which will be described later.

The label supply device 2 has a first label supply mechanism 20A and a second label supply mechanism 20B. The first label supply mechanism 20A is a mechanism for supplying the label L to the first label relay unit 50A, which will be described later. The second label supply mechanism 20B is a mechanism for supplying the label L to the second label relay unit 50B, which will be described later. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B have substantially the same structure. In the following description of the label supply device 2, the common elements of the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B will be collectively described. An "A" is added to the end of the code of the component of the first label supply mechanism 20A, and an "B" is added to the end of the component of the second label supply mechanism 20B.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B include the base material supply units 21A and 21B, the base material cutting units 22A and 22B, and the upstream label transfer units 23A and 23B. It has downstream label transfer units 26A and 26B and relay label transfer units 27A and 27B.

The base material supply units 21A and 21B are units for supplying the label base material M which is the material of the plurality of labels L. The label base material M is, for example, a tubular film material that is a material for a shrink film and is folded flat, and is arranged outside the figure, for example, in a state of being wound around a roller (not shown). In the present embodiment, the label base material M is introduced into the base material supply units 21A and 21B, respectively.

The base material supply units 21A and 21B have rollers 211A and 211B and a pair of rollers 212A and 212B. The rollers 211A and 211B are rollers for transporting the label base material M, which has been transported in the horizontal direction, downward in the vertical direction. The pair of rollers 212A and 212B are rollers for transporting the label base material M downward in the drawing. One of the pair of rollers 212A and 212B is a drive roller driven by a motor (not shown) or the like.

The base material cutting units 22A and 22B are units for cutting the label base material M conveyed by the base material supply units 21A and 21B and sequentially producing the label L. The cutting mechanism of the base material supply units 21A and 21B is not particularly limited, and the base material supply units 21A and 21B of the present embodiment have a pair of cutting blades 221A and 221B. The pair of cutting blades 221A and 221B cross each other to cut the label base material M. For example, one of the pair of cutting blades 221A and 221B is a fixed blade, and the other is a movable blade that moves with respect to the fixed blade by driving such as rotation.

The upstream label transport units 23A and 23B are units that sequentially transport the labels L formed by cutting the base material cutting units 22A and 22B downward in the drawing. In the present embodiment, the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B include drive rollers 231A and 231B, a plurality of rollers 232A and 232B, belts 233A and 233B, drive rollers 234A and 234B, a plurality of rollers 235A and 235B, and a pair of belts. It has 236A, 236B and a pair of suction chambers 237A, 237B.

The drive rollers 231A and 231B and the plurality of rollers 232A and 232B are around which the belts 233A and 233B are hung, and drive the belts 233A and 233B. The drive rollers 231A and 231B are driven by a servomotor or the like (not shown). The plurality of rollers 232A and 232B are driven rollers, and are arranged at positions horizontally separated from the driving rollers 231A and 231B and separated from each other in the vertical direction, for example.

The drive rollers 234A and 234B and the plurality of rollers 235A and 235B are around which the belts 236A and 236B are hung, and drive the belts 236A and 236B. The drive rollers 234A and 234B are driven by a servomotor or the like (not shown). The plurality of rollers 235A and 235B are driven rollers, and are arranged at positions horizontally separated from the driving rollers 234A and 234B, and vertically separated from each other, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B include a pair of belts 236A and 236B. Therefore, the pair of drive rollers 234A and 234B and the plurality of rollers 235A and 235B are configured to be able to appropriately drive the pair of belts 236A and 236B. For example, a configuration (see FIG. 2) may be adopted in which two sets of drive rollers 234A and 234B and a plurality of rollers 235A and 235B are provided separately in the left-right direction in FIG.

The section in which the belts 233A and 233B travel downward and the section in which the belts 236A and 236B travel downward face each other. The label L is sandwiched between these sections and transported downward. The pair of suction chambers 237A and 237B are provided adjacent to a section in which the pair of belts 236A and 236B travel downward. The suction chambers 237A and 237B are connected to a suction source (not shown), and the inside can be set to a predetermined negative pressure. A plurality of suction holes 238A and 238B are formed in the belts 236A and 236B. The plurality of suction holes 238A and 238B are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the belts 236A and 236B. Slits and through holes (all not shown) are formed in the suction chambers 237A and 237B, and by overlapping these with the plurality of suction holes 238A and 238B, the suction force capable of holding the label L is the belt 236A. , 236B. As a result, in the lower portion of the section where the pair of belts 236A and 236B travel downward, the label L is held only by the pair of belts 236A and 236B, and the belts 233A and 233B do not face each other.

The downstream label transport units 26A and 26B are units that sequentially transport the labels L transported by the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B downward in the figure. In the present embodiment, the downstream label transport units 26A, 26B have a drive roller 264A, 264B, a plurality of rollers 265A, 265B, a pair of belts 266A, 266B, and a pair of suction chambers 267A, 267B.

The drive rollers 264A, 264B and the plurality of rollers 265A, 265B are to be hung around the belts 266A, 266B, and drive the belts 266A, 266B. The drive rollers 264A and 264B are driven by a servomotor or the like (not shown). The plurality of rollers 265A and 265B are driven rollers, and are arranged at positions horizontally separated from the driving rollers 264A and 264B, and vertically separated from each other, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the downstream label transport units 26A and 26B include a pair of belts 266A and 266B. Therefore, the pair of drive rollers 264A, 264B and the plurality of rollers 265A, 265B are configured to be able to appropriately drive the pair of belts 266A, 266B. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which two sets of drive rollers 264A and 264B and a plurality of rollers 265A and 265B are provided separately in the left-right direction in FIG.

The pair of suction chambers 267A and 267B are provided adjacent to a section in which the pair of belts 266A and 266B travel downward. The suction chambers 267A and 267B are connected to a suction source (not shown), and the inside can be set to a predetermined negative pressure. A plurality of suction holes 268A and 268B are formed in the belts 266A and 266B. The plurality of suction holes 268A and 268B are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the belts 266A and 266B. Slits and through holes (both not shown) are formed in the suction chambers 267A and 267B. By overlapping these with the plurality of suction holes 268A and 268B, a suction force capable of holding the label L is exerted from the belts 266A and 266B.

The relay label transport units 27A and 27B are units for delivering the label L transported from the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B to the downstream label transport units 26A and 26B.

The relay label transport unit 27A, 27B has a pair of belts 276A, 276B and a pair of suction chambers 277A, 277B. As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of belts 276A, 276B and the pair of suction chambers 277A, 277B are the pair of belts 236A, 236B and the pair of suction chambers 237A of the upstream label transfer units 23A, 23B in the left-right direction in the drawing. , 237B are arranged between each. Further, the pair of belts 276A, 276B and the pair of suction chambers 277A, 277B are the pair of belts 266A, 266B and the pair of suction chambers 267A, 267B of the downstream label transfer units 26A, 26B in the left-right direction in the drawing, respectively. It is placed in between. Further, the pair of relay label transport units 27A and 27B are provided at positions overlapping with both the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B and the downstream label transport units 26A and 26B in the vertical direction in the drawing, which is the transport direction. .. The relay label transport units 27A and 27B may have only one belt 276A and 276B and only one suction chamber 277A and 277B. However, in order to suppress an unintended tilt when the label L is conveyed, a configuration having a pair of belts 276A and 276B and a pair of suction chambers 277A and 277B is preferable.

The suction chambers 277A and 277B are connected to a suction source (not shown), and slits and through holes (both are not shown) are formed. The belts 276A and 276B are hung so as to have a section that moves downward adjacent to the suction chambers 277A and 277B. The relay label transport units 27A and 27B have a plurality of rollers (not shown) capable of appropriately cyclically driving the belts 276A and 276B. These rollers may include drive rollers. This drive roller may be driven by a dedicated drive source (not shown), or may also serve as a drive source for the drive rollers 234A and 234B of the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B, for example. A plurality of suction holes 278A and 278B are formed in the belts 276A and 276B. The plurality of suction holes 278A and 278B are formed along the longitudinal direction of the belts 276A and 276B, and the suction force from the suction chambers 277A and 277B acts on the label L. As a result, the relay label transport units 27A and 27B can transport the label L downward while sucking and holding the label L.

In the present embodiment, the downstream label transport units 26A and 26B have sensors 24A and 24B. The sensors 24A and 24B detect the label L, and are, for example, optical proximity sensors. The downstream label transport units 26A and 26B drive and control the drive rollers 264A and 264B based on the detection signals of the sensors 24A and 24B. As a result, the label L can be stopped at a predetermined position below the sensors 24A and 24B in the drawing. Further, the formation of the label L by cutting the label base material M is performed in synchronization with the driving of the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B. On the other hand, the downstream label transport units 26A and 26B are responsible for stopping and waiting the label L in preparation for supplying the label L to the label relay unit 51. By providing the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B and the downstream label transport units 26A and 26B in this way, the label L is sequentially formed from the label base material M and at a position where the label L should be supplied to the label delivery unit 321. The label L can be transported intermittently. In FIGS. 2 and 3, one label L is located at a predetermined position. This position is the first label relay unit 50A or the second label relay unit 50B of the label relay device 5 described later.

As described above, the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B are configured to be able to supply the label L to the respective positions of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B at a desired timing. Has been done.

The label relay device 5 is a device that receives the label L supplied from the label supply device 2 and supplies the label L to the label mounting device 3. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the label relay device 5 includes a first label relay unit 50A and a second label relay unit 50B. In the present embodiment, the structures of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B are common to each other. The first label relay unit 50A supplies the label L received from the first label supply mechanism 20A of the label supply device 2 to the label mounting device 3 at the first label supply position α1. The second label relay unit 50B supplies the label L received from the second label supply mechanism 20B of the label supply device 2 to the label mounting device 3 at the second label supply position α2.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B each have a plurality of label relay units 51, a rotary shaft 52, and a base unit 53.

The plurality of label relay units 51 receive the label L from the upstream label transport units 23A and 23B of the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B of the label supply device 2, and the label mounting head of the label mounting device 3 receives the label L. It is a part where the label L is delivered to the label delivery section 321 of 30. As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the label relay portion 51 has a plurality of relay suction rods 511, a relay connecting portion 513, and a support portion 514.

In the present embodiment, the plurality of relay suction rods 511 extend in the vertical direction and are provided apart from each other in the radial direction in the rotation of the label relay device 5. In the present embodiment, the label relay unit 51 has two relay suction rods 511. The relay suction rod 511 has a plurality of relay suction holes 512. The plurality of relay suction holes 512 are connected to a suction source such as a pump (not shown), and are open to a surface facing the downstream side (front side in movement) in the transport direction (rotation direction) of the label relay portion 51. The label relay unit 51 is configured to be able to suck and hold the label L by sucking from the plurality of relay suction holes 512. The relay connecting portion 513 is a portion that connects the two relay suction rods 511, and in the present embodiment, the lower ends of the two relay suction rods 511 are connected to each other. The support portion 514 is connected to the relay connecting portion 513 and is a portion attached to the base portion 53. As shown in FIG. 3, when the label relay unit 51 intersects with the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B, the two relay suction rods 511 of the label relay unit 51 have a pair of suction chambers 267A. , 267B is configured to be located between.

The rotating shaft 52 is a portion rotated by a drive source such as a motor (not shown). The base portion 53 is attached to the rotation shaft 52, and is, for example, a member having a circular shape in a plan view. As the rotation shaft 52 rotates, the base portion 53 rotates. The plurality of label relay portions 51 are arranged at equal pitches along the outer circumference of the base portion 53.

The rotational drive of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B and the suction operation by the plurality of relay suction holes 512 are controlled in synchronization with the operation of the label mounting device 3.

The label mounting device 3 is a device that mounts the label L supplied from the label supply device 2 on the container B supplied from the label relay device 5 and delivers the container B to which the label L is mounted to the container unloading device 4. .. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 to 10, in the present embodiment, the label mounting device 3 has a support disk 3a, a cylindrical body 3b, and a plurality of label mounting heads 30.

The support disk 3a forms the base of the label mounting device 3 and has a circular shape in a plan view. The support disk 3a is rotationally driven by a drive source such as a motor (not shown). The cylindrical body 3b is a cylindrical member having a central axis along the thickness direction of the support disk 3a. The cylindrical body 3b is directly or indirectly fixed to the installation location of the label mounting system A1 and does not rotate unlike the support disk 3a. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a cam groove 326b and two cam grooves 336b are formed in the cylindrical body 3b. The cam groove 326b and the cam groove 336b are for constituting the cam mechanism 326 and the two cam mechanisms 336 described later, and the label delivery unit 32 and the label expanding unit 33 described later are combined with the rotation of the support disk 3a. It is for raising and lowering at a predetermined timing.

The plurality of label mounting heads 30 are arranged in a circle at equal pitches along the outer circumference of the support disk 3a. As a result, in the present embodiment, the transport path T having a circular shape in a plan view is configured in the label mounting device 3. The label mounting head 30 performs an operation of mounting the label L supplied at the first label supply position α1 or the second label supply position α2 on the container B supplied by the container supply position β. In the present embodiment, the label mounting head 30 has a support frame 301, a slide rail 302, a container holding unit 31, a label delivery unit 32, and a label spreading unit 33. The support frame 301 is provided so as to stand up from the support disk 3a, and supports the label delivery unit 32 and the label expansion unit 33. The slide rail 302 is a rail member that is attached to the support frame 301 and extends in the vertical direction.

The container holding unit 31 is a unit that holds the container B supplied at the container supply position β in an upright posture. The container holding unit 31 is connected to, for example, a suction source (not shown), and is configured to suck and fix the bottom surface of the container B.

The label delivery unit 32 is a unit that receives the label L supplied at the first label supply position α1 or the second label supply position α2 and delivers the label L to the label expansion unit 33. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in the present embodiment, the label delivery unit 32 has a label delivery section 321, a support section 324, a slide guide 325, and a cam follower 326a. Note that FIG. 9 is a view seen from the downstream side of the transport path T.

The label delivery unit 321 is a portion that receives the label L at the first label supply position α1 or the second label supply position α2. The label delivery section 321 of the present embodiment has a plurality of delivery suction rods 322 and a delivery connection section 323. In the present embodiment, each of the three delivery suction rods 322 extends in the vertical direction (vertical direction), and is separated from each other in the vertical direction and in the direction perpendicular to the transport path T (diametrical direction of the support disk 3a). Are arranged. A plurality of delivery suction holes 322a are formed in each delivery suction rod 322. The plurality of delivery suction holes 322a are opened on a surface facing the downstream side (front side in movement) of the delivery suction rod 322 in the transport path T, and are connected to a suction source such as a pump (not shown). The label delivery unit 321 is configured to be able to suck and hold the label L by sucking from the plurality of delivery suction holes 322a. In the present embodiment, the delivery connecting portion 323 connects the upper ends of the three delivery suction rods 322 to each other. As shown in FIG. 9, when the label delivery section 321 and the label relay section 51 intersect, the two relay suction rods 511 of the label relay section 51 are sandwiched between the three delivery suction rods 322 of the label delivery section 321. Is configured to be located.

The support portion 324 is a portion that supports the label delivery portion 321. The support portion 324 extends from the lower end of the innermost delivery suction rod 322 in the radial direction of the label delivery portion 321 to the location where the slide guide 325 and the cam follower 326a are provided. The delivery suction rod 322 is, for example, a crank-shaped member. The slide guide 325 is attached to the support portion 324 and is slidably fitted to the slide rail 302. As a result, the label delivery unit 32 can move up and down along the slide rail 302. The cam follower 326a is attached to the support portion 324 and is fitted into the cam groove 326b of the cylindrical body 3b. As a result, when the label delivery unit 32 (label mounting head 30) moves relative to the cylindrical body 3b due to the rotation of the support disk 3a, the label delivery unit 32 is moved up and down according to the shape of the cam groove 326b. That is, the cam follower 326a and the cam groove 326b constitute the cam mechanism 326.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, a plurality of relay suction holes 512 provided in one relay suction rod 511 are arranged in the vertical direction. Further, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 provided in the two relay suction rods 511 are arranged in a plurality of rows each along the radial direction (left-right direction in the figure) and vertically separated from each other. In the illustrated example, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 are arranged in three rows, but the number of rows is not particularly limited.

Further, a plurality of delivery suction holes 322a provided in one delivery suction rod 322 are arranged in the vertical direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 of the plurality of relay suction rods 511 and the plurality of delivery suction holes 322a of the plurality of delivery suction rods 322 are respectively in the radial direction (left-right direction in the figure). They are arranged along and in multiple rows separated from each other in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 of the relay suction rod 511 (the relay suction rod 511 on the right side in the figure) located on the outermost side in the radial direction of the two relay suction rods 511 are the relay suction holes 512. The rod 511 is formed on the outer side in the radial direction (on the right side in the figure). Further, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 of the relay suction rod 511 (relay suction rod 511 on the left side in the figure) located on the innermost side in the radial direction of the two relay suction rods 511 are provided in the radial direction of the relay suction rod 511. It is formed closer to the inside (to the left side in the figure).

As shown in FIG. 9, each of the plurality of delivery suction holes 322a of the delivery suction rod 322 located between the two relay suction rods 511 of the plurality of delivery suction rods 322 is along the vertical direction and in the radial direction. They are arranged in multiple rows separated from each other. In the illustrated example, a plurality of delivery suction holes 322a are arranged in two rows, but the number of rows is not particularly limited.

The label expanding unit 33 is a unit that attaches the label L delivered from the label delivery unit 32 to the container B held by the container holding unit 31. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, in the present embodiment, the label expanding unit 33 has a base 331, a pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B, a support portion 334, a slide guide 335, and a cam follower 336a. ..

The base 331 supports a pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, an opening 331a is formed in the base 331. The opening 331a is provided for inserting the label delivery portion 321 of the label delivery unit 32 in the vertical direction.

Each pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B is supported by the base 331 via a shaft 332a. The pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B can be opened / closed by a drive source such as a motor or an air cylinder (not shown). As shown in FIG. 8, the pair of opening / closing arms 332A are symmetrically arranged on the downstream side of the transport path T with the transport path T interposed therebetween. The pair of opening / closing arms 332B are symmetrically arranged on the upstream side of the transport path T with the transport path T interposed therebetween.

Each pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B has a suction rod 333. The suction rod 333 is a rod-shaped member extending downward. As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of suction holes 333a are formed in each suction rod 333. The plurality of suction holes 333a are connected to a suction source such as a pump (not shown). By sucking from the plurality of suction holes 333a, the suction rod 333 can suck and hold the label L. In the present embodiment, in the operation described later, the label L is held only by the suction rods 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A, and the label L is held by all the suction rods 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B. There are cases.

The support portion 334 supports the base 331 to which a slide guide 335 and two cam followers 336a are attached. The slide guide 335 is attached to the support portion 334 and is slidably fitted to the slide rail 302. As a result, the label expanding unit 33 can move up and down along the slide rail 302. The two cam followers 336a are attached to the support portion 334 and are fitted into the two cam grooves 336b of the cylindrical body 3b, respectively. As a result, when the label expansion unit 33 (label mounting head 30) moves relative to the cylindrical body 3b due to the rotation of the support disk 3a, the label expansion unit 33 moves up and down according to the shapes of the two cam grooves 336b. Be made to. That is, the two cam followers 336a and the two cam grooves 336b constitute two cam mechanisms 336. The two cam grooves 336b have the same shape in the radial direction, and the vertical distance between them is constant.

Next, a label supply operation from the label supply device 2 to the label mounting device 3 via the label relay device 5 will be described.

In the present embodiment, the label L is sequentially supplied from the first label supply mechanism 20A of the label supply device 2 to the first label relay unit 50A of the label relay device 5. As a result, each of the plurality of label relay units 51 of the first label relay unit 50A holds the label L. Further, the label L is sequentially supplied from the second label supply mechanism 20B of the label supply device 2 to the second label relay unit 50B of the label relay device 5. As a result, each of the plurality of label relay units 51 of the second label relay unit 50B holds the label L.

The label L is supplied from the label relay device 5 to the label mounting device 3 by periodically repeating the first label supply process and the second label supply process. In the first label supply process, the first label relay unit at the first label supply position α1 is sent to the label delivery unit 321 that has passed the second label supply position α2 without supplying the label L from the second label relay unit 50B. This is a process of supplying the label L from 50A. On the other hand, in the second label supply process, the label L is supplied from the second label supply mechanism 20B to the label delivery unit 321 at the second label supply position α2, and the label L is supplied to the label delivery unit 321 from the first label relay unit 50A. This is a process of passing the first label supply position α1 without supplying the label.

In the present embodiment, either the first label supply process or the second label supply process is performed on the label delivery section 321 of the plurality of label mounting heads 30 arranged along the transport path T. When the above-mentioned first label supply process is performed on the label delivery portion 321 of a certain label mounting head 30, the label delivery portion 321 of the label mounting heads 30 adjacent to each other in the front and rear in the transport direction of the label mounting head 30 The above-mentioned second label supply process is performed. Further, when the above-mentioned second label supply process is performed on the label delivery portion 321 of a certain label mounting head 30, the label delivery portion 321 of the label mounting heads 30 adjacent to each other in the front and rear in the transport direction of the label mounting head 30 On the other hand, the above-mentioned first label supply process is performed. As a result, the plurality of label mounting heads 30 that attract and hold the label L to the label delivery unit 321 at a certain time have the label L supplied from the first label relay unit 50A by the first label supply process. The labels L supplied from the second label relay unit 50B by the two-label supply process are alternately arranged.

Next, the operation of attaching the label L to the container B by the label attaching device 3 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing one label mounting head 30 in order. In the figure, after a certain label L is supplied to the label delivery unit 321 at the first label supply position α1 or the second label supply position α2, the label L is attached to the container B and the container B is carried out. Up to. The label L to be focused on in the operation explanation is hatched for convenience of understanding. Further, as can be understood with reference to FIG. 1, the first label supply position α1, the second label supply position α2, the container supply position β, and the container carry-out position γ shown in FIG. 1 are supplied, and then the label L is supplied. By the time the container B to which the label L is attached is carried out, the support disk 3a has rotated one or more times, and in the present embodiment, it has rotated by approximately 600 °.

First, in FIG. 11A, the label L is supplied from the first label relay unit 50A or the second label relay unit 50B to the label delivery unit 321 at the first label supply position α1 or the second label supply position α2. The label L is adsorbed and held on the surface of the label delivery unit 321 facing the downstream side in the transport path T. The label expanding unit 33 already holds the label L supplied prior to the colored label L.

Next, in FIG. 11B, the label delivery unit 321 is separated from the first label relay unit 50A or the second label relay unit 50B. Then, the label delivery unit 32 and the label expansion unit 33 are lowered according to the shapes of the cam groove 326b and the cam groove 336b. As a result, in FIG. 11C, the label L previously supplied is attached to the container B. When this mounting is completed, only the label expanding unit 33 rises according to the shape of the cam groove 336b. On the other hand, the height of the label delivery unit 32 is maintained.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11D, the heights of the label delivery portion 321 of the label delivery unit 32 and the four suction rods 333 of the label expansion unit 33 overlap each other. At this time, as shown in FIG. 12A, the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B are both in the open state. Then, the label delivery unit 321 that attracts and holds the label L is located between the pair of open / close arms 332A and 332B in the open state. In FIG. 12, the label delivery portion 321 exhibiting the suction force is hatched.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 11 (e) and 12 (b), only the pair of opening / closing arms 332A is closed. Further, suction is performed from a plurality of suction holes 333a of the suction rods 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A. As a result, the label L sucked and held by the label delivery portion 321 is also sucked into the suction rod 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A. For convenience of understanding, in FIG. 12, the suction rod 333 exhibiting the suction force is hatched. Then, by releasing the suction of the label delivery portion 321 the label L is sucked and held only by the suction rods 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 11 (f) and 12 (c), the pair of open / close arms 332A are opened. At this time, the suction of the suction rods 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A is maintained. As a result, the label L has a slightly curved shape and is separated from the label delivery portion 321. The label delivery portion 321 (label delivery unit 32) from which the label L is separated rises according to the shape of the cam groove 326b. On the other hand, the height of the label expanding unit 33 is maintained.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 11 (g) and 12 (d), the label delivery unit 321 (label delivery unit 32) rises, and the label delivery unit 321 retracts from between the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B. do. Further, when the container supply position β is reached, the container B is supplied below the label expanding unit 33. In the figure, the container B is shown by an imaginary line to show that the four suction rods 333 and the container B do not overlap in the height direction.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 11 (h) and 12 (e), the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B are closed. As a result, the label L is sandwiched between the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and the pair of opening / closing arms 332B. At this time, suction is also started from the suction hole 333a of the suction rod 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332B. As a result, the label L is in a state of being sucked and held by both the suction rod 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and the suction rod 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332B. At the first label supply position α1 or the second label supply position α2, the label L to be processed next is supplied to the label delivery unit 321.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 11 (i) and 12 (f), the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B are opened. Since the label L is a folded tubular film, it is expanded into a form as shown by opening the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B. When the label L is expanded, the label delivery unit 32 and the label expansion unit 33 are lowered according to the shapes of the cam groove 326b and the cam groove 336b.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 11 (j) and 12 (g), the label expanding unit 33 adsorbing and holding the expanded label L descends with respect to the container B, so that the label L becomes the container B. It is gradually covered. Then, when the label L reaches a predetermined height with respect to the container B, the suction by the suction rods 333 of the pair of opening / closing arms 332A and 332B is released. This completes the attachment of the label L to the container B.

After that, as shown in FIGS. 11 (k) and 11 (l), the same processing as that described with reference to FIGS. 11 (d) and 11 (e) is performed on the label L to be processed next. As shown in FIG. 11 (m), the container B to which the label L is attached at the container unloading position γ is delivered to the container unloading device 4.

As described above, the label supply operation from the label supply device 2 to the label mounting device 3 via the label relay device 5 and the label mounting operation of the label L to the container B by the label mounting device 3 are sequentially performed. , Label L is continuously attached to a plurality of containers B.

Next, the operation of the label mounting system A1 will be described.

According to the present embodiment, the label L is sequentially supplied from the label supply device 2 to the label mounting device 3 via the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B of the label relay device 5. Therefore, the number of labels L to be supplied by each of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B per unit time is the number of labels L to be mounted on the container B by the label mounting device 3 per unit time. It will be half of the number. Therefore, it is possible to avoid that the relay capacity of the label relay device 5 limits the mounting capacity of the label mounting device 3. Therefore, the label mounting speed can be increased by the label mounting system A1.

The label delivery section 321 and the label relay section 51 are arranged so that the plurality of delivery suction rods 322 of the label delivery section 321 and the plurality of relay suction rods 511 of the label relay section 51 are alternately positioned with each other. Label L can be delivered more reliably while smoothly crossing the labels.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the label relay unit 51 has two relay suction rods 511 extending in the vertical direction, and the label delivery unit 321 has three transfer suction rods 322 extending in the vertical direction. ing. Of the three delivery suction rods 322, the two delivery suction rods 322 at both ends in the radial direction are located radially outside the two relay suction rods 511. With these two delivery suction rods 322, the portions of the label L near both ends in the width direction (diameter direction) can be more reliably sucked and held. Further, since it is possible to reliably suck and hold the portions of the label L near both ends in the width direction (diameter direction), it is not essential for the label delivery portion 321 to suck and hold the vicinity of the lower end of the label L. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the delivery suction hole 322a below the relay suction rod 511 and the relay connecting portion 513. This is convenient for providing the relay connecting portion 513 at a lower position, and as shown in FIG. 3, the relay connecting portion 513 interferes with the radial inner suction chambers 267A and 267B and the belts 266A and 266B. Suitable for avoiding.

Further, in the present embodiment, the label supply device 2 includes the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B. The first label supply mechanism 20A supplies the label L to the first label relay unit 50A, and the second label supply mechanism 20B supplies the label L to the second label relay unit 50B. Therefore, similarly to the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B, the number of labels L to be supplied by each of the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B per unit time is a label. The mounting device 3 is half the number of labels L to be mounted on the container B per unit time. Therefore, it is possible to avoid that the relay capacity of the label supply device 2 limits the mounting capacity of the label mounting device 3. Therefore, it is preferable to speed up the label mounting by the label mounting system A1.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 are arranged in a plurality of rows separated from each other in the vertical direction, so that the portion of the label L near both ends in the vertical direction is more reliably adsorbed. Is possible. This makes it possible to suppress problems such as the label L being displaced with respect to the relay suction rod 511, which is preferable for speeding up label mounting.

As shown in FIG. 9, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 and the plurality of delivery suction holes 322a are arranged in a plurality of rows separated from each other in the vertical direction, whereby the label L is arranged from the label relay portion 51 to the label delivery portion 321. The label L can be more reliably adsorbed at the time of delivery, which is preferable for speeding up label mounting.

As shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of relay suction holes 512 are arranged unevenly on the outer side and the inner side in the radial direction of the two relay suction rods 511. This makes it possible to adsorb the label L in a wider area in the radial direction without changing the size and spacing of the two relay suction rods 511. This is preferable for speeding up label mounting.

As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of delivery suction holes 322a of the delivery suction rod 322 located between the two relay suction rods 511 are arranged in a plurality of rows separated from each other in the radial direction. As a result, the label L can be delivered more reliably, which is preferable for speeding up the label mounting.

13 to 23 show other embodiments of the present invention. In these figures, the same or similar elements as those in the above embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals as those in the above embodiment.

<Second Embodiment>
13 to 15 show the label relay device 5 of the label mounting system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the relay suction rod 511 is formed with a plurality of front surfaces 515 and a plurality of rear surfaces 516.

The front surface 515 is a surface located on the downstream side of the transport path T with respect to the rear surface 516. The rear surface 516 is a surface located on the upstream side of the transport path T with respect to the front surface 515. The rear surface 516 has a groove shape along the radial direction. When the label relay portion 51 sucks and holds the label L, it is assumed that the front surface 515 abuts on the label L at an earlier timing than the rear surface 516.

The plurality of front surfaces 515 and the plurality of rear surfaces 516 are alternately arranged in the vertical direction. The number of the plurality of front surfaces 515 and the plurality of rear surfaces 516 is not particularly limited, and in the illustrated example, one relay suction rod 511 is formed with four front surfaces 515 and three rear surfaces 516. There is.

In the illustrated example, the front surface 515 comprises a flat surface along the vertical and radial directions. The rear surface 516 is formed of a concave curved surface that is gently recessed toward the upstream side of the transport path T. However, the specific shapes of the front surface 515 and the rear surface 516 are not limited in any way. Further, the vertical positions of the plurality of rear surfaces 516 of the two relay suction rods 511 are the same as each other.

A relay suction hole 512 is opened on the rear surface 516. In the illustrated example, two relay suction holes 512 that are vertically separated from each other are opened in one rear surface 516. However, the number of relay suction holes 512 opened in one rear surface 516 is not particularly limited. Further, in the illustrated example, the relay suction hole 512 is not opened in the front surface 515 located between the two rear surfaces 516. Therefore, the front surface 515 does not have a suction function. A relay suction hole 512 is opened in the front surface 515 that is not sandwiched between the plurality of rear surfaces 516.

Here, the dimensions of the rear surface 516 will be described. The depth D of the rear surface 516 shown in FIG. 14 is, for example, 0.1 to 2.0 mm, preferably 0.2 to 1.2 mm. The dimension H of the relay suction rod 511 of the rear surface 516 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 in the longitudinal direction is, for example, 5 to 20 mm, preferably 8 to 12 mm. The radius of curvature R of the rear surface 516 shown in FIG. 14 is, for example, 8 to 60 mm, preferably 12 to 45 mm. In the illustrated example, the width W of the relay suction rod 511 in the radial direction is 12 mm, and the thickness T in the thickness direction along the transport path T is 10 mm. To give an example of specific dimensions of the rear surface 516 configured by the concave curved surface, the dimension H is 10 mm, the depth D is 1.0 mm, and the radius of curvature R is 13 mm. Further, to give another example of specific dimensions of the rear surface 516 configured by the concave curved surface, the dimension H is 10 mm, the depth D is 0.3 mm, and the radius of curvature R is 42 mm.

FIG. 15 shows a state in which the label L is held by the label relay unit 51 that moves along the transport path T. The label L is attracted to the two relay suction rods 511 by the suction force of the plurality of relay suction holes 512. In the present embodiment, the relay suction rod 511 is formed with a rear surface 516. The rear surface 516 has a groove shape along the radial direction. Since the label L has a shape along the rear surface 516, a curved portion La is formed on the label L. The curved portion La is a portion where a part of the label L is gently curved along the radial direction. The shape of the curved portion La in the radial direction is generally similar to the shape of the rear surface 516. By forming the curved portion La on the label L, the rigidity against a force for bending both sides of the label L in the radial direction is improved. Therefore, in the transport along the transport path T by the label relay portion 51, the portion of the label L extending from the relay suction rod 511 to both sides in the radial direction is broken toward the upstream side (rear side) of the transport path T. It is possible to suppress this. This makes it possible to improve the transport speed of the label relay unit 51, which is advantageous for speeding up label mounting.

Since the plurality of relay suction holes 512 are opened in the rear surface 516, the label L can be more reliably sucked along the rear surface 516. Thereby, it is possible to form the curved portion La on the label L having a thicker thickness. Further, by providing a plurality of rear surfaces 516 separated in the vertical direction, it is possible to form a plurality of curved portions La on the label L. This is preferable for improving the rigidity of the label L.

Further, the relay suction hole 512 is not opened in the front surface 515 located between the two rear surfaces 516. When the label L is held by the label relay portion 51, it is assumed that the label L abuts on the front surface 515 located between the two rear surfaces 516 and then the label L abuts on the rear surface 516. .. In this case, if the relay suction hole 512 is opened in the front surface 515, the label L is opened by the relay suction hole 512 in the front surface 515 before the label L is attracted to the relay suction hole 512 in the rear surface 516. There is a high possibility of being restrained. Such restraint may prevent the label L from being adsorbed along the rear surface 516, and there is a concern that the curved portion La may not be properly formed on the label L. In the present embodiment, since the relay suction hole 512 is not formed on the above-mentioned front surface 515, it is possible to prevent the label L from being unreasonably restrained by the front surface 515. Therefore, the curved portion La can be appropriately formed on the label L.

According to the test example of the inventors, when the label L made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and having a thickness of 20 μm is used, the circumference of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B is used. When the speed was 226 m / min, unlike the present embodiment, the label L held by the label relay portion 51 having no rear surface 516 had a behavior that both ends in the radial direction were broken. On the other hand, according to the label relay unit 51 of the present embodiment, both ends of the label L in the radial direction were not broken even under the same conditions. According to the tests by the inventors, when the peripheral speed of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B is 200 m / min or more and the thickness of the label L made of PET is 40 μm or less. It was confirmed that the rear surface 516 tends to have an effect of preventing breakage.

<Second Embodiment 1st Modification>
FIG. 16 shows a first modification of the label relay unit 51 according to the second embodiment. In this modification, the number of rear surfaces 516 is different from the above-mentioned example. In this example, the number of rear surfaces 516 provided on one relay suction rod 511 is one.

Also in this modification, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the label L by forming the curved portion La on the label L, which is preferable for speeding up the label mounting. Further, as can be understood from this modification, the number of the rear surface 516 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately set according to the vertical dimension and the radial dimension of the label L.

<Second Embodiment 2nd Modification>
FIG. 17 shows a second modification of the label relay unit 51 according to the second embodiment. In this modification, the shape of the front surface 515 sandwiched between the two rear surfaces 516 is different from the above-mentioned example. In this example, the front surface 515 is formed of a convex curved surface along the radial direction that gently bulges toward the downstream side of the transport path T. That is, the downstream portion of the transport path T of the relay suction rod 511 in this example has a wave shape composed of a plurality of front surfaces 515 and rear surfaces 516.

Also in this modification, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the label L by forming the curved portion La on the label L, which is preferable for speeding up the label mounting. Further, as can be understood from this modification, the shapes of the front surface 515 and the rear surface 516 are not particularly limited and can be appropriately set.

<Third Embodiment>
18 and 19 show a label relay unit 51 of the label mounting system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the relay suction rod 511 is formed with a high friction portion 518.

The high friction portion 518 is a portion for increasing the frictional force between the relay suction rod 511 and the label L. As shown in FIG. 19, in the illustrated example, the high friction portion 518 is provided by forming fine irregularities on the surface of the relay suction rod 511. The method for forming the high friction portion 518 composed of fine irregularities is not particularly limited, and shot blasting is used in this example.

In FIG. 18, the high friction portion 518 is provided in the hatched region, and the high friction portion 518 is provided in the entire downstream portion of the transport path T of the label relay portion 51. The region where the high friction portion 518 is provided is not particularly limited, and may be provided only on the front surface 515, may be provided only on the rear surface 516, or a part of the front surface 515 and one of the rear surfaces 516. It may be provided in the section.

According to such an embodiment, the frictional force between the relay suction rod 511 and the label L is enhanced by providing the high friction portion 518. Therefore, when the label relay unit 51 is moved while holding the label L, it is possible to prevent the label L from shifting with respect to the label relay unit 51 due to wind pressure or the like. Therefore, it is preferable to speed up label mounting.

<Third Embodiment First Modification Example>
FIG. 20 shows a first modification of the label relay unit 51 of the label mounting system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this modification, the high friction portion 518 is provided by forming a plurality of grooves in the relay suction rod 511. The plurality of grooves extend in a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Also, the plurality of grooves include those that are at right angles to each other. By forming such a plurality of grooves, the label relay portion 51 is provided with a high friction portion 518 made of fine irregularities. In this example, the high friction portion 518 is formed only on the front surface 515, not on the rear surface 516.

Even with such a modification, the frictional force between the relay suction rod 511 and the label L can be increased, and the label L can be prevented from being displaced with respect to the label relay portion 51. Further, as can be understood from this modification, the method of providing the high friction portion 518 is not particularly limited.

<Third Embodiment Second Modification Example>
FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view showing a second modification of the label relay unit 51 of the label mounting system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the high friction portion 518 is provided by coating the surface of the relay suction rod 511 with a material capable of improving the frictional force with the label L. Examples of the coating constituting the high friction portion 518 include a rubber coating. In the illustrated example, the front surface 515 is coated with rubber. In addition, unlike the illustrated example, the high friction portion 518 may be provided by applying a rubber coating to the rear surface 516.

Even with such a modification, the frictional force between the relay suction rod 511 and the label L can be increased, and the label L can be prevented from being displaced with respect to the label relay portion 51. Further, as can be understood from this modification, the specific configuration of the high friction portion 518 is not particularly limited.

<Fourth Embodiment>
22 and 23 show the label mounting device 3 and the label relay device 5 of the label mounting system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the label relay unit 51 of the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B of the label relay device 5 each has a plurality of relay suction rods 511 extending in the radial direction (horizontal direction). Further, the relay connecting portion 513 connects the radial inner ends of the plurality of relay suction rods 511 to each other. The position where the plurality of relay suction holes 512 are provided is not particularly limited, and in the present embodiment, the two relay suction rods 511 located below are provided in the seven relay suction rods 511. As shown in FIG. 22, also in this embodiment, the label relay unit 51 is configured to be able to pass between the pair of suction chambers 267A and 267B of the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B. ..

The label delivery section 321 of the present embodiment has a plurality of delivery suction rods 322 each extending in the radial direction (horizontal direction) corresponding to the label relay section 51 described above. Further, the delivery connecting portion 323 connects the radial inner ends of the plurality of delivery suction rods 322 to each other. The position where the plurality of delivery suction holes 322a are provided is not particularly limited, and in the present embodiment, the delivery suction rods 322 are provided on the lower two delivery suction rods 322. Further, in the illustrated example, a plurality of delivery suction holes 322a are also provided in the lower portion of the delivery connection portion 323 and in the vicinity of the upper end of the support portion 324.

When the label delivery section 321 and the label relay section 51 intersect, the plurality of delivery suction rods 322 and the plurality of relay suction rods 511 are arranged alternately in the vertical direction.

Even with such an embodiment, it is possible to increase the speed of label attachment. Further, since the plurality of relay suction rods 511 extend in the horizontal direction (diameter direction) and are arranged in the vertical direction, the label L sucked and held by the label relay portion 51 moves up and down due to wind pressure during transportation and the like. It is possible to prevent the shape from being deformed so as to have an arc shape in the directional view.

The label mounting system according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The specific configuration of each part of the label mounting system according to the present invention can be freely redesigned.

The label relay device 5 may have three or more label relay units by further having one or more label relay units in addition to the first label relay unit 50A and the second label relay unit 50B. good. Further, in this case, the label supply device 2 has three or more label supply mechanisms by further having one or more label supply mechanisms in addition to the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B. It may be a configuration. For example, a case where the label relay device 5 has a first label relay unit 50A, a second label relay unit 50B, and a third label relay unit 50C will be described. The third label relay unit 50C supplies the label L to the third label supply position α3 located on the upstream side of the transport path T with respect to the second label supply position α2. Further, in the first label supply process in this example, the third label supply position α3 and the second label supply position α2 are passed without supplying the label L from the third label relay unit 50C and the second label relay unit 50B. This is a process of supplying the label L from the first label relay unit 50A to the label delivery unit 321 at the first label supply position α1. In the second label supply process, the label L passes through the third label supply position α3 without being supplied from the third label relay unit 50C, and the label L is supplied from the second label relay unit 50B at the second label supply position α2. This is a process of passing the label delivery unit 321 through the first label supply position α1 without supplying the label L from the first label relay unit 50A. In the third label supply process, the label delivery unit 321 to which the label L is supplied from the third label relay unit 50C at the third label supply position α3 is supplied with the label L from the second label relay unit 50B and the first label relay unit 50A. This is a process of passing the second label supply position α2 and the first label supply position α1 without supplying the label. Further, in this example, the label supply device 2 has a third label supply mechanism 20C that supplies a label to the third label relay unit 50C in addition to the first label supply mechanism 20A and the second label supply mechanism 20B. You may. With such a configuration, the supply capacity of the label L can be further increased.

Claims (6)

A container supply device that supplies the container to the container supply position,
A label supply device that supplies a cylindrical label that is folded into a sheet, and a label supply device.
A label relay device that receives the label supplied from the label supply device and supplies the label to the label supply position.
An annular shape in which the container received at the container supply position is transported to the container carry-out position, and the label received at the label supply position is attached to the container between the container supply position and the container carry-out position. A rotary type label mounting device with a transport path,
A container unloading device for unloading the container with the label attached, which was received at the container unloading position, is provided.
The label mounting device has a plurality of label delivery units, each of which receives the label at the label supply position and orbits the transport path at intervals from each other.
The label relay device has a first label relay unit that supplies the label to the first label supply position and a second label supply position located upstream of the first label supply position in the transport path. Includes a second label relay unit, which supplies
The label is supplied from the first label relay unit to the label delivery unit that has passed through the second label supply position without supplying the label from the second label relay unit at the first label supply position. 1 label supply processing and
At the second label supply position, the label delivery unit to which the label is supplied from the second label relay unit passes through the first label supply position without supplying the label from the first label relay unit. 2 Label mounting system that performs label supply processing. Each of the first label relay unit and the second label relay unit has a plurality of labels each having a plurality of relay suction rods that move at intervals along an annular transport path and are arranged in parallel with each other. It has a relay part and
The label mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the label delivery section has a plurality of delivery suction rods that are alternately arranged with the plurality of relay suction rods when the label delivery section intersects with the label relay section. The plurality of relay suction rods and the plurality of delivery suction rods extend in the vertical direction.
The label relay unit has a relay connection unit that connects the lower ends of the plurality of relay suction rods.
The label mounting system according to claim 2, wherein the label delivery unit has a delivery connection unit that connects the upper ends of the plurality of delivery suction rods to each other. The plurality of relay suction rods are provided with a high friction portion on the downstream side of the transport path.
The labeling system according to claim 2 or 3. The label mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the high friction portion is formed of a surface treated into an uneven shape. The label supply device includes a first label supply mechanism for supplying the label to the first label relay unit and a second label supply mechanism for supplying the label to the second label relay unit. Or the label mounting system according to any one of 3.

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