MXPA01003887A - Method and apparatus for applying heat transfer labels onto objects - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus (11) for decorating an object (O) with a heat transfer label. In use, an infeed conveyor (27) delivers the object (O) into the turret (13). The turret (13) rotatably advances the object (O) to the transfer station (21) where the label transfer system (19) transfers the label onto the object (O). Upon completion of the decoration of the object (O), the turret (13) rotatably advances the labeled object (OL) to the post-treatment station (25). At the post-treatment station (25), the labeled object (OL) is inflated with air and the contact heater (23) is displaced laterally into selective contact with the labeled object (OL). Upon completion of the post-treatment of the labeled object (OL), the turret (13) rotatably advances the labeled object (OL) to an outfeed conveyor which delivers the labeled object (OL) away from the turret (13).

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ^ ^ HEAT TRANSFER SWITCHES ON OBJECTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for decorating items, and more particularly to an improved method and for applying labels on heat transfer device objects.

Heat transfer labels are well known in the art and are commonly applied on objects, such as bottles, containers and the like, to identify the particular product contained within the object. A type of heat transfer label which is well known and widely used in the art comprises a continuous roll having labels, such as a sheet of paper, a fixed wax release layer on a roll surface and a portion thereof. from transfer, or label, which is placed on the wax release layer. The transfer portion comprises a fixed protective layer on the wax release layer, and a fixed ink design layer on the protective layer and a layer of fixed adhesive on the protective layer. the ink design layer. : aa-S «i-ii¿s. - "s --- -» a «- * - * ~ - ~ - * -" ^ TwiiTpiiMiimitl ^ MlliilB ^ Heat transfer label decorators are well known and are commonly used in the art to apply the portion of transfer of heat transfer labels onto objects. 5 decorators heat transfer labels, also commonly referred to as decorator decorators systems typically comprise a turret to place the object sequentially in several stations application, a transfer system label to transfer a label from the roll continuous carrier on the desired article transfer station, an assembly transport roll sequentially placing the labels on the carrier roll in the transfer station and conveyors to feed items into the turret before labeling, and to remove items from the turret before labeling. The heat transfer label decorators typically also comprise a heater for Subsequent treatment of the labeled object, the heater is typically placed along the conveyor at a location located away from the turret and the label transfer system. ^ ^ ^ £, ^^ j ^ ^^^ £££ As an example of a label decorator heat transfer which is well known in the art, in Patent \ os 5,565,055 United States Number, described a method and system for decorating a 5 item open end, round, oval, regular with a label wrapped around, heat transfer, supported on a carrier roll. The system comprises a turret for placing the open end article in a transfer position. The turret comprises continuously rotating a mandrel and a motor, the motor is coupled to the mandrel to continuously drive the rotation of the mandrel. The rotary mandrel is sized appropriately and shaped to be inserted into the open end article through the open end thereof and to follow the circumferential contour of the inner surface of the open end article when the open end article engages and rotates around the rotating mandrel. The system also includes a feeding mechanism for placing 0 the label on the carrier roll in the transfer position, the surface velocity of the roll coinciding with that of the rotating mandrel. The system further includes a means for transferring a label from the carrier roll to the exterior of the article with the end 5 open, the label, during the transfer, presses the inner surface of the article with the open end in engagement with the rotary mandrel in such a manner as to cause the article with the open end to engage and rotate about the rotating mandrel. In this way, the surface velocity of the article in any given cross section thereof is kept constant and can be matched to the surface velocity of the carrier roll. The system further includes a conveyor means for feeding the open end article to the turret before labeling and for removing the open end article from the turret after labeling. When used, heat transfer label decorators typically perform three main application steps in order to properly apply the transfer portion, or label, of a heat transfer label on an object, such as a bottle or bottle. container. As a first step, the object to be decorated and the heat transfer label are preheated, this first step is often referred to in the art as the preconditioning step. The preconditioning is often completed using a preheater, a flame or a corona-type discharge which is located along the conveyor in a suitably spaced position from the turret. He preheating a heat transfer turret causes the wax layer to begin to peel off, whereby a weakened adhesion is generated between the transfer portion of the heat transfer label and the paper sheet. It should be noted that, after the preheating of the object to be decorated, the object is often properly oriented by a guiding mechanism before the second stage. As a second step, the heat transfer label is subjected to heat and the adhesive portion of the label is pressed and brought into contact with the object. Since the heat transfer label is subjected to heat, the wax layer continues to melt, thereby allowing the transfer portion of the heat transfer label to be transferred from the sheet of paper onto the object, this second stage it is often referred to in the art as the heat transfer application stage. It should be noted that the entire wax layer does not melt during the heat transfer application stage. Instead, a portion of the wax layer remains on the side of the transfer portion of the heat transfer label which is exposed to the environment. In this way, the wax layer has two main purposes. First, the layer ,. . ^^^. itf ^^^, ...._ ^. ,,. _ ^. '-.j ^ Mfffj ffffrfh f'- Tyyi wax allows the label to be transferred from the sheet of paper to the object. Second, a portion of the wax layer forms a transparent protective layer on the label. As a third stage, each object which has the transfer portion of the heat transfer label applied thereto, is subjected to heat by a heater at a position along the separated conveyor suitably away from the turret, this The third stage is often referred to in the art as the post-treatment stage. The post-treatment stage is carried out by subjecting the labeled object to high temperature gas jets either as a direct gas flame or as hot air jets to produce wax surface temperatures of about 300 ° F-400 ° F for a period of time sufficient to remelter the wax coating without substantially heating the article into which the label has been transferred. 20 The subsequent processing of a tagged object has a plurality of functions. First, the subsequent treatment of a labeled object serves to cure the transfer portion of the heat transfer label on the object to ensure a adequate adhesion. Second, the treatment After a tagged object also serves to remove air trapped between the label and the object, so that the label becomes more uniform and improves the overall aesthetics of the tagged object. Third, the subsequent treatment of a labeled object serves to remelter the wax coating on the label. The cooling of the wax coating that has been remelted by the use of ambient air or by forced cooling, the cooled wax layer solidifies to form a transparent, uniform and shiny protective coating over the label. As can be seen, it has been found that, before the post-treatment stage, the wax layer covers a poorly labeled object, which causes opacification on the label, which hurts significantly aesthetics of the label, which is highly undesirable. As indicated above, the post-treatment stage is often carried out by subjecting the labeled object to a direct gas flame, this process is often referred to in the art as flaming. The flaming process introduces two main drawbacks when applied to labeled objects which are constructed of thin-walled or temperature-sensitive materials. First, it has found that flaming thin-walled objects and sensitive to heat tends to distort or melt the object due to the heat sensitivity of the materials that are decorated. Secondly, it has been found that flaming thin-walled, heat-sensitive objects can generate stresses which can cause fractures in the labeled object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for applying a label on an object so as to provide a tagged object. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus as described above which subject it to subsequent treatment of the tagged object. Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus as described above which can be subjected to subsequent treatment a labeled object which is constructed of a thin-walled and temperature-sensitive material. Another additional objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus as described above which can be subjected to subsequent treatment a labeled object which is constructed of a material of • Thin wall, sensitive to temperature without distorting, melting or fracturing the object. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus as described above which requires a limited number of parts, which is easy to use and which is inexpensive to manufacture. In addition to the above and other objects that will be described or will become apparent in the following, an apparatus for applying a label on an object is provided in the following, the apparatus comprises a label transfer system for applying the label on the object in a transfer station to provide a labeled object, a contact heater for further treatment of the tagged object in a post treatment station, the contact heater is placed to make contact selectively with the tagged object, and a turret for making sequentially advance the tagged object from the transfer station to the post treatment station. The present invention is also directed to a post-treatment method of a labeled object, comprising the steps of holding the tagged object, and by selectively contacting the tagged object with a contact heater. ggg ^ g ^ g ^^ g ^^ Various other features and advantages will be apparent from the description that follows. In the description, reference is made to the annexed drawings which are part of it and in which it is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments for carrying out the invention. These modalities will be described in sufficient detail to allow a person skilled in the art to carry out the invention, it should be understood that others can be used. embodiments and that structural changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description therefore should not be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 15 SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein constitute part of this specification, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings where similar reference numbers represent similar parts: - Figure 1 is a schematic top view of an apparatus for decorating an object constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a mode of the contact heater shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the contact heater shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the contact heater shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the contact heater shown in Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the contact heater shown in Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown an apparatus for decorating an object constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the apparatus being identifies with the reference number 11. As »" * A-flfc-dfc * -? ~ - £ ~ * J ** A ^ **** - ^ -.-.- - ^^ -. I ^ - .. ^ - ~ ^ A ... The apparatus 11 can be used to apply a label supported on a continuous carrier roll on an object 0, such as a rounded container, so as to provide an object 0L 5 to be described in more detail in the following. The label is supported on a carrier roll to form a heat transfer label, the heat transfer labels are well known and commonly used in the art The apparatus 11 comprises a turret 13 for making sequentially advancing the object O before decorating and sequentially advancing the object 0L labeled after decoration, a guiding mechanism 15 for properly orienting the object O in an orientation station 17, a label transfer system 19 for applying a label from the carrier roll on the object O in a transfer station 21 so as to provide a labeled 0L object, a contact heater 23 for subsequent treatment of the labeled 0L object in the post-treatment station 25, a conveyor 27 feeder for supplying objects O in the turret 13 in the entrance station 29 and an exit conveyor 21 for removing labeled 0L objects away from the turret 13 in an exit station 33. As will be further discussed in detail in the following, the novelty of the present invention is based in the use of a contact heater 17 for subsequent treatment of the tagged object 0L, as well as the placement of the post-processing station 25 in the turret 13. The turret 13 comprises a fixed plate 35 having an upper surface 37 on the which object 0 is loaded into the input station 29. A wheel with triangular teeth 39 is fixedly mounted on a central arrow 41 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted on the plate 35 fixed. The central arrow 41 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) so as to rotate the wheel with triangular teeth 39 in relation to the fixed plate 35. In this way, the wheel with triangular teeth 39 rotatably advances the object O in a counterclockwise direction, as shown by arrow A in figure 1, from the entrance station 29 to the orienting station 17 and to the transfer station 21 and then advances the object 0L labeling from station 21 to the station 25 after the treatment and to the departure station 33. The fixed plate 35 includes an opening 43-1 in the orienting station 17, an opening 43-2 in the transfer station 21 and an opening 43-3 in the station 25 of subsequent treatment. The turret 13 also comprises a cup assembly 44-1 positioned within the opening 43-1, a cup assembly 44-2 positioned within the opening 43-2 and a cup assembly 44-3 positioned within the opening 43-3. The cup assemblies 44 are capable of rotary and vertical movement and are positioned so that the upper surface of each cup assembly 44 is coplanar with the upper surface 37 of the fixed plate 35 in the absence of a downward force in the mounting 44 of Cup. When used, the cup assemblies 44 serve to hold the object to be decorated in place during the associated application steps. The particular construction of the cup assemblies 44 are not critical to the novelty of the present invention and can consequently be replaced by an alternative retention means without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The turret 13 further comprises a nozzle 45-1 placed above the opening 43-1, a nozzle 45-2 positioned above the opening 43-2 and a nozzle 45-3 positioned above the opening 43-3. The nozzles 45 are positioned to project downwardly into the object to be decorated which in turn displaces the cup assemblies 44 below the surface 37 of the fixed plate 35. In this way, the nozzles 45 serve to hold the object to be decorated securely in place in the cup assemblies 44 and to provide air to the interior of the object to provide internal support for the object. It should be understood that the apparatus 11 is not limited to the use of nozzles 45. Rather, the nozzles 45 can be replaced with an alternative support means, such as mandrels, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The label transfer system 19 is located in the transfer station 21 and serves to apply a single label placed on the carrier roll on the object 0 so as to provide a labeled 0L object. The label transfer system 19 comprises a heatable plate 47 which can be heated and a rubber label transfer roller 49 which can be moved translationally towards and away from the object to be decorated. It should be understood that the particular construction of the label transfer system 19 does not serve as a main feature of the present invention and can consequently be represented by any label transfer system which are well known in the art. The apparatus 11 further comprises a roll transport system 50 for delivery of the label roll in position between the label transfer system 19 and the object O. It should be noted that the particular construction of the transport system 50 Roll does not serve as a main feature of the present invention and consequently, it can be represented by any network transport system which is well known in the art. For example, the roll transport system 50 may be a label carrying roll transport system with an electro-optical detection system for the label of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,452,659 to Geurtsen et al. which is incorporated in the present as reference. The orienting mechanism 15 is placed in the orienting station 17 and serves to properly orient the object 0 before the object 0 advances to the transfer station 21 for decoration. Must be to note that the particular construction of a guiding mechanism 15 does not serve as a main feature of the present invention and, consequently, the guiding mechanism 15 represents any guiding mechanism which is well known in the art. It must also be done Note that the proper orientation of the object O before advancing to the transfer station 21 for decoration is not required in certain applications. As a result, the guiding mechanism 15 and the guiding station 17 can be eliminated from the apparatus 11 without departing from the spirit of the present invention. gg ^^ gg ^ ^, ^ I ~ ... ^^. ^^ - -? íf r ^ .gfßáiM ^^^ The feed conveyor 27 and the output conveyor 31 can be in the form of standard conveyor belts. However, it should be understood that the conveyors 27 and 31 may be against the alternative transportation means without departing from the spirit of the present invention. As can be appreciated, the novelty of the present invention is based on the implementation and construction of a contact heater 23 for selectively contacting the tagged object 0L for post-treatment purposes as well as the placement of a post-processing station 21 in the turret 13, instead of being an output conveyor 31 along, so that the overall size of the apparatus 11 is reduced. It should be noted that the contact heater 23 represents any heating mechanism which is placed to make contact selectively labeled the 0L object for post-treatment purposes. Preferably, the contact heater 23 can be moved in contact or without contact with the labeled object 0L, as represented by the arrow B in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a first embodiment of a heater 23-1 is shown here. of contact for subsequent treatment of the labeled 0L object. The contact heater 23-1 comprises a roller 51 - - • - »* - > * ~ - "- * - ~ * * - Tj ÉJjr * 1" "- ~ * - ~~ * • - ^ - - - * conductor, rotationally driven and a heating element 53 placed inside roller 51. When If used, the heating element 53 heats the roller 51 to a temperature sufficient to label the object 0L after the treatment without spreading, distorting or otherwise damaging the labeled object 0L, which is an object of the present invention. In Figure 3 a second mode of a contact heater 23-2 for a label is shown after the treatment of the 0L object. Upon contacting heater 23-2 comprising a rotating driven roller 55 which is placed between a pair of thermal radiators 57, each thermal radiator 57 has a heating element 59 placed therein. When is used, the heating elements 59 heat the thermal radiators 57 which in turn heats the conductive roller 55 to a temperature sufficient to subsequently treat the labeled object 0L, without melting, distorting or otherwise damaging an object 0L labeled. In Figure 4 a third embodiment of a contact heater 23-3 is shown for subsequent labeling of the 0L object. The contact heater 23-3 comprises a heated thick plate 61 internally and a steel transfer roll 63 is H > | jSjj ^^ aaagi ». | jg¡¡ ^ ^ H ^^^^ gg ^^^^^^^^^^^ placed in close proximity to the thick plate 61. When using the thick plate 61 it is heated which in turn heats the roller 63 of steel transfer at a temperature sufficient to label in a step 5 subsequent to treatment the 0L object without melting distort or otherwise damage the labeled 0L object. In Figure 5, a fourth mode of a contact heater 23-4 for treatment is shown posterior of the labeled 0L object. The contact with the heater 23-4 comprises an internally heated plate 65 and a plurality of steel transfer rollers 67 positioned in close proximity to the thick plate 65. When used, the thick plate 65 heats up which in turn heats the steel transfer rollers 67 to a temperature sufficient to subject the labeled 0L object to subsequent treatment, without melting, distorting or otherwise damaging the labeled 0L object. It should be noted that rollers 51, 55, 63 and 67 may be engraved to create a texture on the labeled 0L object. Furthermore, it should be noted that the rollers 51, 55, 63 and 67 can be contoured to fit the surface of the labeled 0L object. Further, it should be noted that rollers 51, 55, 63 and 67 are they can be coated with a non-sticky material (ie, TEFLON) to avoid possible label transfer or contamination from the labeled 0L object. In Figure 6, a fifth mode 5 of a heater 23-5 is shown by contact, for subsequent treatment of the labeled 0L object. The contact heater 23-5 comprises an internally heated pad 69 having an edge 71. When used, the pad 69 is heated and the edge 71 is drawn against the object 0L labeled in a manner to the type of juicer roller for further effective treatment to the 0L object without melting, distorting or otherwise damaging the labeled 0L object. To decorate an object with a label of heat transfer using the apparatus 11, one first places the object 0 to be decorated on the feeder conveyor 27 and feeds a roll that transports the labels through the label transfer system 50. As an optional stage, the The object O and the roll of heat transfer labels can be preconditioned or heated to a temperature in the approximate range of 200 ° -400 ° F whereby the wax layer of the heat transfer label is caused to start merge. Once the device 11 is active, the feeder conveyor 27 advances towards the object O in an entrance station 29 and on the upper surface 37 of the fixed plate 35, as represented by the arrow C in figure 1. The wheel with triangular teeth 39 driven by motor rotatably advances the object O in an orienting station 17, wherein the orienting mechanism 15 appropriately orientates the object 0 for decoration. The triangular-toothed wheel 39 then rotatably advances an appropriately oriented object O and a rotating cup assembly 44-2 in the transfer station 21. The nozzle 45-2 protrudes downwardly into the object O, pushes the cup assembly 44-2 downwardly below the fixed plate 37 and inflates the object O with air, thereby providing an O-object with an internal support and external. The roll of heat transfer labels are passed over an internally heated thick plate 47 and the transfer roller 49 moves translationally towards the object O and passes through a label of the network in contact with an object O, which is made rotate through cup assembly 44-2. Upon completion of the label transfer, the nozzle 45-2 retracts and the triangular tooth wheel 39 rotatably advances the labeled object 0L on a rotating cup assembly 44-3 in the post treatment station 25.

With a labeled 0L object advancing on the post treatment station 25, the nozzle 45-3 protrudes downwardly into an object 0, pushes the cup assembly 44-3 forward below the fixed plate 37 and. ventilates object O with air, so it provides an OR object with internal and external support. The contact heater 23 then moves translationally towards and selectively contact objects labeled with 0L, the heat produced by the heater 23 Contact 10 allows the labeling of the 0L object to be subsequently and effectively treated. Upon completion of the post-treatment process, the nozzle 45-3 retracts and the triangular-tooth wheel 39 progresses rotatably labeled to the 0L object to the service station 33 at where the output conveyor 31 moves the labeled object 0L and from the turret 13, as represented by the arrows D in Figure 1. The embodiments shown in the present invention are intended to be exemplary only and Those skilled in the art will be able to make numerous variations and modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The entirety of such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as is defined in the appended claims.

Claims (22)

1. An apparatus for applying a label on an object, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: (a) a label transfer system for applying the label on the object in a transfer station to provide a labeled object, (b) a heater of contact for subsequent treatment of the object labeled in a later station 10 to the treatment, the contact heater is placed to make contact selectively with the tagged object, and (c) a turret for sequentially advancing the tagged object from the transfer station to the post treatment station.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a conductive roller which heats internally.

The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a conductive roller and a heating element placed inside the conductive roller. 25

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact heater comprises an externally heated conductive roller.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a thermal radiator and a conductive roller placed in close proximity to the radiator 10 thermal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a thick plate and a conductive roller 15 placed in close proximity to the thick plate.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a thick plate and a plurality of 20 conductive rollers placed in close proximity to the thick plate.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the heater of The contact comprises the contact heater comprising a heated pad.

9. A method for further treatment of a tagged object, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: (a) supporting the tagged object, and (b) selectively contacting the tagged item with a contact heater.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the step of supporting the tagged object is carried out using a nozzle and a cup assembly.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the nozzle injects air into the interior of the labeled object.

12. An apparatus for applying a label on an object, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: (a) a label transfer system for applying the label on the object so as to provide a labeled object, and i ** - **.? ** »** * - £ *****» (b) a contact heater for subsequent treatment of the labeled object, the contact heater is placed to make contact selectively with the labeled object .

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a conductive roller which is heated internally.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a conductive roller and a heating element placed inside the conductive roller.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact heater comprises an externally heated conductive roller.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a thermal radiator and a conductive roller placed in close proximity to the radiator. 25 thermal.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a thick plate and a conductive roller placed in close proximity to the thick plate.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a thick plate and a plurality of conductive rollers placed in close proximity to the 10 thick plate.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact heater comprises a heated pad.

20. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that it also includes a means for holding the labeled object during the subsequent treatment.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the means for supporting the. Labeling object includes a nozzle to introduce air into the interior of the labeled object. 25

22. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the means for supporting the tagged object includes a mandrel. & "É É *** - * ******* *" «*? | fej j ^ gj? Jto ^ -? t **. ^ .--. *******