MXPA99011384A - Labeling machine with radial motion turret - Google Patents

Abstract

A labeling machine (10) for labeling a plurality of containers (12) is disclosed. The labeling machine (10) includes a loading mechanism (14) that sequentially receives containers (12) and discharges containers (12) in a spaced relationship. A star wheel (16) has a plurality of receptacles (18) disposed about the periphery ofthe star wheel (16), and is rotatable around an axis of rotation (20). The star wheel (16) sequentially receives containers (12) from the loading mechanism (14). The receptacles (18) are pivotally secured to the star wheel (16) for limited radial and pivotal movement. A label dispenser including a label holder (32) is disposed adjacent the periphery of the star wheel (16). Each container (12) is fed by the loading mechanism (14) to one of the receptacles (18) that grips the containers (12) as it is rotated around the star wheel (16) until it reaches a pick-up point where the container (12) contacts the adherent side (50) of the label (33)causing the label (33) to adhere to the container (12).

Description

LABELING MACHINE WITH REVOLVER TOOL HOLDER RADIAL MOVEMENT Field of the art The present invention relates to container labeling machines.

Background In order to label containers, different labeling systems have been developed. For example, pressure-sensitive labels, roll-fed labels and labels fed from a reservoir can be applied together with adhesives or solvents to apply labels to a wide range of containers including glass bottles, cans, plastic containers and composite laminated containers. Pressure-sensitive labels are often provided with a continuous support that is used to protect the pre-applied adhesive layer on the back of the label and prevents the label from adhering to other labels before the application of the label sensitive to the Pressure. When labeling with this type of label it is necessary to handle both the label and the continuous support.

In general, pressure sensitive labels are formed of material for the relatively thick label which can be extended in an unsupported form with a labeling machine to adhere to a container as it passes through the label. Direct contact between the label and the support is necessary throughout the labeling process 5 until the label is applied to the container. When the label is extended to adhere to the container, problems arise with lack of label control. This disadvantage is often compensated by performing the labeling operation at low speeds, for example, 100 containers per minute. Pressure sensitive labels are the label of choice when it is necessary to label curved containers such as shampoo bottles, cleaning supplies, laundry products and the like. Prior to the present invention, it has It has been difficult to label curved (non-cylindrical) containers using roll-fed labels or labels fed in tanks that have a leading and trailing edge or other gluing patterns. Labels fed on rolls and labels tank-fed are very suitable for application to cylindrical containers that require a label in partial or complete wrapping. Straight labeling machines and revolver style machines have been developed to apply labels to cylindrical containers at high speeds, Wherein the containers are rotated by passing through a mechanism for the application of the label such as a vacuum tank or drum that supports the label during the transfer process thereof. Oblong, oval or other non-cylindrical containers are difficult to handle in roller labellers and complicate the construction of revolver style labellers. These and other disadvantages and problems associated with the prior art labeling systems are solved by the applicant's invention as summarized below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION • An object of the invention is to provide an effective cost system for labeling curved, non-cylindrical containers with pressure sensitive labels or applied with adhesive using labels fed in roll or in deposit. Another object of the invention is to provide a labeling system that achieves complete contact between the label and the container that is being labeled through the label transfer process. It is also an object of the invention to provide a simplified machine design that is flexible in that it can be adapted to label a wide range of container shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a labeling system where new pressure sensitive label materials can be used that do not require support. The invention can also use pressure sensitive labels having support material, if required. It is also an object of the invention to provide a labeling system that extends labeling alternatives and frees container designers to develop attractive new forms of containers. An object of the invention is to provide a labeling system that can operate at higher speeds, exceeding 300 containers per minute and at the same time apply pressure sensitive labels or labels applied with adhesive in containers with curved, non-cylindrical surfaces. In accordance with the present invention, a labeling machine for labeling a plurality of containers is provided wherein a loading mechanism sequentially receives containers and unloads containers in a separate relationship. A star wheel with a plurality of receptacles positioned around the periphery of the star wheel is rotated about an axis of rotation. The star wheel receives in sequential form containers of the loading mechanism and the receptacles that are secured to the star wheel for radial movement and limited pivoting. The receptacles have a rear front end relative to the direction of rotation of the star wheel. A label dispenser is provided having a label carrier positioned adjacent the periphery of the star wheel to hold the label to be applied to one of the containers. The label has a decorated side facing the dispenser and an adhesive side facing the star wheel. Each container is fed by a loading mechanism to one of the receptacles that holds the container as it rotates around the star wheel until it reaches a collection point where the container contacts the adhesive side of the label making it the same. Adhere to the container. The front end and the rear end of each receptacle alternately extends in the radial direction and folds radially to adjust the changes in the curved surface of the container relative to the axis of rotation of the star wheel as the star wheel rotates the passing container by the label dispenser.

According to another aspect of the invention, the above labeling machine can characterize receptacles that rotate the container in a curved path that does not coincide with or is related to the curved path that the container follows as it revolves around the star wheel. The receptacles hold the container against the label from the collection site to a release point where the label is completely secured to the container and released from the label dispenser. According to the present invention, the loading mechanism may be a stereotail wheel, a feed screw or an accumulator conveyor with a flow gate. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a star wheel with a cam and cam roller unit which controls the radial and pivotal movement of the receptacles. According to another aspect of the invention, the star wheel of the labeling machine described above can have a cam and two cam roller units operatively associated with the star wheel that controls the pivoting and radial movement of the receptacles in a manner Independent . Otherwise, the receptacles may be secured to the star wheel by pneumatic actuators or servomotors to control the radial pivoting movement of the receptacles. According to another aspect of the invention, the labeling machine described above can be provided with a label dispenser having a stacked label cutting and applicator head, a die cutter anvil, a pressure sensitive label applicator head. adapted to detach the continuous support, or a printing wheel adapted to print directly on the container as it is retained in one of the receptacles of the star wheel. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood with a review of the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a labeling machine with a radial movement revolver made in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a top, fragmentary plan view of a revolver with radial movement made in accordance with the present invention; and FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view showing five stages of the label transfer operation.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring now to Figure 1, the labeling machine 10 of the present invention is shown ready to label the containers 12. The containers 12 are picked up by a loading mechanism 14 consisting of a star wheel of charge that feeds the containers when revolver with radial movement 16 that can also be mentioned as a star wheel. The revolver with radial movement 16 is provided with a plurality of receptacles 18. The receptacles 18 can be pivotally movable and can be extendable and retractable in the radial direction. The revolver with radial movement 16 has an axis of rotation 20. The receptacles 18 are secured by a pivot pin 22 which allows the receptacles 18 to be pivotally mounted relative to the revolver with radial movement 16. The receptacles 18 each one has a front end 24 and a rear end 26 which are defined relative to the direction of rotation shown by the arrow 28 of the revolver with radial movement 16. The labels are applied by a die cutter 30 as shown in the Figure 1. The invention can also be practiced using a pressure sensitive label applicator head, a stacking and stacking labeling tank, a roll fed label having a vacuum drum, or incorporating a printer that prints directly onto the container. The anvil 32 of the die cutter 30 also acts as a label holder holding a label 33. Equivalent label holders may include vacuum cylinders, label deposits and printheads.

After labeling, the revolver with radial movement 16 rotates until the container arrives at a discharge guide rail 34 that separates the containers 12 from the revolver with radial movement 16 and allows them to be fed to the discharge conveyor 36. The containers are fed to the labeling machine 10 by a feeder or feed conveyor 38. In Figure 1, the described loading mechanism is a star wheel 14. However, it is also possible to use a feeder screw or an accumulator conveyor with a flow gate that be able to provide a container at a time to the receptacles 18 in the revolver with radial movement 16. As shown in Figure 1, a roll of labels 40 is provided so that the labels can be supplied in a simple manner and with a cost effective in roll form. The material of the roll-fed label can be pressure-sensitive label material that includes a backing or can be an un-coated pressure-sensitive label such as Cenex Monoweb which is available from CCL Label of Sioux Falls, Dakota from the south. Cenex Monoweb material is a preferred pressure sensitive material because more labels can be provided per roll due to the omission of support material. Also, the cost savings associated with the removal of the support material can be significant with larger label sizes. By providing more labels per roll, more time can be available between roll changes due to efficiencies in the operation of the machine. From the label roll 40 a continuous material of labels 42 is taken out by means of the feeder roller 44 and is fed to the die cutter 30. The labels can be provided to the label applicator in a pre-cut form or can be cut by the die cutter. 30 just before the application. The remains of the skeleton label are shown at 46 as they are removed from the die cutter 30 if collected on the roll 48. The continuous support of the material of the pressure sensitive labels could be removed from the applicator and collected on the roller 48. The label 33 has an adhesive side 50 and a decorated side 52. The adherent side 50 may be completely coated with pressure sensitive adhesive or may be partially or completely covered with a hot melt adhesive or solvent material which returns the label 33 adhesive so that it can be picked up by the container 12 as it passes the anvil 32 or other label holder while it is in the revolver with radial movement 16. Now with reference to Figure 2, the structure of the revolver with radial movement 16 will be described in more detail. The receptacles 18 are supported on the periphery of the revolver with radial movement 16 in a pivotable relation on the pivot pin 22. A rocker or exhaust cam 54 is secured to the receptacle 18 and the cam roller connecting the rod 56 by means of a pivot connector 58. The rocker 54 causes the receptacle 18 to rotate the receptacle 18 around the pivot 22. The pivotal movement of the receptacle for an oblong container with curved surface for labeling will be described below as an example with reference to the Figure 3.

The connecting rod of the cam roller 56 interconnects the bialancín 54 with the cam roller 60. The cam roller 60 has a bearing 62 that rotatably engages the cam 64. The cam 64 is held in place by retention springs 66 The retaining springs 66 interconnect the retaining rings 68 on the revolver with radial movement 16 and the retaining rings 70 on the cam roller 60. The receptacles 18 are connected by pivot pin 22 to the connecting rod of the cam roller. 72. Connector rod of cam roller 72 moves receptacles 18 radially inwardly and outwardly based on the trajectory of movement dictated by the cam 64. The cam roller 74 has a bearing 76 which would rotatably engage the cam 64. The cam roller 74 is connected by latching springs 78. to the retaining rings 80 in the revolver with radial movement 16 and the retaining ring 82 in the cam roller 74. The containers 12 are retained in the revolver with radial movement 16 preferably by means of vacuum. The vacuum is supplied through the vacuum inlets 84 formed in the receptacles 18. A flexible vacuum hose 86 interconnects the vacuum inlets 84 to a vacuum ring 88. The vacuum ring 88 is connected to a vacuum source ( it is not shown). The vacuum in the vacuum ring 88 is communicated by the flexible vacuum hose 86 to the vacuum inlets 84 which are used to hold so that the containers 12 can be released into the receptacles 18. Instead of, or in conjunction with a vacuum retention system, a friction clamping layer 90 can be provided in the receptacles 18. A suitable friction clamping layer would be an elastomeric material that is resilient so that, when a container 12 is forced to receptacle 18, the friction-holding layer 90 compresses and then holds the container 12. Now with reference to Figure 3, "the movement of the container 12 on the star wheel 16 through the clutch with the anvil 32 is shown in five stages identified by reference numerals 12a-12e The front edge of the label or collection site is identified by the reference numerals 92a-92e as it progresses through the labeling cycle.The end of the label or release point is identified by the reference numerals 94a-94e, when the container is in the position shown as 12a, the labeling edge of the label is at 92a which is the lug At this point, the container is held by the receptacle 18 so that the receptacle is at its maximum extension point on the connecting rod of the cam roller 72 relative to the revolver with radial movement 16. The rocker 54 is positioned by the connecting rod of the cam roller 56 so that the rear end 26 of the receptacle is at a maximum extension while the front end 24 is retracted. The labeling process continues through the position shown in 12b, wherein the cam roller connecting rod retracts the receptacle 18 while the rocker 54 is rotating the receptacle 18 so that the rear end is less extended and the Front end begins to extend radially outward. In the position shown in 12c, the connecting rod of the cam roller 72 is in its position of minimum radial extension and the rocker 54 maintains the receptacle 18 with the front end 24 and the rear end 26 extended at a substantially equal distance.

Following the position shown by the container at 12d, the connecting rod of the cam roller 72 again extends radially outward, while the front end 24 of the receptacle 18 extends radially. Lastly, in the position shown in 12e, the cam roller connecting rod 72 extends the receptacles 18 to the maximum extension, while the rocker 54 rotates the receptacle 18 so that the front end 24 is at its maximum radial extent , while the rear end is rotated towards the revolver with radial movement 16. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the "radial extension and pivoting movement of the receptacles 18 can be controlled by one or more cams in order to provide control of the placement of the containers 12 relative to the anvil 32. The objective of providing constant contact between the label 33 and the container 12 is achieved with a simple cam mechanism and cam roller which can be precisely synchronized and coordinated with the label application process In theory, the container 12 can be controlled to maintain tangential perpendicularity between the surface ie of the container and the surface of the anvil, although the two surfaces are in different arcs. As will be readily appreciated, the container axis moves radially in the described manner, but can also be maintained in a fixed relationship, depending on the configuration of the container. The present invention has been described with respect to the previous preferred embodiment. The aforementioned description should be read as an example of the best way to practice the invention, but it should not be read in a limiting sense. The broad scope of the applicant's invention should be considered with reference to the following claims.

Claims (9)

1. A labeling machine for labeling a plurality of containers comprises: a loading mechanism that sequentially receives containers and unloads containers in a separate relationship; a star wheel having a plurality of receptacles positioned around the periphery of the sprocket, the sprocket being rotatable about an axis of rotation, the star wheel receiving in sequence the containers from the loading mechanism, the receptacles being secured to the star wheel for radial and limited pivot movement, the receptacles having a front end and a rear end relative to the direction of rotation of the star wheel; a label dispenser with a label holder positioned adjacent the periphery of the star wheel to hold a label to be applied to one of the containers, the label having a decorated side facing the dispenser and an adhesive side facing the wheel starry wherein each container is fed by the loading mechanism to one of the receptacles holding the container as it is rotated around the star wheel until it reaches a collection point where the container contacts the adhesive side of the label by causing the same to adhere to the container, the front end and the rear end of the receptacle alternately extend in the radial direction and retract in the radial direction to adjust the changes in the curved surface of the container relative to the axis of rotation of the container. star wheel as the star wheel rotates the container beyond the label dispenser.

The labeling machine of claim 1, wherein the receptacles rotate in a curved direction the container in a curved path that does not coincide with the curved path that the container follows as it rotates around the star wheel to hold the container against the label from the collection point to a release point where the label is completely secured to the container and released from the label dispenser.

3. The labeling machine of claim 1, wherein the loading mechanism is a starry loading wheel.

4. The labeling machine of claim 1, wherein the star wheel has a cam and cam roller unit operably associated with the star wheel that controls the radial and pivotal movement of the receptacles.

5. The labeling machine of claim 1, wherein the label dispenser is a die cutter that rotates the label as the container is moved by the star wheel past the die cutter.

6. The labeling machine of claim 1, wherein the label dispenser is a pressure sensitive label applicator head.

The labeling machine of claim 1, wherein the receptacles have vacuum inlets to temporarily secure the container within the receptacle.

8. The labeling machine of claim 1, wherein the receptacles are provided with a layer of material that holds the container by friction within the receptacle.

9. A labeling machine for labeling a plurality of containers, comprises: a feed conveyor that feeds the containers to the labeling machine; a crashed loading wheel that sequentially receives the containers from the advance conveyor and unloads the containers in a separate relationship; a revolver with a plurality of receptacles located around the periphery of the revolver, the revolving revolver being around an axis of rotation, the revolver receiving in sequence the containers from the starry loading wheel, the receptacles being secured by a pivot pin to a cam roller connecting rod having a cam roller which is adapted to follow a cam which is secured in revolving, the receptacles each having a front end and a rear end relative to the direction of rotation of the star wheel; a plurality of rockers each being secured to one of the receptacles and a cam roller by a cam roller connecting rod, the cam roller being adapted to follow the cam which is secured in the stir, the rockers pivoting the receptacles in a limited curve trajectory around the pivot pin; a label dispenser having a cylindrical support of the label placed adjacent the periphery of the star wheel to hold a label to be applied to one of the containers, the label having a decorated side facing the dispenser and an adhesive side facing to the starry wheel; wherein each container is fed by the starry loading wheel to one of the receptacles holding the container as it rotates around the star wheel until it reaches a collection point where the container contacts the adhesive side of the label making that the same adhere to the container, the front end of the receptacle pivoting towards the revolver before picking up the label and the rear end of the receptacle pivoting towards the revolver during the application operation of the label until the label is released from the label dispenser to adjust the changes in a curved surface of the container relative to the rotation axis of the revolver as the revolver rotates the container beyond the label dispenser.