WO1998014375A1

WO1998014375A1 - Labelling apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1998014375A1
Application number: PCT/AU1997/000655
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Johan Baumli
Original assignee: Impresstik Machinery Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1996-10-03
Filing date: 1997-10-01
Publication date: 1998-04-09
Also published as: AU4371997A

Abstract

A labelling apparatus is disclosed for applying self-adhesive labels to label receiving surfaces of a bottle. The apparatus includes a conveyor means for transferring bottles through a label applying station and means for dispensing body labels onto a first vacuum belt transport means which passes through the label applying station, with the adhesive face of the labels facing outwardly. A pad causes the bottle to contact with the adhesive face of a first label to adhere the first body label to a first location on the body of the bottle and causes rotation of the bottle in a first direction about its axis so as to wrap the body label onto the body of the bottle. Means for partially applying a neck label to the neck of the bottle while continuing to rotate the bottle in the same first direction are also provided together with endless belt means for subsequently rotating the bottle in an opposite, counter, direction to the first direction whilst continuing to convey the bottle along the conveying means, and for applying pressure to the neck label to complete the application of the neck label to the neck of the bottle.

Description

LABELLING APPARATUS Field of Invention

This invention relates to a labelling apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of applying self-adhesive neck labels to bottles and the like, in an automated labelling apparatus. Background of the Invention

Labelling of bottles and containers is often carried out by machines such as the wine bottle labeller disclosed in US patent No 4314869. The specification of that patent describes a labelling machine in which self adhesive labels, for application to a label receiving surface of the body of a wine bottle, are carried on an elongate backing strip, or web. of release paper. As is well known in the art, the labels are transported to a peeler bar which removes the labels from the release paper and dispenses them onto a vacuum transport belt with the "front" faces of the labels held against the belt and the rear adhesive faces of the labels facing outwardly from the vacuum transport belt. The labels are then transferred to a label applying station by the vacuum transport belt and wrapped onto the appropriate label receiving surfaces of wine bottles which are carried past the label applying station on a conveyor. As well as having a label applied to the body of the wine bottle, labels are often applied to the neck of a wine bottle, particularly for more upmarket brands of wine. This can also be done by machine, though not by a machine of the type shown in US 4314869. Machines of the type shown in US 4314869 are not used to apply neck labels to wine bottles for two reasons.

First, although the body of a wine bottle tends to define a generally regular, even, cylindrical surface to which it is easy to apply a label, the neck of a wine bottle is usually tapered, or conical and this is more difficult to label accurately. If neck labels were applied by a machine of the type shown in US 4314869 in which one end of the label is applied to the bottle and then the bottle is rotated to wrap the rest of the label on to the bottle, the conical shape of the neck would tend to cause the neck label to twist and form a helix around the neck of the bottle rather than a desired generally annular band. Secondly, body labels for wine bottles tend to be approximately as deep as they are long (i.e. they extend along the longitudinal axis of the wine bottle from the base to the neck approximately as far as they extend around the circumference of the wine bottle). Slight misalignment of a body label is not too obvious and does not present a serious problem. However, neck labels tend to be long but not very deep. Any inaccuracy in alignment of the neck label would be magnified by the labelling process because of the length of the label compared to its depth.

Consequently, whilst the body labels of wine bottles are applied in a continuous "on line" machine such as disclosed in US 4314869. neck labels are applied "off line", usually by a separate machine known as a "rotary carousel machine". Bottles are transferred off the production line onto such a rotary carousel machine which includes a rotating circular carousel. Each bottle sits on a separate circular turntable disposed one after another around the circumference of the carousel. Each turntable can rotate about its own centre. The machine applies the center of the neck label to the neck of a wine bottle, rotates the wine bottle approximately 90° in one direction to seal one half of the neck label to the bottle, then rotates the wine bottle through about 180° in the opposite direction to seal the other half of the label to the bottle. This is carried out as the wine bottle and its associated turntable travel around the circumference of the carousel. The bottle is then transferred back to the production line.

Whilst rotary carousel machines operate perfectly satisfactorily in applying neck labels to bottles they have two major drawbacks. First, rotary carousel machines are complicated and. consequently, expensive. They cost in the region of $150,000 to $200,000 which is additional to the cost of the body label applying apparatus. Secondly, the neck labelling process operates off-line of the main labelling process, which is disadvantageous in terms of efficiency. Object of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to alleviate the abovementioned problems and disadvantages of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

Thus, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided: a method for applying a label to a label receiving surface of an article, said method comprising: conveying articles to be labelled through a label applying station on a conveyor means, each of the articles having at least one label receiving surface: providing at least one label with the label having an adhesive face and an information carrying face adapted to have information thereon: contacting a first of the articles at the labelling station with the adhesive face of the label to adhere the first label to a label receiving location on the label receiving surface of the first article. rotating the first article in a first direction whilst still transporting the article along the conveyor means: and after the article has travelled a predetermined distance along the conveyor means, rotating the article in the opposite direction to the first direction of rotation, to complete the application of the second label onto the label receiving surface. In a related aspect there is provided: a method for applying a plurality of labels to a label receiving surface of an article, said method comprising: conveying articles to be labelled through a label applying station each of the articles having at least two label receiving surfaces: providing labels with each of the labels having an adhesive face and an information carrying face adapted to have information thereon: dispensing a first of the labels onto a first vacuum transport means with the adhesive face of the first label facing outwardly: transporting the first label to the label applying station with the vacuum belt transport means: contacting a first of the articles at the labelling station with the adhesive face of the first label on the vacuum transport means to adhere the first label to a first location on the label receiving surface of the first article, and rotating the first article in a first direction whilst still transporting the article along the conveyor means: applying a second label to a second label receiving area of the article while continuing to rotate the article in the same first direction as and whilst continuing to convey the article along conveyor means: and then rotating the article in the opposite, counter, direction to the first direction of rotation to complete the application of the second label onto the second label receiving surface while continuing to convey the article along the conveyor means.

In a preferred embodiment the article is rotated in the first direction by means of a first endless belt means disposed on one side of the conveyor means. The first belt means rotates at a greater linear speed than the conveyor. The article is rotated in the opposite direction by means of a second endless belt means disposed on the opposite side of the conveyor means to the first endless belt means. The second endless belt means rotates at a greater linear speed than the conveyor means, and in the opposite sense to the first endless belt means.

Typically, the article will be a bottle and the second label receiving area will be the neck of the bottle.

The step of rotating the article in the first direction may rotate the article through 90° to 180° The step rotating the article in the counter direction may also rotate the article through 90 to 180°.

Preferably, the second, or neck, label defines a central area and that central area is first applied to the neck of the bottle.

Typically, the second label will be contacted with the neck of the bottle before the first label is fully applied.

In a further related aspect, the invention provides a labelling apparatus for applying a self-adhesive label to a label receiving surfaces of an article, the apparatus including: a conveyor means for transferring articles through a label applying station: means for contacting a first of the articles at the label applying station with the adhesive face of a label to adhere the label to a label receiving location on the article: first means for rotating the article in a first direction about its axis so as to partly wrap the label onto the article: second means for subsequently rotating the article in an opposite, counter, direction to the first direction whilst continuing to convey the article along the conveying means: and means for applying pressure to the second label to complete the application of the second label to the neck. The invention also provides, in further related aspect, a labelling apparatus for applying self-adhesive labels to label receiving surfaces of a bottle, the apparatus including: a conveyor means for transferring bottles through a label applying station: means for dispensing body labels onto a first vacuum belt transport means passing through the label applying station with the adhesive face of the labels facing outwardly: means for contacting a first of the bottles at the label applying station with the adhesive face of a first body label to adhere the first body label to a first location on the body of the bottle: means for rotating the bottle in a first direction about its axis so as to wrap the body label onto the body of the bottle: means for partially applying a neck label to the neck of the bottle while continuing to rotate the bottle in the same first direction: and second means for subsequently rotating the bottle in an opposite, counter, direction to the first direction whilst continuing to convey the bottle along the conveying means: and means for applying pressure to complete the application of the neck label to the neck. Preferably, the linear velocity of the vacuum belt transport means is greater than the linear velocity of the conveyor and forcing of the bottle against the vacuum belt transport means by a pad causes the bottle to rotate in the first direction.

It is preferred that means for rotating the bottle in the second. opposite direction includes an endless rotating belt and means to force the neck of the bottle against the belt. Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a plan view of a label applying machine embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view, similar to Figure 1 but which shows bottles located on a conveyor of the machine.

Figures 3A to 3E are schematic drawings illustrating a progression of steps in the applying of labels to a bottle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Figure 1 shows a label applicator apparatus 10 for applying labels to a bottle embodying the present invention and on which the method of the present invention can be carried out. The label applicator 10 includes a suitable supporting structure for supporting a supply reel of front body labels on a web of backing or release paper, not shown. A supply reel of back body labels is also provided. The release web and labels are transferred to a first conventional peeler bar 20 which removes the front labels 70 from the backing strip and dispenses them onto an endless vacuum belt transport means 30. A gap. slightly larger than the size of a label is left between each front label 70 and the adjacent front label. The front faces of the labels face the vacuum transport belt. The adhesive or rear faces of the labels face outwardly from the vacuum transport belt 30. A second peeler bar 40 transfers back body labels 72 onto the belt 30 into the gaps between the front labels so that the front labels 70 are adjacent the back labels 72. (refer to Figure 3A). Thus, when a wine bottle 50 A (shown in Figure 2) is contacted with the vacuum transport belt and rotated and translated relative to the belt, the body of the bottle receives both front and back labels as is explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 3A to 3E.

Bottles, of which only a small exemplary number. 50 A to D. are shown, are conveyed along a conveyor 60 in the direction of the arrow A to a label applying station generally indicated at 10A. A pad 62 pushes the bottles 50 into contact with the vacuum transport belt 30 which travels on a series of rollers 31 to 39 in an endless loop in an anti-clockwise direction as shown by arrow B. This contact, as is explained in more detail below, causes a pair of front and back labels adhered to the vacuum transport belt to be transferred to the bottle 50 as the bottle rotates about its central axis while at the same time being translated along the labelling station by the conveyor. Specifically, the vacuum belt moves at a higher linear speed than the conveyor and because the bar holds the bottle rotates clockwise about its longitudinal (upright) axis as it is moved through the labelling station 10A by the conveyor 60. The neck labelling apparatus is generally indicated at 100. The operation of the neck labelling apparatus will be explained in more detail below, however the apparatus includes a supply reel of neck labels on backing paper, not shown, a peeler bar 102 and a flexible pad 104 which is adapted to press labels against the neck of a bottle.

Towards the exit end of the labelling station there is provided a sponge pad 110 and an endless reverse belt 112 which rotates in a clockwise direction, refer to arrow C. and which is located at neck height for a bottle. (The height and position of the belt is adjustable to suit different bottle sizes).

Figures 3A and 3E illustrate the principles of the invention more clearly in a schematic manner. Figure 3A illustrates a bottle travelling along conveyor 60. about to contact vacuum belt 30 to receive a front label 70. and a rear label 72. For ease of explanation the bottle is shown in plan and the vacuum belt and labels in side elevation. The bottle contacts the vacuum belt, being pushed towards the belt by the pad 62. After about half of the front label 70 has been applied (see Figure 3A) the neck labeller applies the centre 74C of a neck label to the neck of the bottle when the bottle reaches position 50B (see Figure 2 also).

The bottle continues to rotate in a clockwise direction for approximately a further 180° see Figure 3C after which time the rear label 72 has been applied to the bottle also and one half 74A of the neck label has been applied to the bottle neck, with one side 74B still unapplied. Rotating the bottle through 180 degrees ensures that one half of the neck label is properly applied. However if the neck label were short, a clockwise rotation of less than 180 degrees would suffice, depending on the length of the label. Shortly after this time, the bottle has travelled along the conveyor 60 to position where the bottle is no longer pushed against belt 30 by the pad 62 and thus stops rotating for a short period and merely travels along conveyor 60 in direction A.

At this stage, both front and back labels are applied, and the neck label is half applied.

As the bottle travels along the conveyor it contacts sponge pad 110 and endless belt 112 which is located at the height of the neck of the bottle and which rotates in a clockwise direction at a linear speed faster than conveyor 30 and which thus commences to rotate bottle in a clockwise direction (see Figure 3D). Because endless belt 112 is located on the opposite side of the conveyor to the vacuum belt and the neck labelling apparatus. the belt is positioned to immediately begin to apply the second half 74B of the neck label to the bottle. After the bottle has further rotated through approximately 180° (see Figure 3E) the neck label is then properly applied, after which time the bottle passes the sponge pad and belt and continues along conveyor 60.

The positions of the backing pad 62, peeler bars 30. 40. 102. neck labeller 100. reverse belt drive, sponge pad are all adjustable as are the speeds of the drives for the belts and the conveyor to allow for variations in the design and shape of labels and bottles or articles to which labels are applied.

Thus, in one aspect, the present invention provides a label applying apparatus and method in which neck labels can be successfully applied on line in a machine of the type of US 4314869 with very little modification and thus, economically. No second machine dedicated to applying neck labels is required.

The process is on line and the neck labels are part applied at the same time as the body labels thus the process takes only very slightly longer than merely applying body labels.

Clearly, existing labelling apparatus may be modified to incorporate a neck labelling device embodying the present invention.

Although the description of the present invention is principally concerned with applying labels to bottles, it will be appreciated that the invention could be used to apply labels to other articles.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are. therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and restrictive.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:-

1. A method for applying a label to a label receiving surface of an article, said method comprising: conveying articles to be labelled through a label applying station on a conveyor means each of the articles having at least one label receiving surface: providing at least one label with the label having an adhesive face and an information carrying face adapted to have information thereon: contacting a first of the articles at the labelling station with the adhesive face of the label to adhere the first label to a label receiving location on the label receiving surface of the first article: rotating the first article in a first direction whilst transporting the article along the conveyor means: and after the article has travelled a predetermined distance along the conveyor means, rotating the article in the opposite direction to the first direction of rotation, to complete the application of the second label onto the label receiving surface.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the article is rotated in the first direction by means of a first endless belt means disposed on one side of the conveyor means, said first endless belt means rotating at a greater linear speed than the conveyor: and wherein the article is rotated in the opposite direction by means of a second endless belt means disposed on the opposite side of the conveyor means to the first endless belt means, said second endless belt means rotating at a greater linear speed than the conveyor means, and rotating in the opposite sense to the first endless belt means.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the article is a bottle and the label receiving location is the neck of the bottle.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of rotating the article in the first direction rotates the article through 90 to 180°.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4. wherein the step of rotating the article in the opposite direction rotates the article through 90 to 180°.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the neck label defines a central area and that central area is first applied to the neck of the bottle.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the article is a bottle, the label receiving area is the neck of the bottle, and wherein the label defines a central area and that said central area is first applied to the neck of the bottle.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the article is rotated through at least 90 to 180 degrees in the first direction by means of a first endless belt means disposed on one side of the conveyor means, said first belt means rotating at a greater linear speed than the conveyor: and wherein the article is rotated through at least 90 to 180 degrees in the opposite direction by means of a second endless belt means disposed on the opposite side of the conveyor means to the first endless belt means, said second endless belt means rotating at a greater linear speed than the conveyor means, and rotating in the opposite sense to the first endless belt means.

9. A method for applying a plurality of labels to a label receiving surface of an article, said method comprising: conveying articles to be labelled through a label applying station each of the articles having at least two label receiving surfaces: providing labels with each of the labels having an adhesive face and an information carrying face adapted to have information thereon: dispensing first of the labels onto a first vacuum belt transport means with the adhesive face of the first label facing outwardly: transporting the first label to the label applying station with the vacuum belt transport means: contacting a first of the articles at the labelling station with the adhesive face of the first label on the vacuum belt transport means, to adhere the first label to a first location on the label receiving face of the first article: rotating the first article in a first direction whilst still transporting the article along the conveyor means: applying a second label to a second label receiving area of the article whilst continuing to rotate the article in the same first direction as and whilst continuing to convey the article along the conveyor means: and rotating the article in the opposite direction to the first direction of rotation to complete the application of the second label onto the second label receiving surface.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the article is rotated in the first direction by means of a first endless belt means disposed on one side of the conveyor means, said first belt means rotating at a greater linear speed than the conveyor means: and wherein the article is rotated in the opposite direction by means of a second endless belt means disposed on the opposite side of the conveyor means to the first endless belt means, said second endless belt means rotating at a greater linear speed than the conveyor means, and in the opposite sense to the first endless belt means.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the article is a bottle and the second label receiving area is the neck of the bottle.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the step of rotating the article in the first direction rotates the article through 90 to 180°.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the step of rotating the article in the opposite direction rotates the article through 90 to 180°.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second label defines a central area and that central area is first applied to the neck of the bottle.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second label defines a central area and that central area is first applied to the neck of the bottle with the second label being contacted with the neck of the bottle before the first label is fully applied.

16. A labelling apparatus for applying a self-adhesive label to a label receiving surfaces of an article, the apparatus including: a conveyor means for transferring articles through a label applying station: means for contacting a first of the articles at the label applying station with the adhesive face of a label to adhere the label to a label receiving location on the article: first means for rotating the article in a first direction about its axis so as to partly wrap the label onto the article: second means for rotating the article in an opposite, counter. direction to the first direction whilst continuing to convey the article along the conveying means: and means for applying pressure to the second label to complete the application of the second label to the article.

17. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the first means for rotating rotates the article through an angle of 90 to 180° in the first direction.

18. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second means rotates the article through an angle of 90 to 180° in the counter direction.

19. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the first means for rotating the article comprises a first endless belt having a linear velocity greater than the linear velocity of the conveyor and wherein forcing of the article against the vacuum belt transport means causes the article to rotate in the first direction.

20. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the means for rotating the article in the second, opposite, direction includes an endless belt and means to force the article against the belt.

21 A labelling apparatus for applying self-adhesive labels to label receiving surfaces of a bottle, the apparatus including: a conveyor means for transferring bottles through a label applying station: means for dispensing body labels onto a first vacuum belt transport means passing through the label applying station with the adhesive face of the labels facing outwardly: means for contacting a first of the bottles at the label applying station with the adhesive face of a first label to adhere the first body label to a first location on the body of the bottle: first means for rotating the bottle in a first direction about its axis so as to wrap the body label onto the body of the bottle: means for partially applying a neck label to the neck of the bottle while continuing to rotate the bottle in the same first direction: and second means for subsequently rotating the bottle in an opposite, counter, direction to the first direction whilst continuing to convey the bottle along the conveying means: and means for applying pressure to the neck label to complete the application of the neck label to the neck of the bottle.

22. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the first means for rotating rotates the bottle through an angle of 90 to 180° in the first direction.

23. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the second means for rotating rotates the bottle through an angle of 90 to 180° in the counter direction.

24. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the linear velocity of the vacuum transport means is greater than the linear velocity of the conveyor and wherein forcing of the bottle against the vacuum belt transport means causes the bottle to rotate in the first direction.

25. A labelling apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein the means for rotating the bottle in the second, opposite direction includes an endless belt means to force the neck of the bottle against the belt.