WO2004045955A1

WO2004045955A1 - Labelling method and device provided with an oscillating label strip positioning unit

Info

Publication number: WO2004045955A1
Application number: PCT/NL2003/000820
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petrus Johannes Van Geijlswijk; Pieter Gerard Witte
Original assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
Priority date: 2002-11-21
Filing date: 2003-11-21
Publication date: 2004-06-03
Also published as: NL1021968C2; AU2003282632A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a labelling device for applying a transfer label (35) from a carrier (3) to a container (15) via a pressure surface positioned at an angle. Non-deformed transfer of the labels to a container, such as, for example, the neck of a bottle via the pressure surface (35) positioned at an angle can take place at relatively high velocity by oscillation of a horseshoe-shaped strip guide (19) about a swivel axis (26).

Description

LABELLING METHOD AND DEVICE PROVIDED WITH AN OSCILLATING LABEL STRIP POSITIONING UNIT

The application relates to a labelling device, in particular for transfer labels, 5 comprising an application station having at least one pressure roller that can rotate around an axis and can be moved between a contact position and an idling position, a feed path for feeding labels to the application station, which labels are applied a mutual distance apart to a carrier such that they can be removed, a take-off path for removing the carrier from the application station and a conveyor for feeding containers to the application station, wherein 0 the containers can be placed on the conveyor such that they can rotate about an axis of rotation and wherein, during application of a label to a container, the pressure roller presses the carrier against the container in a pressure region that is at an angle to the axis of rotation of the container.

The application also relates to a method for applying a label, in particular for a 5 transfer label.

A labelling device and method of this type are disclosed in European Patent Application (sic) EP-A 0 441 858 and EP-A 0 819 082.

In the known labelling device a carrier strip with transfer labels that have been printed onto the carrier strip a regular distance apart is guided over a pressure roller that is 0 moving linearly back and forth or rotating. Bottles are fed via a rotating carousel, tangentially to the pressure roller, the transfer positions in which the pressure roller is in contact with a bottle that has been placed in the application station and is made to rotate about its longitudinal axis, the transfer label is transferred from the carrier to the bottle with the application of heat and pressure. 5 The carrier strip can, for example, be made of paper or a laminate of paper and plastic, such as, for example, polypropene or polyethene. A release layer, such as, for example, a silicone or wax coating is applied over the carrier, on which release layer an image of the label has been printed. The imprint can be made up exclusively of inks which adhere to a glass surface under the influence of heat and pressure, or can be made up of a 0 combination of ink and adhesive activated by heat. High labelling speeds, such as 500 labels per minute or higher, can be obtained by feeding the bottles in a transport direction that is opposite to the direction of transport of the strip of labels.

In the case of cylindrical containers, such as the body of a bottle or a can, which are made to rotate about their longitudinal axis during labelling, the pressure surface along which the label is pressed during transfer of the label from the carrier to the bottle is parallel to the axis of rotation of the bottles. In this case the pressure roller is cylindrical and has a constant peripheral velocity along its longitudinal axis. As a result it is possible to transfer the labels to the rotating containers without deformation. If, however, the pressure surface is at an angle to the axis of rotation of the containers, such as, for example, in the case of a conically tapering neck of a bottle, a difference in velocity will arise over the height of the pressure roller. As a result, when the label passes over the pressure surface deformations in the label will be caused which, viewed over the height of the label, is moving partially faster and partially slower than the peripheral velocity of the pressure roller. A known solution in order nevertheless to obtain a non-deformed imprint in such a case is to compensate for the deformations to be anticipated when producing the labels by printing "counter-deformed" labels on the carrier strip which give a regular imprint after deformation by transfer to a container. This is a complex procedure that makes it difficult visually to establish the quality of the labels after production and before applying to a container. Furthermore, as a result of the deformation that occurs when applying the label the durability thereof can be adversely affected and damage to the imprint can occur.

Furthermore, in addition to printing counter-deformed labels that yield a correct image after deformation during application, it is usual to use a wax coating as release layer for the transfer label, which wax coating also acts as a lubricant between the container and the carrier for the transfer labels. As a result of the lubricating wax coating deformation of the label to be transferred as a consequence of the relative velocity between the carrier strip and the container is partially compensated for. However, the use of a wax as lubricant that is applied to the label is restricted to very low relative velocities and is not suitable for the transfer of labels to a conical surface.

One aim of the present invention is to provide a labelling device and method with which images, in particular transfer labels, can be transferred accurately and without deformation from a carrier strip to a container, along a pressure surface that is at an angle with respect to the width direction of the label carrier along the feed path. A further aim of the present invention is to provide a labelling device and method with which the labels can be applied at a high velocity without deformation.

Yet a further aim of the present invention is to provide a labelling device and method with which the durability of the labels applied, in particular of transfer labels, is increased. To this end the labelling device according to the invention is characterised in that the labelling device is provided with a displacement device that engages on the carrier, for moving a portion of the carrier located close to the pressure region from an initial orientation, during pressing of a label against the container, and for returning the carrier into the initial orientation after removal of the pressure roller from the pressure surface.

Deformation of the label can be reduced by moving the strip of labels in the pressure surface in such a way that the portion that is in contact with the container with the lowest peripheral velocity (smallest diameter) is retarded with respect to the feed velocity and the portion that is in contact with the container with the highest peripheral velocity (largest diameter) is accelerated with respect to the feed velocity.

In one embodiment the carrier for the labels is swivelled in the pressure region about a swivel axis that is located transversely to the pressure roller axis and the transport direction and intersects the pressure roller axis when the pressure roller is in the contact position. As a result of a rapid oscillating movement, the carrier strip with the labels can be actively tilted in the pressure surface positioned at an angle in such a way that the upper half of each label acquires an additional velocity component in the direction of the label feed and the lower half acquires a velocity component in the opposite direction to the label feed. As a result, slipping of the label along the (conical) surface of the containers can be reduced. In an advantageous embodiment the displacement device comprises a strip guide with two arms which extend to close to the pressure roller, from a tilt point that is located on the swivel axis, some distance away from the pressure roller, wherein the feed path for the carrier comprises a first portion that is located parallel to the swivel axis and a second portion that extends along a first arm to the pressure roller, and wherein the take-off path comprises a first portion that is located along the second arm and comprises a second portion parallel to the swivel axis, wherein drive means are provided for swivelling the arms back and forth about the swivel axis.

By feeding the strip of labels along a horseshoe-shaped strip guide, whilst portions of the feed path and take-off path for the carrier are located parallel to the swivel axis, the film (sic) strip can be twisted at a very high frequency (such as 500 per minute) around the swivel axis without shifting of the entire film strip along the guide rollers occurring. As a result of the proximity of the oscillating parts to the swivel axis, the moments of inertia of the swivel device according to the invention can remain restricted, so that displacement of the film strip and strip of labels can take place at high frequencies without undesired vibration or other disruptions disturbing the uniform operation of the labelling device.

One embodiment of a labelling device with a displacement mechanism for the strip of labels will be explained in more detail by way of example with reference to the appended drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic plan view of a labelling device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a section of the labelling device according to Fig. 1 along the line H-H; Figs 3 a and 3b show, respectively, a view of the pressure roller along the line 13-11 and m-Lπ in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a partial section according to Fig. 1 along the line Hi-Ill; and Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the drive of the displacement device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a labelling device 1 according to the invention provided with a feed roll 2 from which a carrier 3 with transfer labels 4 positioned thereon a regular distance apart is unwound and is fed along a feed path 5 in a transport direction T (indicated by the arrows) to an application station 6. The application station 6 comprises a number of pressure rollers

8 rotating about a central axis 7 which are rotated via a frame, rotating around the axis 7, in the direction of the arrow P from an idling position, as shown for pressure roller 8, into a contact position as shown for pressure roller 12. Pressure rollers 8 are each also made to rotate around pressure roller axis 10. A number of containers 15, 15' are fed to the application station 6 via a conveyor 13, which comprises a carousel routing (sic) in the direction of the arrow C. The containers 15, 15' can, for example, comprise bottles that are arranged on actively driven rotating dishes 30 (see Fig. 2), such that they are able to rotate about their longitudinal axes in the direction of the arrow B, and rotate at a peripheral velocity that corresponds to the sum of the rotational velocities of the carousel in the direction of the arrow C and the carrier velocity in the transport direction T.

The carrier 3 is fed along a first portion 16 of the feed path that runs alongside a swivel pin 26 and for a second portion 17 of the feed path 5 is guided along an arm 18 of a horseshoe-shaped strip guide 19. The carrier 3 from which the labels have been removed is guided via a second arm 20 of the strip guide 19 along a first portion 21 and a second portion 22 of the take-off path 23 to a pick-up roll 25. At a tilt point 30, the strip guide 19 can be swivelled about the swivel pin 26, which is made to oscillate via drive unit 27 synchronously with the pressure rollers 8, 12 and the bottles 15, 15' being fed.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view along the line H-H from Fig. 1, from which it can clearly be seen that containers 15 comprise bottles, the pressure roller 12 being provided with a conical surface 35 that is at an angle α of approximately 10° to the axis of rotation 31. The pressure surface 35 along which the labels are pressed against the bottle neck is thus linear. The transport direction T of the carrier 3 at the location of the pressure roller 12 is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the pressure roller 12 can rotate about pressure roller axis 10, whilst the bottle 15 is arranged such that it can rotate on a dish 30 that is actively made to rotate around longitudinal axis 31 of the bottle. In the case of a straight feed of the carrier 3 over the pressure roller 12, because of the conical surface thereof, variations in velocity over the height of the carrier 3 would arise, where the lowest parts of the labels would be rotated at a highest velocity, so that a downward displacement of the labels would be the result. By means of periodic variation of the position of the carrier 3 by oscillation of the strip guide 19 around the swivel axis 26, via the drive unit 27, which is made up of the drive shaft 39 of the frame 40 and the pressure rollers 8, 10 (sic), a circular run-off of the carrier 3 over the pressure roller 12 can be guaranteed, so that a constant and non-deformed transfer of the labels from the carrier 3 to the neck of the bottle 15 can take place without significant deformation, at relatively high velocities. Fig. 3a shows, diagrammatically, the pressure roller 12, which has a decreasing radius ri, r₂, r₃ over its height H. A peripheral velocity v₃ at height H₃ is given by v₃ = <% . r₃. If the feed path 5 with labels is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and is fed at a velocity Vd that is equal to the peripheral velocity at diameter r₂ of the pressure roller 12, the difference in velocity at the height H₃ is : __% . r₃ - V_d where ω^ is the rotational velocity of the pressure roller 12.

Fig. 3b shows a view where the feed path 5 of the labels is rotated about the tilt axis 26 at velocity ω_z so that transport velocity changes from V_b to v^l (sic). As a result the parts of the label at height Hi of pressure roller 12 for which the radius is n is retarded in the direction of rotation of the pressure roller 12 and the parts of the label at height H₃ of the pressure roller 12 with radius r₃, where the peripheral velocity of the pressure roller is highest, are accelerated in the peripheral direction. As a result the difference in velocity at height H₃ decreases to ω^ . r₃ - cos β . (v_d + v₀ . In this equation v₀₃ is the velocity component that is caused by oscillation ω_z of the feed path 5 and β is the swivel angle of the feed path 5. A small and vertical velocity component that is equal to sin β. Vd + v₀₃) is also introduced by oscillation of the feed path 5. This vertical component is very small compared with a horizontal component. It has been found that with a small oscillation angle β such as, for example, 7.4°, the relative horizontal velocity between the feed path 5 (sic) and pressure roller 12 can be reduced by a factor of 20 without significant increase in the vertical velocity. Deformation can be effectively counteracted in this way.

As can be seen from Fig. 4 swivelling of the strip guide 19, which comprises a U- shaped section 32 in which the carrier is enclosed, into the position 33 pressed (sic) by a broken line can have the effect that the orientation of the carrier, which is coincident with that of the bottom 34 of the U-shaped section 32, is essentially parallel to the pressure surface 35 of the pressure roll 12, so that a non-deformed transfer of the labels can take place. Oscillation of the strip guide 19 around the swivel axis 26 takes place by means of an arm 36 that is connected via a shaft 37 and drive system 38 to the rotary shaft 27, by means of which the frame 40, in which the pressure rollers 8, 12 are mounted, is driven. As can be seen from Fig. 5, one end 37 (sic) of the arm 36 is eccentrically connected to disk 42 that is coupled to the shaft 37. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the first portion 16 of the carrier along the feed path 5 is guided relatively closely alongside the swivel pin 26 via rollers 43, 44. The take-off path 23 (sic) from which labels have been removed is likewise guided closely alongside the swivel pin 26, so that when the strip guide 19 is swivelled only a small degree of torsion of the carrier portions 16, 23 takes place, without the transport of the carrier over the rollers 43, 44, 45, 46 being disturbed.

Claims

1. Labelling device (1) comprising an application station (6) having at least one pressure roller (12) that can rotate around an axis (10) and can be moved between a contact position and an idling position, a feed path (5) for feeding labels (4) in a transport direction (T) to the application station (6), which labels (4) are applied a mutual distance apart to a carrier (3) such that they can be removed, a take-off path (23) for removing the carrier (3) from the application station (6) and a conveyor (13, 30) for feeding containers (15) to the application station (6), wherein the containers (15) can be placed on the conveyor (13, 30) such that they can rotate about an axis of rotation (31) and wherein, during application of a label to a container(15) , the pressure roller (12) presses the carrier (3) against the container (15) in a pressure region (35) that is at an angle (α) to the axis of rotation (31) of the container (15), characterised in that the labelling device is provided with a displacement device (19, 26, 27) that engages on the carrier, for moving a portion of the carrier located close to the pressure region (35) from an initial orientation, during pressing of a label against the container, and for returning the carrier into the initial orientation after removal of the pressure roller from the pressure surface.

2. Labelling device according to Claim 1, wherein the displacement device (19, 26, 27) swivels the carrier (3) in the pressure region (35) about a swivel axis (26) located transversely to the pressure roller axis (10) and the transport direction (T), at the location of the pressure roller (12), which swivel axis (26) intersects the pressure roller axis (10) when the pressure roller (12) is in the contact position.

3. Labelling device according to Claim 2, wherein the displacement device comprises a strip guide (19) with two arms (18, 20) which extend to close to the pressure roller (12), from a tilt point (30) that is located on the swivel axis (26), some distance away from the pressure roller (12), wherein the feed path (5) for the carrier (3) comprises a first portion (16) that is located parallel to the swivel axis (26) and a second portion (17) that extends along a first arm (18) to the pressure roller (12), and wherein the take-off path (23) comprises a first portion (21) that is located along the second arm (20) and comprises a second portion (22) parallel to the swivel axis (26), wherein drive means (27) are provided for swivelling the arms (18, 20) back and forth about the swivel axis (26).

4. Labelling device according to Claim 3, wherein the carrier (3) is fed to the arms (18, 20) via two guide rollers (44, 45) that are arranged on either side of the axis (26).

5. Labelling device according to one of the precedmg claims, wherein [lacuna] number of pressure rollers (8, 12) are mounted on a rotary pressure roller holder (40) that is arranged between the arms (18, 20) and can rotate about an axis (7) that is essentially parallel to the pressure roller axis (10).

6. Labelling device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the containers (15, 15') are fed on a rotary carousel (13) to the application station (6) in a transport direction (C) that at the location of the pressure roller (2 (sic), 12) is opposed to the transport direction (T) of the carrier.

7. Labelling device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the strip guide (9) is driven by an arm (36), located transversely to the axis, at a swivel frequency that corresponds to the label velocity, one end of which arm is connected to an eccentric position (37 (sic)) of a disk (42) positioned on a drive shaft (39 (sic)).

8. Labelling device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the containers comprise bottles, wherein the pressure surface is coincident with the neck of a bottle.

9. Labelling device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral surface of the pressure roller (12) has a conical shape.

10. Method for applying a transfer label, comprising the following steps: feeding labels (4) to an application station (6), which labels have been applied a mutual distance apart to a carrier (3) such that they can be removed; feeding containers (15) to an application station (6), wherein the carriers are rotated about an axis of rotation (31) and pressing [lacuna] carrier strip against the containers (15) in a pressure region (35) that is at an angle (α) to the axis of rotation

(31) of the containers (15), characterised in that in or close to the pressure region (35) the carrier for the labels is moved from an initial orientation during pressing of the label against the container to accelerate and, respectively retard portions of the label with respect to the peripheral velocity of the container.