WO2004074110A1

WO2004074110A1 - Automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers

Info

Publication number: WO2004074110A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/001561
Authority: WO
Inventors: Silverio Tagliaferro
Original assignee: Clever S.R.L.
Priority date: 2003-02-20
Filing date: 2004-02-17
Publication date: 2004-09-02
Also published as: DE602004005684T2; DE602004005684D1; EP1601577A1; ATE358631T1; ITVI20030035A1; EP1601577B1

Abstract

An automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers (15), said machine comprising a rotating conveyor (10) with slats (11) which sends the containers (15) to two lower stations at which the labelling process is performed at the appropriate time and in the suitable positions, so that the label can be correctly stuck onto the surface of the container (15) and onto predetermined areas of said container. Compared with conventional apparatus, the machine of the invention also provides better output.

Description

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR STICKING LABELS ONTO CONTAINERS

The present invention refers to an automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers. More particularly, the invention refers to a labelling machine for sticking one' or more labels onto predetermined areas of containers, e.g. bottles, also having an asymmetric geometric configuration. In this regard, in case a label is stuck from the top onto the whole front and back surfaces of the container and the label has different subjects to be stuck respectively onto the front and back of the container, the machine of the invention must conveniently position the container below the labelling head to stick the label correctly.

At present, in order to preserve and convey liquid and/or semiliquid substances, e.g. water, wine, fruit juice, yogurt and other drinks, bottles and containers of different shape and size are used, the outer surfaces of which are powerful advertising means.

In this regard, therefore, the use of asymmetric containers and of brightly coloured labels positioned in particular areas of the container may be definitely attractive to customers . However, such procedures for sticking labels cannot absolutely be performed by means of prior art labelling machines, as they do not place labels onto conical and generally irregular surfaces.

Moreover, with asymmetric containers for which it is necessary to decide precisely which container surface must be covered by the label, special machines must be used which, though being destined to stick labels according to particular positions of the container (which are ^• taken by successively rotating the container) , need at least one either traceable or mechanically obtainable identifying element on the container.

For this reason, when using conventional labelling machines the container to be placed below the labelling heads cannot be correctly oriented with containers having identifying elements which can be detected only optically, electromagnetically or likewise and, in such a case, the container surface to be covered by the label must be conveniently processed so that the machine can work correctly. Furthermore, presently used machines need a drive comprising a joint, e.g. a frictional joint, which temporarily does not allow the torque to be started up on the rotating slat (which can be positioned below the labelling heads) , when the container has reached the desired angular position. Within the above mentioned needs, therefore, an object of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks and, in particular, to provide an automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers, said machine permitting to lead such containers to the desired angular positions, adjacent to the labelling heads .

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers, said machine permitting to lead such containers to the desired angular position whether said containers have or do not have an identifying element on their outer surface, without using frictional joints or drive joints. Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers, said machine permitting to perform the several operations adequately and safely, in whatever condition of container feeding and, therefore, of speed of the whole machine and also permitting to process, in a determined time unit, more containers than the containers which can be processed with prior art labelling machines. A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers, said machine providing adequate working and preventing labels from being damaged in case of malfunction or sudden stop of the machine. These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by means of an automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers as described, in a general preferred embodiment, according to claim 1. Other details of the invention are contained in the dependent claims. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, taken by way of explanatory, non restrictive example, in which:

- figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a slat rotating conveyor used in the automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers according to the present invention;

- figure 2 is a schematic simplified side view of the slat conveyor of figure 1, according to the present invention;

- figure 3 is a sectional, not to scale view of a detail of figure 2, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to the above mentioned drawings, the basic components of the automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers according to the present invention comprise a container conveyor, generally indicated under numeral 10 in the drawings, rotating in the direction indicated by arrow F of figure 1, and at least two stages, not illustrated, which can be used respectively to let the containers, one of which is generally indicated under numeral 15 in figure 2, into the rotating device or turntable 10 and out of the same. The inlet stage leads the containers 15, conveniently spaced and trailed by known conveyance means (e.g. belts, rolls or the like) , to the rotating device 10 which lets the containers 15 stay below and adjacent to labelling heads (not illustrated) , which stick one or more labels (possibly thermally retractable labels) in predetermined positions of the outer surface of the container 15, before containers 15 are led to the outlet stage. The rotating conveyor 10 leads the containers 15 below the labelling heads time to the convenient positions the appropriate time so that the label/s may be correctly stuck onto the surface of the container 15 and onto predetermined preferred areas of the container; in particular, the containers 15 are led, one after another, adjacent to one of the two labelling stations in the machine, where the single label, coming from a preformed continuous roll feeding the labelling head, is cut, positioned and stuck onto the container 15. In order to let the container 15 reach a plurality of desired angular positions (and, therefore, stick the label onto predetermined areas of the outer surface of the container, even using asymmetric containers 15 having various shapes and sizes) , the rotating conveyor or turntable 10 comprises a plurality of slats 11, variously distributed along a circular path T and bound to a central supporting element 12 by means of respective shaped arms 13 (not illustrated in figure 1) , each of said arms comprising, in preferred embodiments of the invention, a plurality of rigidly connected portions .

Each of said slats 11 forms the supporting base of. each respective container 15, which, upon rotation, is locked in its position by retaining means 14. In further preferred explanatory, non restrictive embodiments of the invention, the supporting arms 13, each of them bearing one of the slats 11, are centrally bound to the same vertical axis, but at different levels, as clearly illustrated in figure 2 which, for ease of representation, shows only two supporting arms 13 of the slats 11 in an operating position, while the machine works .

Each slat 11 is further bound, by means of a pin 16, to a connecting plate 17 which, by means of a pin 18, is connected with a connecting rod 19 bearing a shaped element 20 ending with an extension 21 having a wheel 22 (as shown in detail in figure 1) ; in alternative embodiments, the extension 21 can also be connected with a carriage 24 provided with two wheels 23 (shown in detail in figure 3) .

Whether the extension 21 ends with a wheel 22 or with a carriage 24 having two wheels 23, said wheels 22 or 23 are guided in their motion consequently to the rotation of the conveyor 10 and, in particular, are bound to run along two cam profiles 25, 26 developing, along predetermined irregularly shaped paths, on the outermost areas of the circular conveyor 10. More specifically, as illustrated in detail in figure 1, the overall conveyor 10 is arranged so that the centre of the slats 11, of the pins 16 and of the pins 18, bearing the connecting rods 19, lie on the same circumference (indicated with line T in figure 1) , which is concentric with the maximum overall circumference of the rotating conveyor 10, and that also the barycenters of the shaped elements 20, bearing the extensions 21, lie on the same circumference, indicated with V in figure 1, said circumference V being concentric with the circumference T and having a larger radius than circumference T. The shaped frames bearing the slats 11 are also arranged according to prefixed positions, so that the wheel 22 or the wheels 23, associated with the extension 21 of the body 20, are alternatively bound to the cam profile 25 and cam profile 26 and said extensions 21 are alternatively directed to the right and the left of the axis of symmetry 27 of the body 20. In preferred explanatory, non restrictive embodiments of the invention twelve slats are used and eight of the twelve supporting elements 20 are arranged along the circumference V so that they lie opposite two by two and at the same angular distance, whereas the remaining four supporting elements 20 are positioned at prefixed angular distances (among them and with respect to the already mentioned pairs of supporting elements) . The particular described arrangement and geometric development of the cam profiles 25, 26 permit to direct the containers 15 below the labelling heads in a suitable angular position (which can be set, according to the label shape and the operator's needs, by means of a control panel which can be reached by the operator outside the machine) , so that the label or portions thereof are stuck onto some areas or surfaces of the container 15 predetermined by the operator. Further, in order to achieve better output (i.e., number of labels passing and being stuck per time unit) , at least two sticking stations are provided, wherein the labelling heads automatically stick the label onto the container 15 by means of cutting devices and adhesives . The process of sticking labels is extremely reliable, precise and safe, also considering that the particular configuration of the rotating conveyor 10 allows the containers 15 to lie below one of the labelling heads and keep still for a prefixed period (normally corresponding to an angular position of about 15 degrees), before proceeding and passing adjacent to the other head.

The features and the advantages of the automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers according to the present invention become apparent from the above description.

Finally, it is clear that several variations can be made to the automatic machine of the invention, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention, and that, when practically carrying out the invention, the materials, shapes and dimensions of the illustrated details can vary according to one's needs and be changed with other technically equivalent ones.

Claims

1. An automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers (15), said automatic machine comprising a stage for letting the containers (15) in, said containers being led to a rotating conveyor (10) having slats (11), said conveyor (10) placing said containers (15) below two stations in which the sticking process is performed, before the containers are led to a stage for letting the containers out of the machine, characterized in that said rotating conveyor (10) comprises a plurality of elements supporting said slats (11) , said supporting elements being configured and arranged so that said containers (15) are sent to the appropriate angular positions at the appropriate time so that each label can be correctly stuck at least onto one of the surfaces of the container (15) and/or onto predetermined areas of said surface.

2. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said conveyor (10), being shaped as a rotating turntable, comprises a plurality of slats (11) variously arranged along a circular path (T) and bound at least to a central supporting element (12) by means of shaped arms (13) .

3. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of said slats (11) is a supporting base for each container (15) which, upon rotation, is locked in its position by retaining means (14) .

4. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said supporting arms (13) are centrally bound to a vertical axis at different levels thereof.

5. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of said slats (11) is bound, through first connecting means (16), at least to a connecting plate (17) which is connected, through second connecting means (18), at least to a connecting rod (19) bearing at least a shaped element (20) ending, at least in an extension (21) thereof, with sliding means (22, 23) inside cam profiles (25, 26) developing according to second paths having a predetermined geometric development and being provided on the lower surface of said rotating conveyor (10) .

6. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said conveyor (10) is shaped so that the centre of said slats (11) and of said first connecting means (16) as well as of said second connecting means (18), bearing the connecting rods (19) , lie on the same circumference (T) which is concentric with a maximum overall circumference of the conveyor (10) and that also the barycentres of said shaped elements (20), bearing the extensions (21), lie along a single circumference (V) , which is concentric with said circumference (T) .

7. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said shaped elements (20) are arranged according to prefixed positions, so that said sliding means (22, 23), associated with the corresponding extensions (21), are alternatively bound to a first cam profile (25) and to a second cam profile (26) .

8. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said shaped elements (20) are positioned at prefixed angular distances.

9. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said containers (15) are directed below the labelling heads according to predetermined suitable angular positions which can also be set according to the label shape and to the operator's needs, by means of a control panel which can be reached by the operator outside the machine.

10. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that each of said containers (15) is sent below a first labelling head, where it keeps still for a prefixed period corresponding to a prefixed angular position, before proceeding and passing adjacent to a second labelling head.