Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
  • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
  • B65C9/02—Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station
  • B65C9/04—Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station having means for rotating the articles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
  • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
  • B65C9/06—Devices for presenting articles in predetermined attitude or position at labelling station

Definitions

• 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.
• the machine of the invention 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• FIG. 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
• FIG. 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.
• the basic components of the automatic machine for sticking labels onto containers 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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) .
• 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.
• 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.
• 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) .
• 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.

Landscapes

• Labeling Devices (AREA)
• Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
• Spray Control Apparatus (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=32894206

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Citations (7)

• 2003
  • 2003-02-20 IT IT000035A patent/ITVI20030035A1/it unknown
• 2004
  • 2004-02-17 WO PCT/EP2004/001561 patent/WO2004074110A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2004-02-17 DE DE602004005684T patent/DE602004005684T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-02-17 EP EP04711616A patent/EP1601577B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-02-17 AT AT04711616T patent/ATE358631T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (7)

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