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
  • B65C9/08—Label feeding
  • B65C9/18—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls
  • B65C9/1803—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels being cut from a strip
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
  • B41J11/007—Conveyor belts or like feeding devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
  • B41J3/407—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
  • B41J3/4075—Tape printers; Label printers
• • 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
  • B65C9/46—Applying date marks, code marks, or the like, to the label during labelling

Definitions

• This invention relates to a labelling machine.
• the invention relates to an automatic labelling machine of the type which uses an adhesive-coated web and which cuts the web into separate labels to be applied to containers or packs.
• Automatic labelling machines which comprise a silicone roller round which the adhesive-coated web is partly wound and a cutting device located downstream of the roller relative to the direction of feed of the adhesive-coated web in order to cut the web into lengths forming the labels.
• a printing device also operates at the roller to press the adhesive-coated web against the silicone roller and leave on the web a caption, a shape or, more generally, a graphic design as, for example, a brand logo.
• prior art systems contemplate the use of a succession of fixed diverting blades partly inserted in radial grooves made in the silicone roller in such a way that, as the roller rotates, the adhesive-coated web wound round the roller meets the blades which detach it from the roller.
• the diverting blades are positioned between the aforesaid belts in such a way as to act on the central strip of the adhesive-coated web in order to detach it from the silicone roller.
• the use of the aforesaid fixed diverting blades constitutes a potential obstacle to the web's feed movement towards the cutting device, basically because the adhesive-coated web tends to adhere to the diverting blades and to come to a stop.
• the web must be laterally supported and guided by the aforementioned belts, which are driven in the same direction of feed as the web.
• the web that can be used on the machine must, accordingly, be of a single, predetermined size.
• the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to propose a labelling machine which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantage of the prior art.
• this invention has for an aim to provide a labelling machine which offers a high level of operating flexibility and, more specifically, which works correctly with adhesive-coated webs of different sizes.
• FIG. 1 schematically represents a labelling machine according to this invention
• FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of a part of the machine of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a detail of the part of the machine of Figure 2, viewed in cross section according to the plane labelled A- A in Figure 2. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention
• the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a labelling machine according to this invention.
• the labelling machine 1 is of the type designed to use a continuous, adhesive-coated web 2, preferably of paper or plastic, which can be fed by unwinding a roll not illustrated.
• the adhesive-coated web 2 is of the type having a smooth first side 2a which is suitable for printing with graphical designs, captions or the like, and an adhesive-coated second side 2b which is suitable for direct application on a product to be labelled.
• the adhesive-coated second side 2b is the underside of the web
• the web After being unwound from the roll, the web is made to advance in a direction of feed "A" in order to receive a graphic design and/or a caption and then cut into lengths, each of which forms a single label.
• the labelling machine 1 comprises a supporting roller 3 which the adhesive-coated web 2 rests on or is partly wound round during its feed movement.
• the supporting roller 3 is rotatable about a fixed axis "X", preferably horizontal, and is preferably made entirely of, or coated with, a silicone material for reducing adhesiveness to the adhesive-coated web 2 (the adhesive side of the web 2 faces the supporting roller 3).
• the supporting roller 3 has an outside surface 3a which occupies a preferably cylindrical space. Alternatively, however, it might also occupy a space having a different shape, provided always that it is suitable for supporting the continuous web as the latter advances.
• the aforesaid silicone material the supporting roller 3 is made of has a surface hardness of between 40 and 65 Shore A, more preferably between 45 and 55 Shore A and still more preferably, equal to 50 Shore A, for the reasons that will be clarified below.
• detachment means 4 are provided to operate between the supporting roller 3 and the adhesive-coated web 2 wound round it so as to facilitate detachment of the adhesive-coated web 2 from the outside surface 3 a of the supporting roller 3.
• the detachment means 4 comprise at least one diverting belt 5 which is partly wound round the supporting roller 3.
• the diverting belt 5 is, on one side, partly wound round a part of the supporting roller 3 and, on the other side, partly wound round an idler member 6 which is preferably rotatable about an axis of rotation "Y" parallel to the axis of rotation "X" of the supporting roller 3.
• the machine comprises a plurality of parallel diverting belts 5 placed side by side and partly wound round respective portions of the outside surface 3 a of the supporting roller 3.
• the portions of the diverting belt 5 which are wound round the supporting roller 3 are therefore coaxial with each other and coaxial with the axis of rotation "X" of the supporting roller 3.
• the idler member 6 may be embodied by a common idler shaft round which all the diverting belts 5 are wound ( Figure 2) or, according to an embodiment not illustrated, an idler pulley may be provided for each of the diverting belts 5.
• the idler member 6 is located downstream of the supporting roller 3 relative to the direction of feed of the adhesive-coated web 2 so that as the supporting roller 3 rotates, the adhesive-coated web 2 passes, at the supporting roller 3, from a first condition where it is at least partly supported by the outside surface 3a of the supporting roller 3 to a second operating condition where it is entirely supported by the diverting belts 5.
• the adhesive-coated web 2 adheres to the outside surface 3a of the supporting roller 3, covering entirely one or more of the diverting belts 5.
• the diverting belts 5 (which are interposed between the outside surface 3 a of the supporting roller 3 and the adhesive-coated web 2) move away from the supporting roller 3 to reach the idler member 6 and by so moving facilitate detachment of the web 2 from the supporting roller 3 overcoming any forces of adhesion between the web 2 and the roller 3.
• Each of the diverting belts 5 is preferably defined by a base made from Kevlar fibre or steel (preferably in the form of a plurality of wires) externally coated with low-adhesion material such as, for example, a polyurethane or a silicone material.
• the base made of steel or Kevlar guarantees high specific strength for the diverting belts 5, allowing the belts 5 to be made in a considerably reduced size.
• the purpose of reducing the size of the diverting belts 5 is to reduce the surface of them that is in contact with the adhesive side of the adhesive-coated web 2 in order to facilitate its subsequent detachment from the diverting belts 5.
• each diverting belt 5 has a width "L" (measured perpendicularly to the direction of feed of the belt 5 itself) of between 2 millimetres and 4 millimetres and preferably equal to 3 millimetres.
• each diverting belt 5 has a thickness "s" of between 0.2 millimetres and 0.4 millimetres, preferably equal to 0.3 millimetres.
• the diverting belts 5 are tensioned in such a way that the silicone coating of the supporting roller is elastically deformed at the portions of it which come into contact with the diverting belts 5.
• each diverting belt 5 is subjected to a pulling tension such that the diverting belt 5 portion which is trained around the supporting roller 3 has an outside diameter that is substantially equal to a corresponding outside diameter of the supporting roller 3 when not deformed.
• tensioning means are provided for operating on the diverting belts 5 in such a way as to cause the belts 5 to sink into the silicone coating of the supporting roller 3 to a predetermined extent such that the outside diameter of each of the belts 5 is equal to the outside diameter of the supporting roller 3 when it is not deformed.
• no specific tensioning means are provided and the desired sinking of the diverting belts 5 is achieved by suitably sizing the extension of each diverting belt 5 in such a way that each belt 5, once mounted, compresses the silicone coating of the supporting roller 3 and sinks into it to a desired extent defined by a value of deformation.
• the silicone material the supporting roller 3 is made of is locally flattened by each of the diverting belts 5 to an extent which is substantially equal to the thickness "s" of the belt 5 itself.
• the tensioning means may be defined by a system for adjustably fastening the idler member 6 or, alternatively, may comprise one or more tensioning rollers operating on the diverting belts 5 and located on the path followed by the diverting belts 5 themselves.
• the deformation of the silicone coating of the supporting roller 3 by one of the diverting belts 5 is illustrated in Figure 3 (for clarity, the proportions are not to scale, as mentioned above).
• a print head 7 which is designed to impress a caption or graphic design on the first side 2a of the adhesive-coated web 2.
• the print head 7 is of substantially known type and requires the use of a print ribbon 8 which is fed in the same feed direction as the adhesive-coated web 2 and above the latter.
• the print head 7 is designed to cause the print ribbon 8 to transfer ink to the adhesive-coated web 2 using dot-by-dot electric discharges.
• the print ribbon 8 is unwound from a respective first reel 9 and then wound onto a respective second reel 10 and follows a respective feed path through the print head 7.
• the print ribbon 8 is guided by a pair of tensioning rollers 11, 12 which keep the print ribbon 8 oriented according to a substantially straight line above and close to the adhesive-coated web 2 so as to allow the print head 7 to correctly impress the graphic design on the adhesive-coated web 2.
• the diverting belts 5 sink into the silicone material of the supporting roller 3, the surface offered to the print head 7 by the supporting roller 3 is regular, without bumps or unevenness, and therefore allows the print head 7 to perform its printing function correctly.
• a cutting station 13 Downstream of the diverting belts 5, there is a cutting station 13 of substantially known type which cuts the adhesive-coated web 2 (with the captions and/or graphic designs previously printed on it) into lengths forming the labels to be applied to the products.
• the supporting roller 3 is provided with reciprocating rotational motion which, once the front portion of the adhesive-coated web 2 has been cut off to form the label, feeds the web backwards in such a way as to move the next front portion of it under the print head 7.
• blower means 14 are provided for directing a jet of air towards the second side 2b (the underside) of the adhesive-coated web 2 in order to cool the latter after it has undergone the heating effect created by the print head 7.
• each diverting belt 5 preferably has a straight stretch 5a extending between the supporting roller 3 and the idler member 6 and facing the print ribbon 8 to delimit, in conjunction with the latter, the aforementioned guide channel 15.
• the machine 1 according to the invention can use an adhesive-coated web 2 having a minimum width (measured perpendicularly to the direction of feed "A") of 20 millimetres and a maximum width of 200 millimetres.
• the diverting belts 5 are spaced apart by a distance (measured along the axis of rotation "X" of the supporting roller 3) of between 15 and 20 millimetres and are preferably mounted according to a mutually equispaced arrangement.

Landscapes

• Registering, Tensioning, Guiding Webs, And Rollers Therefor (AREA)
• Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (1)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2009
  • 2009-12-24 IT ITBO2009A000827A patent/IT1396873B1/it active
• 2010
  • 2010-12-21 WO PCT/IB2010/055985 patent/WO2011077374A2/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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