Method and apparatus for labelling primary packagings

Abstract

Provided is a method for labelling first packagings, including at least the following steps: transporting labels to a labelling zone, wherein an adhesive side of the labels is directed upward during the transport; removing the primary packagings to be labelled from a magazine device, wherein the packagings are provided in the magazine device as packaging blanks which are at least in sections flat, and are preferably removed individually from the magazine device; placing the primary packagings onto the labels and adhering the labels to the packagings, wherein the packagings are preferably pressed from above onto the labels; inserting the first labelled packagings into secondary packagings; and introducing several containers into the primary and secondary packagings.

Claims

1. A method for labelling primary packagings, comprising: transporting labels to a labelling zone, wherein an adhesive side of the labels is directed upward during the transport; removing the primary packagings, which are multipacks, to be labelled from a magazine device, wherein the packagings are provided in the magazine device as packaging blanks which are at least in flat sections, and are individually removeable from the magazine device; placing the primary packagings onto the labels and adhering the labels to the primary packagings, wherein the primary packagings are pressed from above onto the labels; inserting a plurality of labelled primary packagings into secondary packagings, which are at least one of transport packagings and storage packagings configured to enable storage and transport of several filled and closed containers; and introducing the several filled and closed containers into the plurality of labelled primary packagings which are inserted in the secondary packagings.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary packagings are placed as flat packaging blanks onto the labels, or after the removal from the magazine device the primary packagings are assembled in a folding station and the assembled primary packagings are placed onto the labels.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the label is an individual label and/or an individual barcode which is applied to the primary packagings.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the labels are transported individually and/or continuously to the labelling zone.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the labels is detected by a position sensor or a camera and is evaluated by an image processing unit.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the label is a self-adhesive label.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a drive of a label transport device and a drive of a removal tool by which the primary packagings are removed from the magazine are synchronized with one another.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary packagings are packagings which accommodate a plurality of beverage containers which are already filled.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein several multipacks are arranged in one transport packaging.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein before the step of placing the primary packagings onto the labels and/or of the primary packagings is detected by a position sensor or a camera and is evaluated by an image processing unit.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein a marking is applied to the labels for recognition of location or determination of position.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a transport direction of the infeed of the containers extends perpendicularly or orthogonally with respect to a transport direction of the primary packagings and the infeed of the containers is parallel to the infeed of the secondary packagings.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein a transport direction of the secondary packagings is the same as the transport direction of the delivery of the containers or is opposed to the transport direction of the delivery of the containers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of a method;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a representation of an entire apparatus for labelling primary packagings and for packaging containers;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of an apparatus for labelling primary packagings;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional representation of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the labelling zone of the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of an apparatus according to embodiments of the invention. In a first step S1 the labels are fed to a labelling zone or are transported to a labelling zone, wherein the labels are advantageously transported with an adhesive side upwards. In a second step S2 the primary packagings are removed from a magazine device. In this case it would also be conceivable that the steps S1 and S2 are carried out simultaneously, or at least at times overlap. Subsequently, in a first variant A, in a third step S3 the primary packagings are placed onto the labels, preferably being pressed onto the labels from above, and in a further step S4 the primary packagings are unfolded and/or assembled to form multipacks. This can be carried out in particular by methods which are already known from the known art.

(9) As can be seen from the flow diagram, however, it is also possible that the method steps S3 and S4 are carried out in reverse order and accordingly the primary packagings are initially unfolded and/or assembled and are then placed in the unfolded state onto the labels.

(10) In a method step S5 the first packs are inserted into secondary packagings, wherein, as already described above, the primary packagings are so-called baskets which hold several containers and the secondary packagings are packagings which enable improved storage and improved transport of the containers. Lastly, in a following step S6 containers which are already filled and closed are introduced into the primary and secondary packagings, wherein the containers are in particular glass containers, plastic containers or cans and in step S7 the primary and secondary packagings with the containers arranged therein are discharged or removed.

(11) Optionally, in an advantageous method further method steps S1.1 and S1.2 can also be carried out. In this case, after the delivery of the labels (S1) a determination of the position of the labels is carried out in order to ensure that they are attached to the packagings in a required location. In this case this determination of the position can preferably take place by means of a position sensor or a camera and can be evaluated with an image processing unit. If the label is located in a correct position, the method can continue with step S3. If this is not the case the labels are aligned in step S1.2. Then the position of the labels is checked again (S1.1). The alignment of the labels advantageously takes place by means of an aligning device. However, it would also be conceivable that an operating display shows which label has an incorrect position and this label is aligned by an operator. In this case, in variant B of the flow diagram it is also conceivable that this determination of the position is only carried out after the assembling of the primary packagings.

(12) In this case, the method sequence described above merely constitutes an example, so that not all of the steps shown necessarily have to be carried out. Also, it is not necessary to carry out the method in the described sequence.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a representation of an entire apparatus for labelling primary packagings 14 and for packaging containers. In this case the arrow Z1 represents the transport direction and the infeed of the containers. The containers are advantageously delivered to the apparatus 1 on one transport device and preferably on several transport devices 20 within one and preferably within several streams of articles arranged adjacent to one another. The transport devices 20 are advantageously transport belts, belt conveyors, roller conveyors or the like. The containers are preferably arranged close together on the transport devices, preferred spaced apart from one another and particularly preferably already grouped into a predetermined number of containers. The containers are preferably transported upright to the apparatus 1 or are delivered upright to the apparatus 1.

(14) The infeed of the secondary packagings is represented by the arrow Z2 and the transport direction of the primary packagings is represented by the arrow T. These further conveying means for delivery of the secondary packagings and the primary packagings are likewise preferably transport belts, belt conveyors, roller conveyors or the like. In this case it is evident according to FIG. 2 that the transport direction of the infeed of the containers Z1 advantageously extends perpendicularly or orthogonally with respect to the transport direction of the primary packagings T. Furthermore, it is evident that the infeed of the containers Z1 advantageously takes place parallel to the infeed of the secondary packagings Z2.

(15) The two positions provided with the reference numeral 10 constitute possibilities as to where the labelling zone can be arranged. The primary packagings 14 are advantageously removed by means of a removal tool (not shown) from a magazine device 32. Subsequently, in a first preferred variant, inside the labelling zone 10 the primary packagings 14 are placed onto the labels, in particular pressed onto the labels, and are subsequently assembled or unfolded in a folding station 40 to form multipacks. However, in a second advantageous variant it would also be conceivable that after the removal from the magazine device 32 the primary packagings 14 are transferred into the folding station 40 and, only after assembly, are placed onto the labels in the subsequent labelling zone 10.

(16) After the primary packagings 14 have been assembled and labelled, they are inserted into second packagings (not shown) in an insertion region 45 arranged downstream of the folding station 40 and the labelling zone 10. Furthermore, the reference numeral 50 designates the container packaging station in which the containers are introduced into the primary and secondary packagings.

(17) The removal of the containers from the stream of articles and the insertion of the containers into the primary and secondary packagings advantageously takes place by means of one or more manipulators. This manipulator is preferably a multi-axis robot, which preferably has several grippers and is preferably horizontally and vertically movable.

(18) The further arrow A2 shows the discharge of the primary and secondary packagings with the containers arranged therein. This discharge is preferably again a transport belt, a conveyor belt, a roller conveyor or the like. The infeed of the containers Z1 and the discharge of the primary and secondary packagings A2 takes place advantageously in the same transport direction.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a first apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the invention for labelling primary packagings. The reference numeral 40 here again designates the folding station and the reference numeral 10 designates the labelling zone, so that FIG. 3 shows the embodiment in which the primary packagings are initially assembled or unfolded and subsequently are placed onto the labels. As already described above, however, it would also be conceivable that the primary packagings are initially labelled within the labelling zone 10 and subsequently the already labelled primary packagings are assembled to form multipacks.

(20) The labelling zone 10 here has two storage devices 2, inside each of which at least one label roll is arranged. The reference numeral 5 designates a label transport device which is preferably designed as a vacuum conveyor and transports the labels from the storage device 2 to a transfer zone 25, at which the primary packagings are placed onto the labels. At least two label transport devices 5 are preferably present in the apparatus 1. The primary packagings are also placed onto the labels by an assembling tool (not shown) which assembles the primary packagings.

(21) Furthermore, as already shown in FIG. 2, in the insertion zone 45 the primary packagings are inserted into the secondary packagings and in the container packaging station 50 containers are introduced into the primary and secondary packagings.

(22) Here again, the arrows Z1 and Z2 indicate the delivery of the containers and the secondary packagings, as has likewise already been explained in greater detail in FIG. 2, and the arrow A2 indicates the discharge of the primary and secondary packagings with the containers arranged therein, and the arrow T indicates the transport direction of the primary packagings. In this case it would also be conceivable that the delivery of the secondary packagings takes place at the location designated by the arrow Z3. Accordingly, the transport direction of the secondary packagings Z2, Z3 is advantageously either the same as the transport direction of the delivery of the containers Z1 or opposed to the transport direction of the delivery of the containers Z1.

(23) As can be seen from FIG. 3, it would also be conceivable to arrange the discharge of the secondary packagings at the location designated by the arrow A1. In this case, furthermore, it would be conceivable that the insertion zone 45 and the container packaging station 50 overlap and accordingly the insertion of the primary packagings into the secondary packagings and the insertion of the containers into the first and secondary packagings takes place at a common area.

(24) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the first apparatus according to embodiments of the invention which is illustrated in FIG. 3. At the location designated by step 1, as already described above, a folding station is arranged which assembles and/or unfolds the primary packagings. The reference numeral 42 here designates a removal zone, at which the primary packagings are removed by a removal tool (not shown), for example a robot, a gripping tool or the like, from the folding station 40, and in the step 2 they are in particular pressed onto the labels. Accordingly, in this embodiment of the apparatus 1 at least two removal tools arranged, wherein the primary packagings are removed from the magazine device (not shown here) by one removal tool and are transferred to the folding station, and by another removal tool the assembled primary packagings are removed from the folding station and placed onto the labels. However, it would also be conceivable that the primary packagings are placed onto the labels by the assembling tool.

(25) In step 3 the insertion of the primary packagings into secondary packagings 15 in the insertion zone 45 is illustrated schematically, and in step 4 the introduction of the containers 17 into the primary and secondary packagings inside the container packaging station 50 is illustrated schematically.

(26) FIG. 5 furthermore shows a three-dimensional representation of the apparatus 1 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this case, here again, the labelling zone 10 is shown, which has at least one storage device 2 and at least one label transport device 5 which is preferably designed as a vacuum conveyor. The reference numeral 6 designates a manipulator, although here for reasons of clarity the removal tool on the manipulator is not illustrated.

(27) FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a plan view of the labelling zone 10 of the apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the invention. In this case at least one storage device 2 is associated with the labelling zone 10, in which at least one storage roll 3 is arranged, from which a strip of labels 11 is unrolled. In the embodiment illustrated here two storage devices 2 are illustrated, which are arranged alongside one another or one behind the other. Furthermore, it can be seen from illustration in FIG. 6 that here two parallel label transport devices 5 are provided.

(28) Furthermore, a separate drive 36 is associated with each label transport device 5, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. However, it would also be conceivable that a drive for several label transport devices is provided. The drive is in particular an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic drive. Furthermore, a position sensor 30 or a camera 30, by means of which the position of the labels is determined, is associated with each label transport device. The reference numeral 31 designates schematically an image processing unit which evaluates the information obtained from the position sensor 30 or the camera 30.

(29) Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not limited to the examples disclosed, and further variations can be inferred by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

(30) For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(31) 1 apparatus 2 storage device 3 storage roll 5 label transport device 6 manipulator 10 labelling zone 11 strip of labels 12 labels 14 primary packaging 15 secondary packaging 17 container 20 transport devices 25 transfer zone 30 position sensor, camera 31 image processing unit 32 magazine device 40 folding station 42 removal zone 45 insertion zone 50 container packaging station Z1 infeed of the containers Z2 infeed of the secondary packagings Z3 infeed of the secondary packagings T transport direction of the primary packagings A1 discharge of the primary and secondary packagings A2 discharge of the primary and secondary packagings