Labeling apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a labeling apparatus having a conveyor belt for transporting packages, having a labeler to apply labels to the packages from below, and having a pullout apparatus that comprises a pullout that is supported via a pullout guide at a stationary pullout carrier and that is linearly travelable relative thereto between a retracted end position and an extended end position, wherein the labeler is positioned on the pullout, and wherein the pullout apparatus is configured such that the location of the retracted end position of the pullout is adjustable. The pullout apparatus comprises a motor-driven adjustment unit to set the location of the retracted end position of the pullout.

Claims

1. A labeling apparatus comprising: a conveyor belt for transporting packages, a labeler to apply labels to the packages from below, and a pullout apparatus that comprises a pullout that is supported via a pullout guide at a stationary pullout carrier and that is linearly travelable relative thereto between a retracted end position and an extended end position, wherein the labeler is positioned on the pullout, wherein the pullout apparatus is configured such that a location of the retracted end position of the pullout is adjustable, and wherein the pullout apparatus comprises a motor-driven adjustment unit to set the location of the retracted end position of the pullout.

2. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a control device that is configured to control the motor-driven adjustment unit of the pullout apparatus such that the location of the retracted end position of the pullout relative to the conveyor belt is set in dependence on a predefined dispensing position of the labels to be applied.

3. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a storage device in which a plurality of dispensing positions for labels and/or packages of different dimensions are stored, with a control unit being adapted to select the predefined dispensing position from the stored dispensing positions.

4. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the motor-driven adjustment unit comprises a threaded spindle and an electric motor driving the threaded spindle.

5. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the threaded spindle comprises a threaded rod and a spindle nut.

6. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein a traveling of the pullout between the retracted end position and the extended end position takes place on the basis of a corresponding traveling of the spindle nut.

7. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the pullout is axially fixedly coupled to the threaded rod such that an axial movement of the threaded rod and thus of the pullout takes place with a fixedly held the spindle nut fixedly held and with the electric motor activated.

8. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the pullout is axially fixedly coupled to the threaded rod via a housing of the motor-driven adjustment unit such that an axial movement of the threaded rod and thus of the pullout takes place with the spindle nut fixedly held and with the electric motor activated.

9. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a security against retraction that releases the axially fixed coupling of the pullout to the threaded rod when a force acting on the pullout and acting against the retraction exceeds a predefined amount on an automated retraction from the extended position into the retracted position.

10. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the security against retraction comprises the threaded rod being rotationally fixedly coupled to the electric motor, and being axially movable, with the threaded rod actuating a safety switch against the force of a spring on an exceeding of the predefined amount.

11. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pullout apparatus comprises a further drive to travel the pullout in an automated manner between the retracted end position and the extended end position.

12. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the further drive is formed as one of a pneumatic cylinder and a hydraulic cylinder.

13. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the further drive has a fixedly arranged housing and a piston arranged axially movably therein.

14. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein an operating pressure of the pneumatic cylinder amounts to a maximum of 3 bar.

15. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein a spindle nut of a threaded spindle of the motor-driven adjustment unit is axially fixedly coupled to the piston so that an axial movement of the motor-driven adjustment unit of the motor-driven adjustment unit and thus of the pullout takes place with the further drive activated.

16. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a security against extension that releases the axially fixed coupling of the spindle nut to the piston when a force acting on the pullout and acting against the extension exceeds a predefined amount on an extension from the retracted end position into the extended end position.

17. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a security against extension that releases the axially fixed coupling of the spindle nut to the piston when a force acting on the pullout and acting against the extension exceeds a predefined amount on the extension from the retracted end position into the extended end position on the basis of a corresponding traveling of the piston.

18. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein the security against extension comprises the coupling of the spindle nut to the piston comprising a magnetic coupling between a magnet and an entrainer, with the magnetic coupling releasing on an exceeding of the predefined amount.

19. The labeling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt comprises two conveyor belt sections arranged behind one another and spaced apart from one another such that a gap through which the labels can be applied to the packages from below is formed between the two conveyor belt sections.

20. A weighing conveying apparatus comprising a first conveyor belt, a weighing belt, and a labeling apparatus, the labeling apparatus comprising: a second conveyor belt for transporting packages, a labeler to apply labels to the packages from below, and a pullout apparatus that comprises a pullout that is supported via a pullout guide at a stationary pullout carrier and that is linearly travelable relative thereto between a retracted end position and an extended end position, wherein the labeler is positioned on the pullout, wherein the pullout apparatus is configured such that a location of the retracted end position of the pullout is adjustable, and wherein the pullout apparatus comprises a motor-driven adjustment unit to set the location of the retracted end position of the pullout.

Description

(1) Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims, in the further description and in the drawing.

(2) The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawing. There are shown

(3) FIG. 1 a perspective view of a weighing conveying apparatus comprising a labeling apparatus having a pullout apparatus in accordance with the prior art;

(4) FIG. 2 the pullout apparatus of FIG. 1 in a perspective view,

(5) FIG. 3 a labeling apparatus in accordance with the invention that comprises a pullout apparatus having a pullout, having an electric motor drive, and having a pneumatic cylinder, and a labeler for the lower side of the packaging arranged on the pullout;

(6) FIGS. 4a-b the pullout apparatus of FIG. 3 in two perspective views;

(7) FIG. 5 the pullout apparatus of FIG. 3 in a view from above;

(8) FIG. 6a a detail view of the electric motor drive and of the pneumatic cylinder, with housing parts of the electric motor drive having been omitted; and

(9) FIG. 6b the representation in accordance with FIG. 6, with the pneumatic cylinder additionally having been omitted.

(10) The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 shows a weighing conveying apparatus 11 that is known from the initially named document and that comprises an infeed belt 15, a weighing belt 17, an outfeed belt 19, a metal detector 23, and a labeling apparatus 13 comprising a conveyor belt having two conveyor belt sections 27, 29. The weighing belt 17 is coupled to a load cell, not shown, that is arranged beneath the weighing belt 17 and that is adapted to determine the weight of a package moving over the weighing belt 17. The weighing belt 17 and the load cell form a weighing platform that can be configured as a control scale or checkweigher or as a price labeler. Sheet metal dirt guards 21 are provided at both sides of the three transport belts 15, 17, 19.

(11) In normal operation of the weighing conveying apparatus 11, packages to be weighed are handed over from the infeed belt 15 to the weighing belt 17, are weighed there, and are transported on via an outfeed belt 19 to a transport belt of the metal detector 23. The packages are subsequently taken over by the labeling apparatus 13 and are provided with a label that was previously printed using the price labeler with the weight determined for the respective package by the load cell. The labeling apparatus 13 is accordingly a labeling apparatus including a printer. The metal detector 23 can also be omitted or a sorting device can, for example, also be provided instead of the metal detector 23 or in addition thereto. In the region of the labeling apparatus 13, in the view in accordance with FIG. 1, a switch cabinet 31 for the control of the weighing conveying apparatus 11 is provided at the rear side of a rack 25 of the weighing conveying apparatus 11.

(12) The rack 25 comprises a plurality of side walls 33 that are fixedly connected to one another in the region of the conveyor belts 15 and 19, of the weighing belt 17, and of the metal detector 23, i.e. in the region of a weighing module and of a metal detector module of the rack 25, via a respective plurality of longitudinal members 37 formed as round tubes and extending in parallel with one another. The side walls 33 of the weighing module are each formed in two parts, with the two respective side wall parts being connected to one another via cross members 39 that are formed as square tubes and that are provided at the inner sides of the side wall parts. Two respective feet 35 that are vertically adjustable independently of one another are screwed to the side walls 33. An adjustment of the height of the rack 25 can be carried out by the feet 35.

(13) The labeling apparatus 13 comprises a so-called top labeler 41, that is a labeler for the upper package side, that is arranged above the conveyor belt 27, 29 or the conveyor belt sections 27, 29 to provide packages transported on the conveyor belt 27, 29 with a label from above, i.e. on their upper sides. The labeling apparatus 13 furthermore comprises a so-called bottom labeler 43, i.e. a labeler for the lower package side, that is arranged beneath the conveyor belt 27, 29 or the conveyor belt sections 27, 29 within the rack 25 to provide packages transported on the conveyor belt 27, 29 with a label from below, i.e. on their lower sides. The respective labeler is dispensed for this purpose upwardly from the bottom labeler 43 through the gap formed between the conveyor belt section 27 and the conveyor belt section 29 and is applied to the packages.

(14) To ensure a simple accessibility of the bottom labeler 43, for example for a change of the label roll or for servicing, a pullout apparatus 45 shown in detail in FIG. 2 is provided for the bottom labeler 43 to pull the bottom labeler 43 out of the less accessible operating position beneath the conveyor belt 27, 29. The bottom labeler 43 here additionally stands on a turntable 47 of the pullout apparatus 45. It is hereby possible to pivot the bottom labeler 43 about the vertical to further facilitate work, in particular service work, on the bottom labeler 43.

(15) The pullout apparatus 45 comprises a plate-like pullout 49 that is supported in a linearly travelable manner between the one retracted end position such as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and an extended end position, not shown, at a stationary pullout carrier 53 that is fixedly connected to the rack 25. The pullout carrier 53 has two L-shaped cross members 55 whose shorter limbs are each oriented in the vertical and whose longer limbs are each oriented in the horizontal. The two cross members 55 are arranged at both sides of the pullout apparatus 45. The pullout carrier 53 furthermore has two longitudinal members 57 by which the two cross members 55 are fixedly connected to one another.

(16) The pullout guide 51 is formed as a roller guide. For this purpose, two respective rollers 59 are provided on each of the two cross members 55, are arranged behind one another in the traveling direction of the pullout 49, and of which only the respective front roller 59 is visible in FIG. 2. The rollers 59 are each formed in the manner of a cable pulley, i.e. their running surfaces are each centrally provided with a peripheral groove. The two rollers 59 of a respective cross member 55 cooperate with a respective guide rod 61 that is oriented in the direction of travel and that is respectively attached to the lower side of the pullout 49 via a respective web 63. The cooperation takes place here such that the respective guide rod 61 engages into the grooves of the two respective rollers 59 so that the guide rod 61 can roll off at the rollers 59 on the traveling of the pullout 49.

(17) A labeling apparatus 13 in accordance with the invention is shown in FIG. 3 that is further developed with respect to the known labeling apparatus 13 in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2 and whose pullout apparatus 45 is explained in more detail in FIGS. 4a to 6b, with the same reference numerals as in the preceding FIGS. 1 and 2 being used for the same parts.

(18) With respect to the known pullout apparatus, the pullout apparatus 45 in accordance with the invention additionally has a motor-driven adjustment unit in the form of an electric motor drive 65 as well as a pneumatic cylinder 67 whose respective functions will be explained in more detail below. The bottom labeler 43 furthermore does not stand directly on the turntable 47, but rather on a pivot extension 69 that is in turn fastened to the turntable 47.

(19) The electric motor drive 65 is provided to set the location of the retracted end position of the pullout 49. Since the location of the bottom labeler 43 relative to the conveyor belt 27, 29 or to the conveyor belt sections 27, 29 is also predefined by this location, the label position on the packages is ultimately hereby also predefined. The pneumatic cylinder 67 is in contrast provided to travel the pullout 49 between the retracted end position and the extended end position.

(20) The electric motor drive 65 is arranged on the pullout 49 and comprises a threaded spindle 75, that has a threaded rod 77 and a spindle nut 79, and an electric motor 81 that drives the threaded spindle 75 or the threaded rod 77. The threaded spindle 75 and the electric motor 81 are arranged in a housing 71 of the electric motor drive 65 that is fastened to the pullout 49 via two sheet metal fasteners 73. If the spindle nut 79 is held in a fixed manner and if the electric motor is activated, the threaded rod 77 moves with the electric motor 81 and the housing 71 in the axial direction of the threaded rod 77 and thus the pullout 49 moves in the direction of travel. For this purpose, the threaded rod 77 is axially fixedly coupled to the housing 71 and thus to the pullout 49. The pullout 49 moves in the direction of retraction or extension depending on the direction of rotation of the electric motor 81. The pullout 49 can furthermore be traveled between the retracted end position and the extended end position by traveling the spindle nut 79 by means of the pneumatic cylinder 67.

(21) The electric motor drive 65 is controlled by a control device, not shown, that can in particular be arranged in the switch cabinet 31. It can be achieved by the control device that the labels to be applied are affixed at a desired position, for example centrally, on the incoming packages. Respective dispensing positions are in particular stored in a database, not shown, for different labels and/or packages that differ from one another in their widths, i.e. in particular in their dimensions perpendicular to the direction of transport. With knowledge of which packages are to be provided with which labels, the control device can then select the corresponding dispensing position and can set the location of the pullout 49 accordingly.

(22) The pneumatic cylinder 67 is fixedly fastened to the rear side wall 33 via two sheet metal fasteners 83. The pneumatic cylinder 67 comprises a housing 85 and a piston, not shown, which is axially movably arranged therein and to which an end of a piston rod 87 is fastened which projects out of the housing 85. The pneumatic cylinder 67 is configured in the embodiment shown as a singly acting cylinder that is operable with compressed air via a compressed air supply 89 so that the piston rod 87 can be moved to and fro in the axial direction. The piston rod 87 is axially fixedly coupled to the spindle nut 79 via a connection element 91 and an entrainer 93 that extends through a slit 95 that is formed at the lower side of the housing 71 of the electric motor drive 65 so that the pullout 49 can be traveled between the retracted end position and the extended end position by actuation of the pneumatic cylinder 67 as was already mentioned above.

(23) A security against extension 97 is furthermore provided in the form of a releasable magnetic coupling by which the axially fixed coupling between the connection element 91, and the piston or the piston rod 87, on the one hand, and the entrainer 93, and ultimately the pullout 49, on the other hand, can be released on the extension of the pullout 49 from the retracted end position into the extended end position if the pullout 49 moves toward an operator. Injuries can hereby be avoided. For this purpose, the magnetic coupling 97 has a permanent magnet 99 that attracts the entrainer 93 and takes it along on the extension, with the magnetic attraction breaking down when the extension 49 impacts an obstacle. Alternatively or additionally, provision can also be made as a security device that the operating pressure of the pneumatic cylinder 67 is selected as comparatively small, e.g. 1.5 bar, so that only a comparatively small force is exerted by the pneumatic cylinder 67.

(24) A security against retraction 101 is furthermore also provided to avoid a squeezing of and thus an injury to an operator on the retraction of the pullout 49. The security against retraction 101 comprises the threaded rod 77 being axially movably coupled to the electric motor 81 and the threaded rod 77 being able to actuate a safety switch 105 against the force of a helical spring 103 and through an opening in an inner wall of the housing 71. The piston rod 87 is withdrawn into the housing 85 of the pneumatic cylinder 67 to retract the pullout 49. The connection element 91 here presses against the entrainer 93 so that the pullout 49 is traveled into the retracted end position under the agency of the spindle nut 79, of the threaded rod 77, and of the housing 71. If the pullout 49 abuts an obstacle in so doing, the axial coupling between the threaded rod 77 and the housing 71 is released. In this process, the spindle nut 79 travels further inward, with the movement of the pullout 49 and thus of the housing 71, however, being blocked from which an axial movement of the threaded rod 77 in the direction of extension results, whereby the safety switch 105 is actuated so that the pneumatic cylinder 67 can be correspondingly deactivated.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(25) 11 weighing conveying apparatus 13 labeling apparatus 15 infeed belt 17 weighing belt 19 outfeed belt 21 sheet metal dirt guard 23 metal detector 25 rack 27 conveyor belt section 29 conveyor belt section 31 switch cabinet 33 side wall 35 foot 37 longitudinal member 39 cross member 41 top labeler 43 bottom labeler 45 pullout apparatus 47 turntable 49 pullout 51 pullout guide 53 pullout carrier 55 cross member 57 longitudinal member 59 roller 61 guide rod 63 web 65 electric motor drive 67 pneumatic cylinder 69 pivot extension 71 housing 73 sheet metal fastener 75 threaded spindle 77 threaded bar 79 spindle nut 81 electric motor 83 sheet metal fastener 85 housing 87 piston rod 89 compressed air supply 91 connection element 93 entrainer 95 slit 97 security against extension 99 permanent magnet 101 security against retraction 103 helical spring 105 safety switch 107 gap