Method for moving to a reference feed position of a label tape and device for labelling containers

Abstract

A method for moving to a reference feed position of a label tape with respect to a dispensing edge of a container labeller and a corresponding device is described. The label tape may be first pulled back beyond the reference feed position by rewinding to its supply roller and then conveyed in the normal feed direction to the reference feed position prevents unwanted detachment of labels at the dispensing edge as a result of the label tape unwinding from the supply roller as well as the use of pusher roller systems upstream of the dispensing edge.

Claims

1. A method for moving to a reference feed position of a label tape with respect to a dispensing edge of a container labeller, wherein the label tape is pulled back beyond the reference feed position by being wound back onto a supply roller and is then conveyed in a normal feed direction to the reference feed position and stopped when the reference feed position is reached, wherein an actual feed position of the label tape is monitored by at least one sensor and where conveying of the label tape rewound beyond the reference feed position is automatically interrupted in the normal feed direction when the actual feed position for at least one label of the label tape corresponds to the reference feed position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the label tape is stored out of a loop buffer disposed between a supply roller and a dispensing edge until a lower adjustment limit of a buffer size is reached and the label tape is then pulled back between the loop buffer and the dispensing edge.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the actual feed position is monitored between the dispensing edge and a loop buffer by a sensor.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one buffer roller of the loop buffer is displaced and/or pivoted against an elastic pre-tension to an adjustment limit of the buffer size.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a movement of the at least one buffer roller is elastically damped at the adjustment limit.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference feed position is a start feed position for labelling or differs from the start feed position by a predetermined feed difference, wherein the reference feed position is an integral multiple of a label distance on the label tape.

7. A device for labelling containers by means of a label tape, comprising: a dispensing edge for removing labels from a liner of the label tape; a roller system arranged downstream of the dispensing edge for conveying the label tape in a normal feed direction; a supply roller for the label tape arranged upstream of the dispensing edge with a drive; and a feed sensor for monitoring an actual feed position of the label tape; wherein a controller for controlling the drive of the supply roller operates the drive to wind the label tape back onto the supply roller beyond a reference feed position, and wherein the controller is programmed to compare the actual feed position monitored by the feed sensor with the reference feed position, and wherein after the label tape is wound back on the supply roller, the controller operates the roller system to pull the label tape in the normal feed direction to the reference feed position and stops the roller system when the reference feed position is reached.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising a loop buffer arranged between the dispensing edge and supply roller to maintain a predetermined tape tension when the label tape is fed.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the loop buffer comprises an elastically pre-tensioned adjustment mechanism for moving and/or pivoting a buffer roller to the label tape and a lower adjustment limit of a buffer size.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the adjustment mechanism and/or the lower adjustment limit is mutually elastically damped.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a swivel arm for swivelling the buffer roller up to the lower adjustment limit or a linear slide for moving the buffer roller up to the lower adjustment limit, wherein the swivel arm or linear slide is elastically pre-tensed only to such an extent that the loop buffer is first reduced to the lower adjustment limit of the buffer size when the label tape is wound back onto the supply roller and then the label tape is pulled back downstream of the loop buffer.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the feed sensor is arranged between the loop buffer and the dispensing edge for monitoring the actual feed position of the label tape.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the controller is programmed to compare the actual feed position monitored by the feed sensor with the reference feed position differing from a start feed position by an integer multiple of a label spacing on the label tape and wherein the controller is further programmed to stop the roller system as soon as the actual feed position for at least one label of the label tape matches or differs from the reference feed position by an integer multiple of the label spacing.

14. The container labeller with a continuously rotatable carousel for transporting the containers and the device according to claim 7.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(1) An example of the present disclosure is shown in the drawing. The only FIGURE shows a schematic top view of a corresponding labeller.

(2) The only FIGURE shows a labelling station 1 for labelling containers 2 with a label tape 3, for which purpose the labelling station 1 comprises at least one supply roller 4 for the label tape 3 and a dispensing edge 6 arranged at the free end of a boom 5, at which labels 3a present on the label tape 3 (and only shown in the region of the boom 5) are detached and transferred to the containers 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) Downstream of the dispensing edge 6, a roller system 7 is configured for drawing the label tape 3 in the normal feed direction 17 around the dispensing edge 6. The liner 3b of the label tape 3 thus runs under tension through the roller system 7 and is wound up behind the roller system in the usual manner for disposal.

(4) Between the supply roller 4 and the dispensing edge 6, a loop buffer 8 is arranged. Between the loop buffer 8 and the dispensing edge 6 a feed sensor 9 is arranged for monitoring an actual feed position (labelled VPI in FIG. 1) of the label tape 3 with respect to the dispensing edge 6.

(5) For example, the feed sensor 9 is an ultrasonic sensor, an optical contrast sensor, an optical print mark sensor, a line scan camera or the like. The feed sensor 9 detects the actual feed position (VPI) of individual labels 3a, for example by means of separate print marks on the label tape 3 and/or by printing the labels 3a.

(6) Loop buffer 8 comprises at least one movable buffer roller 10 and a lower adjustment limit 11 of the buffer size, for example in the form of a mechanical stop. In normal labelling operation, the buffer size may be changed by means of an adjustment mechanism 12 by swivelling and/or shifting the movable buffer roller 10 against an elastic pre-tensioner 13 without abutting at the lower adjustment limit 11. With the aid of the pre-tensioner 13 and, if necessary, guide devices 14 for the label tape 3 provided on the labeller 1, a tape tension in the label tape 3 may be generated between the supply roller 4 and the dispensing edge 6 that is suitable for normal labelling operation.

(7) At the lower adjustment limit 11 and/or at the adjustment mechanism 12, a stop damping 15 is preferably configured for the stop with a minimum buffer size in order to avoid jerky tension peaks in the label tape 3.

(8) The adjustment mechanism 12 comprises, for example, a swivel arm 12 a for swivelling the buffer roller 10 (shown) or a linear slide for moving the buffer roller 10 (not shown) up to the lower adjustment limit 11.

(9) The supply roller 4 is driven by an electrically controllable drive 16 for controlled unwinding of the label tape 3 from the supply roller 4 in normal feed direction 17. The roller system 7, the drive 16 of the supply roller 4, and the feed sensor 9 are electronically connected to a controller 18.

(10) The controller 18 may reverse the feed direction 17 for winding the label tape 3 back to its supply roller 4 and stop the label tape 3 depending on a measurement result of the feed sensor 9, in particular on the measured actual feed position (VPI) of the label tape 3.

(11) For this purpose, a reference feed position (labelled VPR in FIG. 1) is electronically stored in the controller 18, with which the actual feed position (VPI) is compared when the label tape 3 is rolled back to its supply roller 4.

(12) The reference feed position (VPR) may in principle be identical to a start-feed position (labelled VPS in FIG. 1) of label tape 3 for subsequent labelling of containers 2. In one example, the reference feed position (VPR) differs from the start-feed position (VPS) by an integer multiple of the label spacing (labelled EA in FIG. 1) of labels 3a.

(13) In normal labelling operation, the drive 16 of the supply roller 4 may be controlled by the controller 18 in such a way that the drive 16 supports the production of a suitable tape tension upstream of the dispensing edge 6 by braking.

(14) In addition, the FIGURE shows a carousel 19 for transporting the container to the dispensing edge 6 by means of a pitch circle. The labelling station 1 and the carousel 19 are then in a familiar way components of a container labeller 20.

(15) A monitoring of the actual feed position (VPI) would be complementary or alternatively also conceivable in the area upstream of the loop buffer 8. However, monitoring the actual feed position (VPI) in the area of the boom 5 is precise.

(16) With the labeller 1, for example, you can work as follows.

(17) In one aspect, the reference feed position (VPR) of label tape 3 may be approached before starting the labelling of container 2. For this purpose, the normal feed direction 17 of the label tape 3 is reversed and the label tape 3 is rewound to its supply roller 4.

(18) With feed sensor 9, the actual feed position (VPI) of label tape 3 is monitored, for example using print marks on the label tape 3 and/or the position of individual labels 3a on the label tape 3, and transmitted to the controller 18.

(19) Rewinding the label tape 3 causes the movable buffer roller 10 to move in the direction of the lower adjustment limit 11 until the swivel arm 12a or a functionally comparable linear slide preferably abuts at the adjustment limit 11 in a damped manner.

(20) The loop buffer 8 has then reached its lower adjustment limit 11 and thus its smallest buffer size. The distance between the supply roller 4 and the dispensing edge 6 is then minimal and remains constant when the label tape 3 is rolled back to its supply roller 4. Furthermore, the tape tension may be increased when rewinding beyond the pre-tension 13 for reliable rewinding of the label tape 3 beyond the reference feed position (VPR) and for subsequent precise unwinding of the label tape 3 to the reference feed position (VPR).

(21) The actual feed position (VPI) is continuously compared by the controller 18 with a specified reference feed position (VPR). The rewinding of the label tape 3 to its supply roller 4 is interrupted by the controller 18 as soon as the actual feed position (VPI) is suitably upstream of the specified reference feed position (VPR).

(22) Then supply roller is switched to the normal feed direction 17 again. The rewinding of the label tape 3 from its supply roller 4 is interrupted by controller 18 as soon as the actual feed position (VPI) is identical to the specified reference feed position (VPR).

(23) For this purpose, the roller system 7 is actively driven to pull the label tape 3 from the reference feed position (VPR) to a start feed position (VPS) with respect to the dispensing edge 6.

(24) A suitable tape tension is generated in label tape 3 downstream of the dispensing edge 6 and between loop buffer 8 and dispensing edge 6, so that the start feed position (VPS) may be approached exactly from the reference feed position (VPR). In principle, the reference feed position (VPR) could also be identical to the start feed position (VPS).

(25) By driving the supply roller 4 in normal feed direction 17, the loop buffer 8 may be returned to a suitable working position starting from the lower adjustment limit 11 with the aid of the elastic pre-tension 13, so that both buffer reductions and buffer enlargements are possible on this basis.

(26) The labelling station 1 is then ready for operation and may be put into operation for the subsequent labelling of containers 2 with labels 3a by suitable control of the roller system 7 and the supply roller 4 in synchronisation with the carousel 19 in a manner known per se.

(27) The terms downstream and upstream refer throughout to the normal feed direction 17 of the current labelling operation.

(28) The description of embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Suitable modifications and variations to the embodiments may be performed in light of the above description or may be acquired from practicing the methods. For example, unless otherwise noted, one or more of the described methods may be performed by a suitable device and/or combination of the devices shown in FIG. 1. The described methods and associated actions may also be performed in various orders in addition to the order described in this application, in parallel, and/or simultaneously. The described systems are exemplary in nature, and may include additional elements and/or omit elements, or may combine the elements in different orders to achieve the same or similar purposes. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations, and other features, functions, and/or properties disclosed.

(29) As used in this application, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word a or an should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is stated. Furthermore, references to one embodiment or one example of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. The terms first, second, and third, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or a particular positional order on their objects. The following claims particularly point out subject matter from the above disclosure that is regarded as novel and non-obvious. These claims may refer to an element or a first element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Other combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosed features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or through presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope to the original claims, also are regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.