High speed label applicator systems and methods

Abstract

A label application system for applying paper non-pressure adhesive labels to relatively short, round, straight-walled articles is constructed and designed so that labels to be applied to passing articles are delivered to the label application zone on a vacuum conveyor in a short feed orientation, with each label being oriented lengthwise across a width of the vacuum conveyor. At the time of labeling, the label is held stationary on a flat vacuum surface, and the label is applied by spinning the articles past the vacuum surface. As a result, the system is capable of labeling articles at processing speeds of up to or exceeding 800 articles per minute.

Claims

1. A label application system which applies labels to articles, comprising: a label applicator assembly comprising a conveyor assembly which includes a vacuum conveyor on which a vacuum surface is disposed, the vacuum surface extending along all or most of an entire length of the vacuum conveyor; an unwind assembly comprising a shaft which is rotatably driven to rotate the shaft, the shaft being adapted to hold a roll having a carrier web thereon and the carrier web feeding onto the vacuum conveyor; a label cutter disposed at a selected location on the vacuum conveyor, the label cutter being adapted to cut the carrier web into discrete labels of a desired size; a glue applicator disposed at a second selected location on the vacuum conveyor, downstream of the label cutter, the glue applicator being adapted to apply glue to labels passing by the glue applicator after being cut by the label cutter, the vacuum conveyor vacuum surface being flat and moving in a linear direction between the label cutter and the glue applicator; an article conveyor assembly which transports articles to be labeled past the label applicator assembly, the article conveyor assembly comprising a label application zone adjacent to the label applicator assembly; and a motor for moving the vacuum conveyor so that the vacuum surface is flat and moves in said linear direction downstream past the label cutter and the glue applicator and then moves in a non-linear direction to pass through the label application zone, the motor being controlled to stop the vacuum conveyor so that the vacuum surface is stationary during the application of a label to an article passing through the label application zone on the article conveyor assembly, and the motor being further controlled to restart the vacuum conveyor to move a next label into the label application zone as a next article to be labeled approaches the label application zone on the article conveyor, the vacuum surface being flat through the label application zone; wherein the vacuum conveyor is horizontally disposed at the selected location and the second selected location, and is vertically disposed in the label application zone.

2. The label application system as recited in claim 1, wherein the label cutter comprises a laser cutter.

3. The label application system as recited in claim 1, wherein the carrier web comprises a lower side and an upper side.

4. The label application system as recited in claim 3, wherein the carrier web is pre-printed on its lower side with information to appear on the labels to be applied to the articles passing through the label application zone on the article conveyor.

5. The label application system as recited in claim 3, wherein the labels cut by the label cutter are printed on their respective lower sides with desired information by a printing station disposed on the vacuum conveyor.

6. The label application system as recited in claim 3, wherein the glue applied by the glue applicator is applied to an upper side of labels passing thereby.

7. The label application system as recited in claim 6, wherein the glue comprises a hot melt adhesive.

8. The label application system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vacuum surface comprises a plurality of vacuum apertures for drawing of vacuum pressure therethrough, to hold the carrier web and cut labels on the vacuum surface.

9. The label application system as recited in claim 1, wherein the articles passing through the label application zone on the article conveyor are driven to rotate by the article conveyor assembly, so that rotation of the articles assists in applying a label to a surface of the articles.

10. The label application system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vacuum conveyor and the article conveyor are oriented so that the vacuum conveyor feeds labels into the label application zone in a direction transverse to a direction along which articles are conveyed through the label application zone by the article conveyor.

11. The label application system as recited in claim 10, wherein each label, after being cut, has a longer dimension and a shorter dimension, and lies on the vacuum conveyor with its longer dimension lying along a width of the vacuum conveyor.

12. A label application system which applies labels to articles, comprising: a label applicator assembly comprising a conveyor assembly which includes a vacuum conveyor on which a vacuum surface is disposed, the vacuum surface extending along all or most of an entire length of the vacuum conveyor; an unwind assembly comprising a shaft which is rotatably driven to rotate the shaft, the shaft being adapted to hold a roll having a carrier web thereon and the carrier web feeding onto the vacuum conveyor; a label cutter disposed at a selected location on the vacuum conveyor, the label cutter being adapted to cut the carrier web into discrete labels of a desired size; a glue applicator disposed at a second selected location on the vacuum conveyor, downstream of the label cutter, the glue applicator being adapted to apply glue to labels passing by the glue applicator after being cut by the label cutter, the vacuum conveyor vacuum surface being flat and moving in a linear direction between the label cutter and the glue applicator; an article conveyor assembly which transports articles to be labeled past the label applicator assembly, the article conveyor assembly comprising a label application zone adjacent to the label applicator assembly; the vacuum conveyor and the article conveyor being oriented so that the vacuum conveyor moves non-linearly downstream of the glue applicator to feed labels into the label application zone in a direction transverse to a direction along which articles are conveyed through the label application zone by the article conveyor, the vacuum surface being flat through the label application zone; wherein each label, after being cut, has a longer dimension and a shorter dimension, and lies on the vacuum conveyor with its longer dimension lying along a width of the vacuum conveyor, and further wherein the vacuum conveyor is horizontally disposed at the selected location and the second selected location, and is vertically disposed in the label application zone.

13. The label application system as recited in claim 12, wherein the label cutter comprises a laser cutter.

14. The label application system as recited in claim 12, wherein the carrier web comprises a lower side and an upper side.

15. The label application system as recited in claim 14, wherein the carrier web is pre-printed on its lower side with information to appear on the labels to be applied to the articles passing through the label application zone on the article conveyor.

16. The label application system as recited in claim 14, wherein the labels cut by the label cutter are printed on their respective lower sides with desired information by a printing station disposed on the vacuum conveyor.

17. The label application system as recited in claim 14, wherein the glue applied by the glue applicator is applied to an upper side of labels passing thereby.

18. The label application system as recited in claim 17, wherein the glue comprises a hot melt adhesive.

19. The label application system as recited in claim 12, wherein the vacuum surface comprises a plurality of vacuum apertures for drawing of vacuum pressure therethrough, to hold the carrier web and cut labels on the vacuum surface.

20. The label application system as recited in claim 12, wherein the articles passing through the label application zone on the article conveyor are driven to rotate by the article conveyor assembly, so that rotation of the articles assists in applying the label to a surface of the articles.

21. A method for applying labels to articles, comprising: feeding a carrier web comprising a length of paper onto a vacuum conveyor comprising a flat surface having vacuum apertures disposed therein, the vacuum apertures extending along all or most of a length of the vacuum conveyor: drawing a vacuum pressure through the vacuum apertures to hold a lower side of the carrier web on the vacuum conveyor surface; moving the vacuum conveyor in a horizontal disposition so that the carrier web passes a label cutter; using the label cutter to cut the carrier web into labels of a desired size, having a length and a width; moving the vacuum conveyor in a linear direction so that the cut labels pass a glue applicator; using the glue applicator to apply glue to an upper side of each cut label passing the glue applicator; moving an article conveyor so that articles disposed on the article conveyor pass through a label application zone; feeding the cut labels into the label application zone on the vacuum conveyor so that the length of each label lies along a width of the vacuum conveyor, the feeding step including moving the vacuum conveyor in a non-linear direction to a vertical disposition between the glue applicator and the label application zone; and stopping the vacuum conveyor so that a label thereon is held in a stationary position as it is applied to a passing article on the article conveyor.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, and further comprising a step of re-starting the vacuum conveyor after the label has been applied to the passing article and thereby moving a next label on the vacuum conveyor into the label application zone for application to a next passing article on the article conveyor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of a labeling system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a top view of the labeling system of FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a length of carrier web with labels of the type to be applied using the inventive system disposed thereon;

(4) FIG. 4 is an illustration of one approach for dispensing articles to be labeled from the feed screw of the inventive system into the label application zone;

(5) FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a modified embodiment of the labeling system of FIGS. 1 and 2;

(6) FIG. 6 is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

(7) FIG. 7 is a top view of the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6;

(8) FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a modified embodiment of the labeling applicator of the present invention which is adapted for use with paper/glue labels;

(9) FIG. 9 is a front view of the labeling applicator of FIG. 8;

(10) FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a labeling system utilizing the labeling applicator of FIGS. 8 and 9; and

(11) FIG. 11 is a front view of the labeling system of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views and embodiments, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 one embodiment of a label application system 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The system 10 comprises a main frame 12, a label applicator assembly 14, and a conveyor assembly 16, for transporting articles to be labeled past the label applicator assembly. Arrow 20 illustrates the direction of product flow on the conveyor assembly 16.

(13) Other elements of the system 10 to be described below include a vacuum drum assembly 22, a feedscrew assembly 24, and a control panel 26.

(14) The inventive system 10 is particularly adapted to label short, round and straight-walled articles 27 (FIG. 4), such as snuff cans, tuna cans, and the like, where the label to be applied is long and narrow relative to its length and the article has a wall which is substantially straight. The labels at issue typically have a length which exceeds their width by a length to width ratio of about 5:1 or more, in some cases 8:1 or more. Typically, because of limitations in currently available labeling equipment, such labels are disposed in a long feed configuration on the web to be fed into the label applicator. Long feed label configurations (the term Long feed means that the label feed direction is parallel to the direction of travel of the articles being labeled, i.e. parallel to the floor) are inefficient, in that the label feed mechanism must advance a greater distance (at least the length of each label) to deliver each label and fewer labels can be carried on each roll, thereby requiring change out of the label roll more often. Since the label application system must be shut down to perform the label roll change out, this reduces labeling volume. Current long feed systems can only handle about 300 articles per minute.

(15) The current inventive labeling system is able to apply the labels in a short feed orientation, meaning that the labels are fed in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of travel of the articles being labeled. Because this feeding direction also allows the labels to be disposed on the carrier web with their length lying along the width of the carrier web, this allows substantially more labels to be carried on each label roll, reducing change-out shutdowns of the system. Additionally, the web need only advance by a distance equal to the width of the label, plus any space between adjacent labels, to deliver the next label to the application zone. As a result, the present system is capable of labeling as many as 800 articles per minute or more, an efficiency increase of at least about 100% over prior art systems.

(16) Now, with more particular reference to FIGS. 1-4, the system 10 will be described in greater detail. The label applicator 14 comprises an unwind assembly 28 having an unwind disk 30 on which is carried a roll of labels for application to the passing articles 27 (FIG. 4) on the conveyor 16, which moves in a direction indicated by the arrow 20. The unwind assembly 28 is comprised of the aforementioned assembly unwind disk 30, as well as an assembly unwind drive mechanism 31a with brake, and a shaft or spindle 31b for accommodating the roll of labels. The unwind assembly 28 is rotatably driven through the assembly unwind drive mechanism 31a.

(17) As noted above, the roll of labels comprises a carrier web, with a series of pressure-sensitive labels disposed on the web, adhesive side down. The labels are typically pre-printed with appropriate brand and content information. The labels are arranged in a short feed orientation, wherein the length of each label is oriented to extend across the width of the carrier web, with a desired spacing between successive labels. A portion of a length of carrier web 31c, having a plurality of labels 31d disposed thereon, is shown in FIG. 3. When the roll of labels 31d on the carrier web 31c is mounted on the unwind disk 30, the labels 31d are disposed so that they feed onto the vacuum drum assembly 22 with their leading edge comprising the length of each label, in the short feed direction.

(18) As noted above, the carrier web 31c, unwinding from the unwind assembly 28, is routed about idler rollers along a feedpath to the vacuum drum 22 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4). The vacuum drum is constructed to comprise a plurality of label flats 32. Each label flat comprises a substantially flat surface interspersed with vacuum apertures 33, wherein the surface of each label flat is sized to accommodate a label separated from the carrier web. In the illustrated example, there are twenty label flats 32 which together comprise the outer circumferential surface of the vacuum drum 22. Angled transitional edges 32a are disposed between each label flat 32, formed by the respective joined edges of each label flat. The vacuum drum 22 is constructed to be modular, so that label flats 32 are interchangeable. Because of this modular construction, the number and size of the label flats 32 on each drum can be changed out depending upon the size of the label to be applied. As is typical with prior art non-modular vacuum drums, the interior of the vacuum drum 22 is hollow, and connected to vacuum fans or pumps 34 for drawing a vacuum through the vacuum apertures 33 in the surface of each label flat 32, and through the hollow interior of the drum 22, to hold the non-adhesive side of a label on each label flat 32. It is noted that having a flat vacuum surface for receiving each label is important to the efficient functionality of the system, and its unique and previously unknown ability to apply labels to short, round, straight-walled articles at speeds substantially in excess of 300 articles per minute.

(19) As is known in the art, the label feedpath from the label roll is directed to a label peeler 36 for separating the label from the carrier web and delivering it to the next available label flat 32, with the non-adhesive side down. Thus, the non-adhesive side of the label is held by the vacuum pressure against the surface of the label flat 32, with the adhesive side facing outwardly. This process continues as the vacuum drum is rotated in stepwise fashion, using a stepper motor 37 or the like, advancing rotationally the distance of the width of a single label flat 32 with each step, to simultaneously present one label flat 32 to the peeler 36 for delivery of a label onto the surface of that label flat, and to a label application zone 38 for delivery of another label, disposed on the surface of another label flat 32, to an article passing through the label application zone 38.

(20) Within the control panel 26 are disposed the electrical controls necessary to operate the system. These controls are, generally speaking, typical in the industry and will not be further described herein.

(21) In operation, an operator activates the label application system by actuation of an appropriate control switch on an operator control panel 26. Once operational, the roll of labels is unwound from the unwind assembly 28, so that the carrier web travels along the feedpath of the device, about idler rollers. As a result, a leading edge of the carrier web reaches the label peeler 36, and a first label is separated from the web and disposed onto a label flat on the vacuum drum 22. As noted above, the label is retained on the surface of a label flat 32 because of vacuum pressure applied through the vacuum apertures 33 on that surface, by the fans 34, with its adhesive side out. The vacuum drum is stepped rotationally, by the motor 37, as the carrier web is advanced by the width of a label, plus the spacing between adjacent labels on the web, until the next label is applied, by the peeler 36, to the next label flat 32. This process continues as the vacuum drum continues to be stepped rotationally in the same manner, so that each label flat 32 receives a label. In the meantime, the conveyor assembly 14 is activated so that articles to be labeled travel toward the label application zone 38, in the direction of the arrow 20.

(22) The feedscrew assembly 24 is constructed to rotate adjacent to the conveyor belt, for timing purposes, in a manner well known in the labeling art, so that passing articles are received into grooves 39 between the screws of the feedscrew, thus spacing them appropriately as they sequentially enter the label application zone. The feedscrew assembly 24 comprises a back pressure control station, controlling the article pressure generated by the mass quantity of articles at the in-feed, and also creates article separation. As an article to be labeled travels toward the label application zone 38 and approaches the vacuum drum 22, it is placed into a spinning rotation by its contact with and travel along an adjacent vertically-oriented flat belt assembly, in a position opposed to the labeling surface of the vacuum drum 22, which comprises a part of the conveyor system 16. Such a system is not dissimilar to the system shown and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,122 to Mitchell, herein expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety. However, advantageously, in the inventive system, the article 27 is dispensed out of the feedscrew and is set into rotation as it contacts the outwardly facing adhesive side of the next label to be applied, on a label flat 32 which has been rotated into the label application zone 38. This contact causes the end of the label to adhere to the side wall of the article. As the spinning article continues to move along the conveyor, its spinning action against the adhesive side of the label causes that label to be wrapped about the article, thus completing the labeling process. This approach is in contrast of that known in the prior art, represented by Mitchell, wherein the feedscrew 15 extended downstream, adjacent and opposed to the vacuum drum 11, so that the article being labeled in the Mitchell patent was still disposed in the grooves of the feedscrew as it was being labeled. This prior art approach is not suitable from the short, round articles 27 for which the inventive system is intended. The inventor has discovered that it is not necessary to employ a prior art starwheel to continue the rotation of articles to be labeled within the label application zone, as previously thought. They can be maintained in an adequately spinning state through the label application zone simply by use of the aforementioned flat belt assembly, thus resulting in an advantageously simpler and faster labeling system, as well as one which is efficient since it allows for a label short feed orientation, as discussed above.

(23) FIGS. 2, 4, and 7 illustrate an alternative apparatus 40, namely a vertically oriented moving belt assembly, which may be utilized instead of the feedscrew assembly 24 for operation as the pressure control station.

(24) In the inventive system, the labeled article 27, after passing through the label application zone 38, then continues along the conveyor for further handling, such as packing and shipping, and the next article 27 to be labeled goes through the same process, with respect to the next label to be rotated into the label application zone. It is noted that FIG. 4 illustrates one orientation of the vacuum drum assembly relative to the passing articles 27, whereas FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the vacuum drum assembly on an opposing side of the conveyor assembly 16. This is merely for the purpose of clarifying that the orientation of the system is a matter of design applicationwhich side of the conveyor assembly the vacuum drum and label applicator assembly are disposed is dependent upon industrial design factors outside of the scope of the present invention. A key aspect of the invention is that the label is presented to the article in the label application zone in a stationary state, with the vacuum surface 32 held stationary. As the article to be labeled passes by the label application zone, the article is rotated by the belt system to cause the stationary label to be wrapped about the circumference of the article, thereby completing the labeling process.

(25) FIGS. 5-7 illustrate a modified embodiment of the present invention, which is similar in operational principle to the vacuum drum embodiment of FIGS. 1-2, but instead utilizes vacuum applicator 42 to deliver the label to the spinning article, rather than a vacuum drum. The vacuum applicator may comprises a tamp applicator, as well known in the art, for example, as shown and disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,771, herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, or it may simply be a stationary platform supporting the vacuum surface. Whether the vacuum applicator is initially moved toward the article to be labeled, as is the case with a tamp applicator, or is already adjacent to the passing articles, and thus is always in a fixed position, the important thing is that the vacuum surface of the label applicator is stationary during the labeling process. Thus, the actually labeling step is substantially identical to that occurring using the vacuum drum discussed above.

(26) In this embodiment, wherein like elements are identified by like reference numerals, as in the vacuum drum embodiment, the article 27 is initiated into a spinning rotation as it travels into the label application zone, then engages a label disposed on the label applicator 42, which is disposed so that the upstream end of the label thereon will contact the outer sidewall of the article to be labeled. Again, as the article travels downstream along the conveyor and the moving belt 40, the label will be wrapped about the circumference thereof to complete the labeling process quickly and efficiently, with minimal error rates. The label applicator 42 comprises a pad having vacuum apertures therein, a vacuum pad, for receiving a dispensed label thereon, adhesive side up. The pad receives a label 31d thereon, as the label is dispensed from the carrier web 31c (FIG. 3), and is disposed in stationary fashion adjacent to a rotating passing article 27 to be labeled. Significantly, in this alternate embodiment, the articles 27 are rotated using a feedscrew mechanism 24 or vertically-oriented moving belt 40, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, and then dispensed from the pressure control station, upstream of the label application zone 38, into that zone to receive a label.

(27) What is particularly advantageous about this inventive approach is that the label is stationary in the label application zone, while it is being applied to the spinning article, unlike prior art systems for labeling cylindrical articles using long, thin labels, which utilize a nip method and are fed in the direction of flow of the articles, rather than orthogonal to that direction of flow, as is the case with the present invention.

(28) While the foregoing invention embodiments have been particularly suited to the application of pressure-sensitive labels, the principles of the present invention apply, as well, to other labels often used for labeling articles. These alternative labels are typically comprised of paper, which has been pre-printed on one side with the desired information to be labeled on an article, which labels are glued on their back side, during the labeling process. Such a modified embodiment is shown in FIGS. 8-11, which will now be described.

(29) With reference now to FIGS. 8 and 9, a label applicator assembly 14 for use with paper labels and incorporating the features of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, like elements to those in the previously described embodiments are identified with like reference numerals. Thus, in this embodiment, the label applicator assembly 14 is supported on a main frame 12. A roll comprising a carrier web 31c is mounted on a shaft 31b, which is rotatably driven by an unwind drive mechanism 31a, so that the carrier web 31c advances toward and onto a vacuum conveyor 50. A laser cutter 52, or other suitable cutting device is disposed at a selected location on the vacuum conveyor 50, so that as the carrier web 31c passes through the laser cutter station, labels of a desired size are cut by the cutter 52. It is noted that the carrier web 31c may be pre-printed on its lower side (underneath side) with information to appear on the finished labels, or the labels may be custom printed by a printing station as the carrier web 31c advances toward the label application zone 38.

(30) After cutting of the labels by the cutter 52, a glue applicator 54 applies adhesive, typically a hot melt glue or other suitable adhesive, to the upper side of each label, as it lies on the vacuum conveyor 50.

(31) The vacuum conveyor 50 comprises a vacuum surface including vacuum apertures, constructed in a similar way as the vacuum surface discussed above in connection with prior embodiments. Thus, vacuum pressure is drawn through the vacuum apertures to hold the label 31d in place on the vacuum surface, with the printed side of the label down and the glued side up. The vacuum conveyor 50 is driven by a stepper motor 37 so that the conveyor can be moved and stopped as desired.

(32) FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the label applicator assembly 14 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 in a label application system 10, which includes a conveyor assembly 16 for carrying articles 27 to be labeled through the label application zone 38. Once the labels 31d have been cut and glued, as described above, the labeling process is similar to that described above. In particular, as each label 31d enters the label application zone, the stepper motor stops the vacuum conveyor so that the vacuum surface holding the label within the label application zone is stationary during the labeling process. The leading edge of the label adheres to the article as it enters the label application zone on the article conveyor 16. Since the article is rotating as it passes through the label application zone, the stationary label is applied to the article surface because of the rotation of the article. Once the label has been applied, the vacuum conveyor is restarted to move the next label into the label application zone as the next article to be labeled approaches the label application zone on the article conveyor. The vacuum conveyor is then stopped again, so that the vacuum surface holding the label is stationary during the application of the next label to the next article. This process is repeated rapidly (at a rate up to or exceeding 800 articles per minute). As is clear from the drawings, in this embodiment, as well, the labels are fed to the label application zone in a short feed orientation, meaning that the vacuum conveyor 50 feeds the labels into the label application zone in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction along which the articles to be labeled enter the label application zone on the article conveyor. Simply put, the vacuum conveyor and the article conveyor have travel directions generally orthogonal or transverse to one another. The cut labels are oriented so that the long direction of each label lies along a width of the vacuum conveyor. Therefore, each label may be quickly applied to the passing article, permitting labeling speeds exceeding 800 articles per minute.

(33) While this invention has been described with respect to various specific examples and embodiments, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting the invention, but merely as an exemplification of preferred embodiments thereof.