Label-feeding apparatus and labelling apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for labeling a container includes a label-strip feed that provides a label strip having individual labels to be separated by cutting. A first portion of the strip abuts a first transfer-device that causes slippage between the first portion and itself. A cutting device cuts a length of the strip to create a cut label. A portion of the length abuts a second transfer-portion prior to cutting. A holding force generated by this second transfer-device causes slippage between the portion of the length and the second transfer-device. After the cutting device creates the cut label, it transports the cut label. Either one of the two transfer-devices is a linearly-conveying transfer device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for labeling a container, said apparatus comprising a label-strip feed, a first transfer-device comprising a transfer drum, and a second transfer-device comprising a linearly-conveying transfer device, wherein said transfer drum comprises a cutter, wherein said label-strip feed provides a label strip that comprises individual labels to be separated by having said cutter cut said label strip against said transfer drum, wherein, prior to being cut by said cutter against said transfer drum, a first portion of said label strip comes into abutment with said transfer drum along a defined angular extent of a circumference of said transfer drum, and a second portion of said label strip comes into abutment with said linearly-conveying transfer device, wherein, as a result of a holding force generated by said linearly-conveying transfer device on said second portion, slippage occurs between said first portion and said transfer drum, wherein, after said cutter has cut to create said cut label, said linearly-conveying transfer device transports said cut label, wherein said transfer drum is driven to rotate about an axis of rotation, and wherein said label strip approaches said transfer drum along a movement direction and abuts said defined angular extent such that said drum deflects said label strip by a defined angle from said movement direction, said apparatus further comprising a third transfer-device, wherein said first and second transfer-devices transport said cut label to said third transfer-device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said label-strip feed comprises a label-strip drive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said label-strip feed comprises a pair of spools driven in opposite directions through which said label strip is routed.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transfer drum is configured to generate a holding force to hold a portion of said label strip.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transfer drum operates at a first transport-speed, wherein said label-strip feed feeds said label strip to said transfer drum at a feed speed, and wherein said first transport-speed exceeds said feed speed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said linearly-conveying transfer device, said transfer drum, and said label-strip feed are driven at first, second, and third speeds, wherein said first speed is greater than said second speed and said second speed is greater than said first speed.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rotor that carries containers that are to be labeled, wherein said linearly-conveying transfer device is positioned to apply cut labels, to which glue has been applied, to said containers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transfer drum and said linearly-conveying transfer device both exert a holding force on said label strip.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said movement direction is along a velocity vector that has a component that leads towards said linearly-conveying transfer device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said defined angular extent of said circumference of said transfer drum is less than 180 degrees.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transfer drum is a cutting drum.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said linearly-conveying transfer device comprises a glue applicator.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said defined angle from said movement direction is an obtuse angle.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said defined angular extent of said circumference of said transfer drum is less than ninety degrees.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein immediately before being cut, said first portion of said label strip lies under tension against said transfer drum and said second portion lies under tension against said linearly-conveying transfer device, wherein said cutter releases said tension upon cutting said label strip, and wherein said transfer drum and said linearly-conveying transfer device transport said cut label onward at a transport speed that exceeds a feed speed of said label-strip feed.

16. A method comprising causing a label strip to slip relative to a first transfer-device's transfer drum and cutting said label against said transfer drum, said method comprising causing said transfer drum to rotate about an axis of rotation, causing said label strip to approach said transfer drum along a movement direction, said label strip comprising individual labels that are to be separated by cutting against a circumference of said transfer drum, abutting a first portion of said label against a defined angular extent of said circumference of said transfer drum such that said transfer drum deflects said label strip by a defined angle from said movement direction, abutting a second portion of said label strip against a second transfer-device's linearly-conveying transfer device, causing said linearly-conveying transfer device to generate a holding force on said second portion, thereby promoting slippage between said first portion and said transfer drum, cutting said label against said circumference of said transfer drum, after cutting, causing said first and second transfer-devices transfer device to transport said cut label to a third transfer-device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein causing said linearly-conveying transfer device to generate a holding force comprises causing said linearly-conveying transfer device to exert an electrostatic force.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting said defined angular extent to be small enough to promote said slippage.

19. An apparatus for feeding labels to a container that is to be labeled, said apparatus comprising a label strip feeding means by means of which a label strip is supplied, said label strip having a multiplicity of individual labels that are to be separated by cutting, said apparatus further comprising a first transfer device against which at least one sub-length of said label strip comes into abutment, wherein said first transfer device is designed for creating slippage between said sub-length of said label strip and said first transfer device, at least one cutting device for severing a sub-length of said label strip in order to produce a label, at least one second transfer device against which at least one portion of said sub-length of said label strip that is to be severed comes into abutment prior to said severing operation, wherein said second transfer device is designed for applying retaining forces to said portion of said label strip for creating slippage between said portion of said label strip and said second transfer device and, following said severing operation, for receiving said severed label and transporting it onwards, and wherein said second transfer device is configured at least in sections as a linear conveying transfer device, wherein said first transfer device is a transfer drum driven such as to rotate about an axis of rotation and against which said label strip is in abutment in sections on a circumferential side in a defined angle range such that said label strip is deflected at said first transfer device by a defined angle value in its direction of movement, and wherein said first transfer device is a constituent part of a cutting device and/or is configured with a cutting device for severing said label from said ongoing label strip, wherein said first and second transfer-devices transport said cut label to a third transfer-device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment of a feeding apparatus; and

(2) FIG. 2 shows a top view of a second embodiment of a feeding apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 shows a label-feeder 1 receiving a continuous label strip 4 that carries a series of individually separable labels. These labels are either contiguous, so that one immediately follows another, or they are separated by a predetermined distance. A spool or similar storage device provides the label strip 4 to the label-feeder 1.

(4) A label-strip feed 3 engages the label strip 4 with a label-strip drive 3.1. In the illustrated embodiment, the label-strip drive 3.1 comprises a pair of spools driven in opposite directions through which the label strip 4 is routed.

(5) Following the label-strip drive 3.1, the label strip 4 passes over a first transfer-device 5. In the illustrated example, the first transfer-device 5 is a transfer spool or transfer drum that rotates counter-clockwise. A first portion of the label strip 4 abuts a circumference of the first transfer-device 5 and wraps around a portion of its surface. A wrap-around angle identifies the extent of this portion.

(6) The label strip 4 continues past the first transfer-device 5 and engages a second transfer-device 7. In the illustrated embodiment, the second transfer-device 7 is a transfer belt that circulates under tension around a loop. First and second carrier-spools 7.1, 7.2 define the ends of the loop. Between the first and carrier-spools 7.1, 7.2 are first and second straightaways 7.3, 7.4. The overall apparatus thus includes one linear transporter, namely the second transfer-device 7, and one rotary transporter, namely the first transfer-device 5.

(7) During operation, a first portion of the label strip 4 lies on the first transfer-device 5, a second portion of the label strip 4 lies on the second straightaway 7.4, a third portion of the label strip 4 lies on the first carrier spool 7.1, a fourth portion of the label strip 4 lies on the first straightaway 7.3, and a fifth portion of the label strip 4 lies on the second carrier spool 7.2.

(8) Using a vacuum source or negative-pressure source that sucks air through openings, the second transfer-device 7 applies suction to the portion of the label strip 4 that abuts it. This results in a pressure force that fixes the label strip 4 onto the transfer device 7. Other types of fixing are feasible. An example is fixing by electrostatic charging.

(9) In some embodiments, the first transfer-device 5 is what fixes the label strip 4. In others, both the first and second transfer-devices 5, 7 fix the label strip 4.

(10) The label-strip drive 3.1 transports the label strip 4 at a first speed V1. The first transfer-device 5 rotates at a rate sufficient to transport the label strip 4 at a second speed V2, and the third transfer device 7 rotates at a rate sufficient to transport the label strip at a third speed V3. The first speed V1 is less than the second and third speeds V2, V3. Preferably, the third speed V3 is greater than or equal to the second speed V2.

(11) The label-strip feed 3 has a retaining effect that ensures that the label strip 4 is transported over its entire length only at the first speed V1. As a result, the label-strip feed 3 feeds the label strip 4 to the first and second transfer-devices 5, 7 at a feed speed that is less than that of their respective transport speeds. This results in slippage between the first transfer-device 5 and first portion of the label strip 4. It also results in slippage between the second transfer-device 7 and the second and fourth portions of the label strip 4. As a result, the first and second transfer-devices 5, 7 place the label strip 4 under tension.

(12) At the first transfer-device 5 is a cutting device 6 that can be used to cut a section of the label strip 4 to form a label to be applied on a container 2. Immediately before being cut, the first portion of the label strip 4 lies under tension against the first transfer-device 5 and the remaining portions lies under tension against the second transfer-device 7. The cutting device 6 releases this tension when it cuts the label strip 4. As a result, the first and second transfer-devices 5, 7 transport the cut label onwards, preferably without slippage, at a transport speed that is greater than the feed speed of the label strip feed 3.

(13) In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, the first and second transfer-devices 5, 7 transport the cut label to a third transfer device 8. In an alternative embodiment, the second transfer-device 7 applies the cut label to a container 2 carried by a labeling conveyor 9 conveying the containers 2 to be labeled, as shown in FIG. 2.

(14) The use of at last one linearly conveying transfer device 7 ensures a lower tensile load on the label strip 4. This reduced tensile load leads to the label strip 4 experiencing reduced expansion. This, in turn, helps avoid length discrepancies in the cut labels as a result of the label strip 4 expanding under tension.

(15) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the second transfer-device 7 feeds cut labels directly to the container 2 to be labeled. In this embodiment, a glue applicator 10 applies glue to the backs of labels as they proceed along the second straightaway 7.4. In some embodiments, the glue applicator 10 sprays glue onto the backs of the labels.

(16) The label feeder 1 features one transfer drum and one linearly conveying transfer device. However, the order of these elements does not matter. In the embodiments described thus far, it was the first transfer-device 5 that was a transfer drum and the second transfer-device 7 was a linearly conveying transfer device. Some embodiments reverse this configuration. In these embodiments, the first transfer-device 5 is the linearly conveying transfer device and the second transfer-device 7 is the transfer drum.