GLUE ROLLER WITH DELIMITED GLUING REGION

Abstract

The present invention provides a labelling apparatus for applying labels to containers, comprising a gluing device having a glue roller and a glue-application unit, which is assigned to the glue roller and is intended for applying glue to the glue roller, wherein the glue-application unit has at least one accommodating space for accommodating the glue, and wherein the glue roller and/or the glue-application unit are designed, and arranged in relation to one another, such that glue which is located in the accommodating space is applied to the surface of the glue roller only in one or more sub-regions of the overall extentas seen in the axial direction of the glue rollerof the surface of the glue roller.

Claims

1. A labelling apparatus for applying labels to containers, comprising: a gluing device having a glue roller: and a glue-application unit which is assigned to the glue roller and is configured to apply glue to the glue roller, wherein the glue-application unit has at least one accommodating space for accommodating the glue; wherein in that the glue roller and/or the glue-application unit are designed and arranged in relation to one another such that glue which is located in the accommodating space is applied to surface of the glue roller only in one or more sub-regions of an overall extent in an axial direction of the glue roller.

2. The labelling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glue roller comprises at least one contact segment corresponding to one or more sub-regions in the axial direction configured to accommodate glue in one or more recesses radially receding vis--vis a shell surface of the glue roller in contact with the glue-application unit.

3. The labelling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one contact segment only extends over a part of a circumference of the shell surface of the glue roller.

4. The labelling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a surface of the glue roller outside at least one contact segment is smooth.

5. The labelling apparatus according to one of claim 2, wherein the one or more recesses are engraved or milled into the shell surface as gaps of a structure of the shell surface in a form of a grid, a perforated sheet or a fabric, or a combination thereof.

6. The labelling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the glue roller comprises a base roller configured such that at least one surface element of the glue roller is mounted interchangeably to the base roller.

7. The labelling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glue-application unit comprises two or more accommodating spaces spatially separated in the axial direction of the glue roller.

8. The labelling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glue-application unit on a side of the glue roller comprises at least one controllable scraper by means of which at least one accommodating space is sealed hermetically, on the side of the glue roller.

9. The labelling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the scraper comprises two or more individually controllable segments which are assigned to different regions of the accommodating space in the axial direction of the glue roller.

10. The labelling apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the different regions of the accommodating space are separated from one another by one or more separating elements.

11. The labelling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glue-application unit comprises at least one first wall element and a second wall element and wherein the first and the second wall elements limit the accommodating space on both sides in a circumferential direction of the glue roller.

12. The labelling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first and/or the second wall element contacts the glue roller in operation and is resiliently pressed on the surface of the glue roller.

13. The labelling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sealing unit sealing the accommodating space on at least one side, wherein the sealing unit is positioned in the axial direction of the glue roller on the side positioned in the gravity direction.

14. The labelling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glue-application unit is pivotedly mounted on a carrier.

15. The labelling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glue roller and/or the glue-application unit is movably configured in the axial direction of the glue roller.

16. The labeling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one surface element is configured such that it comprises at least one contact segment.

Description

[0044] Further features and exemplary embodiments as well as advantages of the present invention are explained in the following in more detail by means of the drawings. It is clear that the embodiments do not exhaust the scope of the present invention. It is further clear that some or all of the features described in the following may also be combined in any other way with one another.

[0045] FIG. 1a shows a schematic top view of a labelling apparatus according to which the glue is applied directly from the glue roller to the labels.

[0046] FIG. 1b shows the gluing device of FIG. 1a in a detailed view.

[0047] FIG. 2a shows a schematic top view of a labelling apparatus according to which the glue is applied via a pallet carousel to the labels.

[0048] FIG. 2b shows the gluing device of FIG. 2a in a detailed view.

[0049] FIG. 3 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a glue roller and a glue-application unit according to the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a glue-application unit with two accommodating spaces which are spatially separated according to the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows a glue-application unit with a segmented scraper according to the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 6 shows a glue roller with interchangeable surface element according to the present invention.

[0053] In the following, the same or similar elements are identified with the same reference signs. For clarity reasons, it is dispensed with a repeated description of these elements. In addition, it is clear that in the following embodiments some or all elements can be replaced by or combined with similar elements which are described in connection with other embodiments.

[0054] FIG. 1a shows a schematic top view of a labelling apparatus according to which the glue is applied directly from the glue roller to the labels. The gluing device of FIG. 1a is shown in a detailed view in FIG. 1b. The shown labelling apparatus has the following elements principally known from the prior art: a supply conveyor 151 for the continuous supply of the containers to be labelled, an infeed star wheel 154 with an upstream infeed worm 153, a guide bend 156, a carousel 157 with a plurality of rotary plates 158 evenly placed on a joint pitch circle, a discharge star wheel 155 and a discharge conveyor 152 for discharging the labelled containers. In the circulation area between the infeed star wheel 154 and the discharge star wheel 155, at the outer periphery of the carousel 157, there is located a labelling unit 161 for applying the labels onto the containers. The labelling unit 161 exemplarily shown here has two label roll capacities 159 and a splicing station 160 lying in between, a cutting unit 163, and a gluing device 110 with a vacuum cylinder 102 for transferring the pre-sliced, glued labels to the passing containers.

[0055] The labelling process of one container occurs in detail as follows: the containers generally butt-conveyed by the supply conveyor 151 are moved apart from the laterally arranged infeed worm on the division of the infeed star wheel so that this can transfer the accommodated containers in cooperation with the opposing guide bend 156 onto the rotary plates of the rotating carousel 157. There, the containers are clamped by centering bells (not shown) and are tangentially guided past the vacuum cylinder 102 of the labelling unit 110 by the rotating movement of the carousel 157. Simultaneously, from a label roll capacity 159 a label roll is controllably removed and sliced into individual labels in the cutting unit. The separated labels which are located with the print image pointing outwards on the rotating vacuum roll 164 during the cutting process are transferred to the vacuum cylinder 102 after the cutting process from where they are guided past the glue roller 101 with the rear side pointing outwards and are provided with glue in a certain area of the label depending on the label type. The labels applied with glue are tangentially fed to the carousel 157 on which the containers are located. The labels to be applied are thereby with the application of glue brought into contact with the containers and are unrolled to the same by means of a suitable movement. After passing the labelling unit 110 and after completion of applying the label onto the container, the labelled container is transferred to the discharge conveyor 152 by the discharge star wheel 155.

[0056] In the detail view of FIG. 1b, in addition to the cutting unit 110, the cutting unit 163 can be seen. The label roll removed from the label roll capacity 159 is supplied to the cutting unit 163 via a return pulley 165 and the roll pair 166. There, the label roll abuts the vacuum roller 164 which rotates in the direction of the arrow 167 and is cut by a separation element 168 pursuant to the cutting marks or the print image. The sliced labels are transferred to the vacuum cylinder 102 which rotates in the direction of the arrow 169. The labels, thus, abut the shell surface 122 of the vacuum cylinder 102 which rotates about the axis 120. The shell surface 122 of the vacuum cylinder 102 comprises elements (not shown) accommodating the beginning or the end of the label, respectively. For accommodating different label lengths, the vacuum cylinder can be exchanged.

[0057] When moving the labels past the glue roller 101, the individual areas or the entire rear side of the labels are brought into contact with the glue roller so that they are provided with glue at certain positions. The amount of the transferred glue thereby depends on the label type and the areas to be applied with glue. In order to be able to provide a label with glue, a gluing device 110 is required. The gluing device 110 shown in FIG. 1b is configured according to the present invention with a glue roller 101 and a glue-application unit 172. By a device 170 which is heatable by means of an optional glue heater 171 for removing glue from a storage container for storing glue, for example a controllable glue pump, the removed glue is guided via a transport line 173 to a glue-application unit 172 which is schematically shown here, and is by means of this transferred to the surface 112 of the glue roller 101 rotating about the glue roller axis 111. The glue-application unit 172 thereby, as shown below in more detail, is configured as chamber glue scraper having at least one accommodating space for glue which may be located so close to the glue roller 101 that glue can be applied through an opening of the accommodating space of the surface 112 of the rotating glue roller 101.

[0058] FIG. 2a shows a schematic top view of an alternative labelling device according to which the glue is applied via a pallet carousel to the labels. A detail view of the gluing device of FIG. 2a is not shown in FIG. 2b. On a rotating carrier 204 of the carousel several removing elements 205, so-called pallets are rotatably arranged. During rotation of the pallet carousel, the accommodating surface of each removing element 205 rolls off the glued surface of the glue roller 201, removes a label 207 from the label container 209 by means of adhesion, whereby this is applied with glue on the rear side, and transmits it to the gripper cylinder 203 that transfers it to the containers. These were supplied beforehand in an infeed flow 251 of an infeed worm 253 which produces the separation required for the infeed star wheel 254. Along the infeed flow 151, moreover, a sensor for determining a flow capacity at containers to be labelled may be arranged. From the infeed star wheel 254, the containers to be labelled are transferred to the rotating plates 258 of a carousel 257 which guides the containers past the gripper cylinder 203. Also here, by means of suitable rotating of the containers accommodated by the rotating plates 258, unrolling of the label to be applied supplied by the gripper cylinder 203 is effectuated on the surface of the container. The labels applied to the container may subsequently be pressed on the container by means of brushes 226. The labelled container are finally transmitted to a discharge flow via a discharge star wheel 255 where an optical sensor 227 can carry out a quality control of the labelled containers.

[0059] Further details of the labelling unit are shown in FIG. 2b. For example, the label container 209 may be switched on the pallet carousel 204 via a pneumatic cylinder 240 in the labelling mode and can be switched off by the same in the idle mode. The pallets 205 of the pallet carousel 204 may be pivotedly mounted by a control curve (not shown) such that they are applied with glue by the glue roller 201 and subsequently accommodate one label 207 each from the label container 209. The glue roller 201 can be mounted at a pivoting support 225 by means of a pneumatic cylinder 224, whereby it can be switched on to the pallet carousel 204 in the labelling mode and switched off the same in the idle mode. Via the transport line 273, the glue from the storage container (not shown) which is removed by the removing unit 270, for example the glue pump, is supplied to a glue-application unit 272 which is schematically shown here, for example in the form of a chamber glue scraper, which transfers the glue to the surface of the glue roller 201. The labels 207 removed by the pallets 205 from the label container 209 are transferred to the gripper cylinder 203. This takes over the respective label 207 by means of a gripper finger 214 and an anvil 215 from the pallet 205, wherein the glued side of the label 207 is placed on gripper sponge 213. The movement of the gripper fingers 214 mounted on gripper arms 216 is thereby effectuated due to the unrolling of the gripper rolls 218 which are also mounted on the gripper arms 217 onto a control curve 216 of the gripper cylinder 203. For transferring the labels 207 to the containers, the gripper fingers 217 are newly opened.

[0060] FIG. 3 schematically shows an exemplary configuration of a glue roller and a glue-application unit in the form of a hollow chamber glue scraper according to the present invention. In the Figure due to lack of space, there are shown several optional elements combined with one another which, however, as described above may also be provided separately from one another. The shown embodiment comprises a glue roller 301 from which in the left part of the Figure, there is shown the strictly cylindrical shell surface in a cross-section. The maximal overall extent of this shell surface in the direction of the rotary axis L about which the glue roller 301 is rotated by means of the drive 330 in the Figure is identified by H. The height H simultaneously corresponds to the axial extent of the surface of the glue roller which may be maximally applied with glue. The drive 330 in this embodiment is configured as controllable servomotor which is controlled by means of a controlling and/or adjusting unit.

[0061] A glue-application unit 371 according to the present invention is assigned to the glue roller 301 at its circumference, wherein the glue-application unit 372 is shown in operation. The accommodating space of the glue-application unit in this non-limiting embodiment is divided into two regions successively following one another in the axial direction by providing a separating element 392 which may be supplied with glue independently of one another via separate transport lines 373a and 373b by independently controllable control valves 379a and 379b. It is clear that the glue-application unit 372, as described above, also can comprise only one accommodating space and one transport line. The sub-regions of the accommodating space shown here cover consecutive sub-regions of the axial extent of the surface of the glue roller by heights H.sub.1 and H.sub.2. According to the invention, the overall extent H.sub.1+H.sub.2 of the sub-regions of the surface of the glue roller 301 which can be applied with glue is smaller than the overall extent H of the surface of the glue rolleras seen in the axial direction of the glue roller.

[0062] The glue-application unit shown in this configuration further is pivotedly mounted at a carrier 342 so that the entire glue-application unit in operation may be switched on the surface of the glue roller 301 and in the idle mode or the cleaning mode may be switched off from the same. In the left part Figure, there are furthermore shown sealing units 375a and 375b sealing the accommodating space of the glue-application unit upwards and downwards in the axial direction so that no glue can escape uncontrollably. Preferably, these sealing units slide on the smooth part of the surface of the glue roller. In addition, the Figure shows an optional vent hole 377 in the upper wall element of the glue-application unit allowing a constant glue pressure in the interior of the accommodating space. Finally, in the left part Figure, the first wall element 376a is indicated limiting the accommodating space in the front in the circumferential direction of the glue roller 301 with regard to the moving direction of the glue roller

[0063] The arrangement of the first wall element 376a and the second wall element 376b is shown in more detail in the right part Figure by means of a horizontal cross-section through the glue roller 301 and the glue-application unit 372. Since the glue roller 301 rotates in the direction of the arrow P, a surface element of the surface 301b of the glue roller 301 initially hits the first wall element 376a and subsequently the second wall element 376b. In the embodiment shown here, the first as well as the second wall element contact the surface of the glue roller, wherein the wall elements may be pressed on the surface by means of spring elements (not shown). Between the wall elements 376a and 376b extending in the axial direction, there is an opening O of the accommodating space 374 as well extending in the axial direction. The glue escapes through this opening O from the accommodating space 374 and is applied to the surface 301b of the glue roller 301.

[0064] The shown cross-section further shows a contact segment 380 according to the present invention. The contact segment 380 is, as can be taken from the Figure, limited in the circumferential direction of the glue roller. The contact segment, as well, is limited to the sub-region to be applied with glue of the surface of the glue roller according to the invention in the axial direction of the glue roller. In the configuration shown here, the surface of the glue roller in the region of the contact segment 380 comprises a structure 301b of recesses and projections being suitable for accommodating the desired amounts of glue from the glue-application unit 372 in the recesses. Outside the contact segment 380, the surface 301a of the glue roller 301 is smooth so that the wall element 376b abutting the wall element prevents glue from being applied to this part of the glue roller. In the configuration shown, the contact segment 380 is configured as part of the further below described interchangeable surface element 385 which on its part is configured in the form of a hollow cylinder. The contact segment, however, may also be configured as part of the glue roller itself.

[0065] In order to avoid an excessive frictional wear between the glue roller 301 and the wall elements, the two wall elements 376a and 376b at the bottom are arranged to a flat angle a towards the tangent T in the circumferential direction at the shell surface of the glue roller. In addition, the extent of the wall elements in the axial direction may be selected greater than the extent of the contact segment 380 in the axial direction in order to prevent the wall elements from getting caught in the structure of the contact segment. The angle a as mentioned above, may be between 0 and 70, preferably between 10 and 60, and in particular preferably between 10 and 30.

[0066] In FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment of the glue roller and the glue-application unit according to the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the glue-application unit 472 comprises two sub-units 472a and 472b which are spatially separated from one another in the form of hollow chamber glue scrapers for shoulder or body labels each having an own accommodating space 474a and 474b. The two accommodating spaces are, thus, spatially separated from one another in the axial direction of the glue roller 401 and define sub-regions 480a and 480b which are spatially separated from one another having axial extents H.sub.1 and H.sub.2 of the surface of the glue roller. Between these sub-regions 480a and 480b, there is located the region not applied with glue 480c. As described above, also here, the rotation of the glue roller 401 about its rotary axis L is effectuated by a controllable drive 430. The sub-units 472a and 472b of the glue-application unit have separate supply lines 473a and 473b for the glue so that the sub-units may be operated independently of one another. Thereby, the shown gluing device may be used, e.g. for applying body labels, if the sub-unit 472b is active. Alternatively or additionally, the gluing device can be used for applying shoulder labels, if the sub-unit 472a is (also) active. Controllable valves in the supply lines 473a and 473b, thereby can control the glue supply depending of the labels to be applied with glue. However, if surplus glue is running down the glue roller, this may be collected in a glue bowl 441. Since the supply of glue to the accommodating spaces 474a and 474b, however, can occur controllably such that constantly only the required glue is supplied, it can be dispensed with a return flow line of the hollow chambers.

[0067] In FIG. 5, a further embodiment of the glue-application unit according to the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the glue-application unit 572 only comprises one accommodating space 574 with a supply line 573 for the glue. Whereas the upper part Figure shows the gluing device in a perpendicular cross-section, in the lower part Figure, the corresponding horizontal cross-section is shown. In addition to the glue roller 501 and the glue-application unit 572, the Figures further show an exemplary pallet 505 which is pivotedly mounted at a pallet carousel. The curved contact surface of the pallet 505 thereby has a form corresponding to the form of the structured contact segment 580 of the glue roller 501 so that the glue applied to the contact segment may be accommodated nearly completely by the pallet 505. The glue roller 501 in this embodiment as well is operated by a controllable drive 430. In addition, here, the glue roller 501 is pivotedly mounted on a carrier 525 which may be switched on to the pallet carousel, for example by means of a pneumatic cylinder (not shown). Thereby, the glue-application unit 572 may be configured pivotedly together with the glue roller.

[0068] Similar to the preceding embodiments, also here, the glue-application unit 572 comprises sealing units 575 and 575b sealing the glue chamber 574 upwards and downwards. Additionally, in this embodiment, a vent hole 577 is shown for venting the hollow chamber. Furthermore, the glue-application unit 572 in this embodiment has a segmented scraper 590 which may be moved by means of an actuator 591 in front of the opening of the hollow chamber 574 such that the same is hermetically sealed on the glue roller side. Thus, the glue located in the accommodating chamber 574 may be prevented from drying in case of longer interruptions of the labelling operation. For continuing the labelling operation, the scraper 590 is again retracted in order to unblock the opening of the chamber glue scraper 572 again.

[0069] As mentioned, the scraper 590 is configured in a segmented manner in the shown embodiment. In particular, the scraper 590 comprises two controllable segments 5980a and 590b which can be controlled independently of one another by means of the actuators 591a and 591b between which a stationary segment 590c is located (cf. right-hand side of the above part Figure). In the region of the sealing units 575a and 575b, as well, the scraper 590 is configured with stationary segments 590c. By individually controlling the segments 590a and 590b, different sub-regions of the glue roller 501 may be applied with glue independently of one another. In the shown configuration of the glue roller 501 with a contact segment 580 for a body label, for example, the upper segment 590a of the scraper 590 can remain sealed, whereas the lower segment 590b is opened. Even in case of a completely filled accommodating space 574, thus, in this configuration, glue is exclusively applied in the region of the contact segment 580 to the glue roller. The supply of glue via the supply line 573, in this case, may be correspondingly reduced vis-a-vis the simultaneous applying of body and shoulder labels.

[0070] FIG. 6 finally shows a glue roller with an interchangeable surface element according to the present invention. In the shown configuration, the glue roller being once again operated by a controllable drive 330 a base roller 687 over which a surface element 685 in the form of a hollow cylinder may be completely put. By removing the cover 686 and the drive 330, thus, in an easy manner, a retooling of the gluing device may occur. Thereby, the contact segment 680 is configured on or in the cylindrically shaped surface element 685. In particular, the contact segment 680 may be configured in the form of a grid, a perforated sheet or a fabric the opening of which passes through a surface element for an easier cleaning. Alternatively, the contact segment 680 as described may be configured in the surface of the surface element 680. As described above, instead of a complete surface element, it may also be used one or more surface elements which may be inserted into or connected to recesses of the surfaces of the base roller 687. In this manner, a flexible design of the glue roller 601 may be achieved for a plurality of different label forms and sizes.

[0071] The described embodiments allow to precisely apply glue exclusively in the sub-regions of the surface of the glue roller where it is accommodated by the labels or pallets to be applied with glue. In this manner, on the one hand, the used amount of glue is reduced and on the other hand, the maintenance effort of the gluing device is reduced. In particular, it may be dispensed with a complex return flow of surplus glue. In addition, the design of the glue roller and the glue-application unit allows a fast product change and a simple change between operation mode and idle mode of the labelling apparatus.