Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
  • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
  • B65C9/08—Label feeding
  • B65C9/18—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls
  • B65C9/1865—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for automati- 5 cally advancing a carrier tape or ribbon which carries a row of closely arranged, mutually sequential self-adhesive labels, for accurately positioning the labels, one at a time, in a station in which the label is printed and/or is affixed to an article, said carrier tape being drawn 10 forward by means of a motor-driven feed means, which is arranged to halt the tape temporarily each time said tape is advanced through a distance corresponding to the length of a label.
• Apparatus for fixing onto articles self-adhesive labels arranged in mutually spaced relationship, in a row on a carrier ribbon or tape are at present known.
• apparatus for halting the tape include means
• Sensing can be effected, for example, photoelectrically or, for example, with the aid of mechanical thickness- measuring devices.
• the object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems and to provide a method and apparatus for automatically advancing accurately and step-wise a tape bearing mutually sequential labels placed in close relationship one with the other.
• the method according to the invention enables the feed of the label-bearing tape to be controlled very pre ⁇ cisely, for example completely independent of any slip between tape and feed roller.
• the invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the method.
• the structure of the outer cylindrical sur- face of the roller may be such that when the tape is pressed against said roller the friction generated is sufficient to prevent sliding or slipping therebetween.
• the roller is provided with means arranged to co-act with said irregularity of the tape, in a manner to prevent sli- ding or slipping of the tape relative to the roller.
• the apparatus includes suitably stationary electrooptical or pneumatic means arranged to sense the passage of markings on or recesses in the cylin ⁇ drical surface of the roller or the end surface there ⁇ of, said markings or recesses being arranged at precise distances apart, for delivering a stop, signal to the feed means or to the roller-drive means.
• the sensing means suitably has the form of a fork arranged to sense recesses in a sleeve which surrounds the roller and which projects beyond one end of said roller, the other edge of said roller having an irregular shape for co-action with a corresponding shape on the tape.
• a sleeve is suitably arranged around the roller at both ends thereof, each of said sleeves having an irregular inner edge corresponding to said tape, so as to form therebetween a groove which is precisely adapted to the tape.
• Figure 1 is a schematic side view of an apparatus according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus Illustra-- ted in Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the sensing roller incorporated in the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 .
• the reference 1 identifies a wave-shaped label-bearing tape on which there is arranged a row of closely pac ⁇ ked, mutually sequential self-adhesive labels 2, said tape arriving from a storage reel and being rolled-up onto a collecting reel when the labels have been re ⁇ moved from the tape.
• said reels are not illustrated In the drawing.
• the tape is drawn forwards by means of a drive means including two rollers 3 and 4, of which rollers the roller 3 is driven from a motor 5.
• the tape 1 passes over a plurality of guide rollers 6, 7 and 8, and Is guided, in a conventional manner, over the edge of a tongue 9 intended for loosening each separate label 2 from the tape 1.
• Those articles to be labelled pass beneath the tongue 9, whereupon a loosened label Is affixed to a respective article, with the a ' id of a pressing roller 10.
• This operational mode is totally conventional, and will not be described in further detail here.
• the tape 1 is , to this end, passed over a roller 11 which is freely ro ⁇ tatable about its axis.
• the tape Is pressed against the outer cylindrical surface of the roller 11 by means of the guide rollers 7 and 8.
• the roller 11 is provided with a corresponding wave- shaped groove around its cylindrical surface, which means that the roller will be driven fully synchronous ⁇ ly with the forward movement of the tape.
• the roller 11 of the illustrated em ⁇ bodiment is provided on one edge thereof with a plura ⁇ lity of slots 12 which are arranged in an outwardly projecting flange and the distance apart of which corresponds exactly to the pitch between the labels 2 on the tape 1.
• a stationary reading fork 13 arranged to sense, for ' example electooptically or pneumatically, the passage of each slot -12 and therewith to deliver a stop signal to the drive motor 5 of the roller 3.
• the roller having a groove provided with wave-shaped edges for the wave-shaped tape 1, and sensing means 13 for the slots 12 is illustrated more clearly in Figure 3.
• the wave-shaped groove has been formed by arranging around the roller 11, at respective ends thereof-, two ring- shaped sleeves 11 having internal, wave-shaped edges.
• One of said sleeves 14 projects beyond the roller, and is provided with the slots 12 sensed by the reading fork 13.
• the guide signals from the fork 13 can be applied directly to the motor 5 driving the roller 3, or, for example, to a magnetic clutch which disengages the motor from the roller 3.
• the described apparatus can be modified in several respects, inter alia with re- spect to the technique used to sense the rotary move ⁇ ment of the roller 11 and the manner in which sensing of said rotary movement is used to influence the drive means.
• the roller 11 can be provided with automatically readable indications of a kind other than the recesses 12, or may be provided with other means.
• the inven ⁇ tion can also be applied, in principle, with label- carrying tapes having straight edges, provided that the requisite friction can be obtained between the tape and the cylindrical surface of the roller 11, to pre ⁇ vent sliding or slipping therebetween.
• This can be achieved, for example, by applying a suitable coating to the cylindrical surface of the roller 11, or by providing said surface with a suitable structure.
• carrier tapes having one wave-shaped edge and one straight edge can also be used.
• One important advantage afforded by the invention is that driving of the tape is not critical per se, since the invention enables the length of the tape actually fed forwards ' passed the edge where the labels are separated from the tape to be constantly monitored in a precise manner. Any relative movement between tape and feed roller will not therefore affect the accuracy.

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• Labeling Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=26658186

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1983
  • 1983-05-20 EP EP19830901744 patent/EP0110935A1/de not_active Ceased
  • 1983-05-20 WO PCT/SE1983/000202 patent/WO1983004237A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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