EP0476447B1 - Apparatus for printing and applying labels - Google Patents
Apparatus for printing and applying labels Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0476447B1 EP0476447B1 EP19910115015 EP91115015A EP0476447B1 EP 0476447 B1 EP0476447 B1 EP 0476447B1 EP 19910115015 EP19910115015 EP 19910115015 EP 91115015 A EP91115015 A EP 91115015A EP 0476447 B1 EP0476447 B1 EP 0476447B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- label
- article
- applying
- printing
- pad surface
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
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- 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
- B65C9/26—Devices for applying labels
- B65C9/28—Air-blast devices
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- 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
- B65C9/1876—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip and being transferred by suction means
- B65C9/1884—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip and being transferred by suction means the suction means being a movable vacuum arm or pad
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- 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
- B65C9/26—Devices for applying labels
- B65C9/36—Wipers; Pressers
Definitions
- This invention relates to a method of printing and applying labels and more particularly but not exclusively to a method of printing and applying self adhesive labels.
- the speed at which the labels can be applied is limited by the speed at which labels can be printed i.e. it is not possible to apply labels faster than the labels can be printed.
- EP-A-124803 corresponds to the preamble of claim 1, where we provide a method of applying a label to each article of a succession of articles comprising the steps of sensing a parameter of a first article by a first sensing means at a position upstream of a label applying station, providing a signal to a printing means to print information appropriate to the parameter sensed of the first article on a first label, receiving the first, printed label for the first article by a label holding means, sensing a parameter of the next article of the succession of articles, and providing a signal to the printing means to print information relevant to the parameter sensed of the next article on a further label, moving the first label for the first article to a label applying station, sensing the arrival of the first article at the label applying station and applying the first label to the first article.
- the first label is retained at the label applying station until the arrival of the first article whilst the printing means at least partially prints the further label for the next article of the succession of articles.
- a label printing and applying apparatus comprises a label feed means 10 for feeding self adhesive labels 11 from storage roll 12 where the labels 11 are stored on a backing medium 13 such as waxed paper to which the labels 11 are releasably adhered, towards a printing means 14, by means of drive rollers D.
- a label feed means 10 for feeding self adhesive labels 11 from storage roll 12 where the labels 11 are stored on a backing medium 13 such as waxed paper to which the labels 11 are releasably adhered, towards a printing means 14, by means of drive rollers D.
- the label 11 is stripped from the backing medium 13 by a beak 15 and the backing medium 13 is collected on a collection roll 16.
- Printed labels 11 are received by a label holding means 17 to be described in more detail below, where the labels 11 are held until a label applying means 18 moves the label 11 to a label applying station 20 where the labels are each retained until a corresponding article 21 to which each label 11 is to be applied arrives at the label applying station 20, when the label applying means 18 will apply the labels to articles 21.
- the apparatus further comprises a first sensing means 22 which senses a parameter of each article 21 of the succession of articles indicated at 21 a to 21 d , the parameter being for example weight, size, colour or type.
- the printing means 14 is instructed by a control means 23 to print information relating to the sensed parameter for each article 21 a -21 d onto a corresponding label 11, which labels 11 are then applied to appropriate articles 21 a to 21 d .
- the apparatus further comprises a second sensing means 24 which senses the arrival of the relevant article 21 a to 21 d at the label applying station 20.
- the control means 23 and sensor means 22/24 may simply correlate the number of articles 21 since any particular article sensed so that the sensing means 24 knows that an article arriving at the label applying station 20 is the applicable article for a label 11 which is waiting at the label applying station 20 to be applied to the article.
- the sensing means 24 may check that the parameter sensed by the first sensing means 22 is present on an article arriving at the label applying station 20 whereby the second sensing means 24 and control means 23 can check that the article arriving is that expected for the waiting label 11.
- the articles 21 a to 21 d are conveyed on a roller conveyor 25 past the label applying station 20 although any other appropriate means to convey the articles 11 past the label applying station 20 may be used.
- the operation of the conveyor is controlled via the control means 23, a transmission 26 of the conveyor 25 being disengaged when the control means 23 needs to stop movement of the articles 21, if this becomes necessary, for example if the articles are too close together and moving too fast for the printing means 14 to keep up.
- the label applying means 18 is of the so called “blower” type and comprises a pad surface 28 which has a plurality of small apertures, some of which are indicated at 29, which apertures 29 can alternatively be connected to a source of vacuum 30 or a source of pressurised air 31.
- the label applicator means 18 is movable from a first position which is shown in dotted lines in figure 1 when the apertures 29 will be connected to the source of vacuum 30 so that the labels 11 can be held on the pad surface 28 with the printed sides of the labels 11 facing the pad 28, to a second position at the label applying station 20 where under the control of the control means 23, the apertures 29 can be connected to a source of pressurised air 31 so that a label 11 held thereby is propelled by a blast of air in the direction of arrow 35 in figure 1 towards and into engagement with the article 21.
- each label 11 would be retained at the label applying station 20 by the vacuum at the pad surface 28 of the label applying means 18 until the appropriate article 21 a to 21 d arrives at the label applying station 20 when the vacuum can be replaced or overcome by the pressurised air.
- Respective control valves 36, 37 may be provided which under the control of the control means 23 arrange for the apertures 29 to be connected alternatively to the vacuum source 30 or the pressurised air 31.
- the label holding means 17 which receives the labels 11 during and/or after printing also comprises a pad surface 39 at which suction can be applied to hold the labels.
- the pad surface 39 comprises two parts 40,41, separated by a space 42, and connected by a bridging part 43, each part 40,41, having a plurality of apertures 44.
- the pad surface 39 is in the form of an inverted U.
- the labels 11 pass from the printing means 14 in the direction of arrow B in Figure 2, they are each generally received on the pad surface 39 each label slides relative to the pad surface 39 until all of the apertures 44 are covered by the label 11, the printed side of the label facing the pad surface 39.
- Apertures 44 are also connected to the vacuum source 30 via a control valve 45 and are arranged so that only when all of the apertures 44 are covered by the label 11 is the label 11 held by the label holding means 17 by suction.
- the label applying means 18 is configured so that the pad surface 28 thereof, which in the present example is rectangular, is received in the space 42 between the two parts 40,41, of the pad surface 49 when the label applying means 18 is in its first position, to enable the pad surface 28 to pick up a label 11 held by the label holding means 17, and to move the label away from the label holding means 17 to the label applying station 20, thus freeing the label holding means 17 to receive a further label from the printing means 14.
- the label holding means 17 is movable from a receive position which is shown in full lines in figure 1 to a release position shown in dotted lines, in the direction of arrow 46, by any suitable motive means 47 under the control of the control means 23.
- suction of the label 11 at the pad surface 39 is discontinued either by the control means closing valve 45, or by there being a mechanical means to disconnect the apertures 44 from the vacuum source 30. In either case, as the label holding means 17 is moved to its release position, the label is transferred to the pad surface 28 of the label applying means 18.
- Movement of the label applying means 18 from its first to its second position can be achieved with a stepper motor for example or any other motive means 48 under the control of the control means 23, which causes the label applying means 18 to pivot about an axis 49, the pad surface 28 of the label applying means 18 being connected to its motive means 48 by an arm 50.
- a stepper motor for example or any other motive means 48 under the control of the control means 23, which causes the label applying means 18 to pivot about an axis 49, the pad surface 28 of the label applying means 18 being connected to its motive means 48 by an arm 50.
- control means 23 causes the label holding means 17 to return to its receive position ready to receive the next label from the printing means 14.
- the first sensing means 22 senses a desired parameter of each article 21 a to 21 d .
- the first sensing means 22 is sensing a parameter of article 21 b
- the sensing means 22 sends an appropriate signal to the control means 23 which is stored.
- the control means 23 will signal the label feed means 10 to feed a label to the printing means 14 and will signal the printing means 14 to print appropriate information on the label for article 21 b .
- the printing means 14 may print a description of the article 21 a , details of its weight or its price, or a code such as a bar code, depending on the particular parameter sensed by the first sensing means 22.
- the article 21 b will continue to be moved closer to the label applying station 20 by the conveyor 25.
- the label 11 is received by the label holding means 17 as it passes out of the printing means 14, with vacuum applied to the apertures 44 of the pad surface 39 by the control means 23 signalling the valve 45 to open.
- the label 11 covers all of the apertures 44 of the pad surface 39, the label 11 will be held by the label holding means 17 by suction.
- the label applying means 18 will be moved by the control means 23 to its first position and vacuum will be applied at the pad surface 28 by the control means 23 actuating valves 36 and 37 appropriately.
- the label holding means 17 is then moved by the control means 23 to its release position when suction at the pad surface 39 thereof will be discontinued, so that the label 11 for article 21 b will be transferred to and retained by the pad surface 18 of the label applying means 18.
- the control means 23 will then move the label applying means 18 by actuating the motive means 48 thereof, to the label applying station 20 where the label will be retained until the second sensing means 24 senses that the article 21 b has arrived at the label applying station 20.
- control means 23 will then close valve 36 and open valve 37 so that the label is propelled onto the article 21 a by a blast of pressurised air.
- the label applying means 18 As soon as the label applying means 18 has moved the label for article 21 b , from the label holding means 17, the label for the next article 21 a can be printed by the printing means 14, even before the label for article 21 b has been applied to the article.
- control means 23 can temporarily halt the conveyor 25 by disengaging transmission 26 thereof.
- a label could foul the label applying means 18 as it returns to its first position.
- a label may be arranged only to be partially printed by the printing means 14 until the label applying means 18 is in its first position, when printing of the label can be completed. This can be achieved by the control means 23 providing suitable signals to the label feeding means 10 and the printing means 14.
- control valve 45 for the apertures 44 of the pad surface 39 may not be required where connection of the apertures 44 to the vacuum source 30 is controlled by a mechanical means actuated by movement of the label holding means 17 from its receive to its release position.
- the blast of air provided from the source of pressurised air 31 may simply be sufficient to overcome the vacuum provided by the vacuum source 30.
- the mechanical arrangements of the label applying means 18 and the label holding means 17 need not be exactly as described, but may be modified in many ways.
- movement of the label applying means 18 to the label applying station 20 may be achieved by an alternative to purely pivotal movement as described.
- pressurised air instead of using pressurised air to propel the labels into engagement with their respective articles, any other suitable pressurised gas may be used.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Labeling Devices (AREA)
Description
- This invention relates to a method of printing and applying labels and more particularly but not exclusively to a method of printing and applying self adhesive labels.
- Particularly where labels are to be applied to each article of a succession of articles, and the articles require different information to be printed onto the labels therefor, the speed at which the labels can be applied is limited by the speed at which labels can be printed i.e. it is not possible to apply labels faster than the labels can be printed.
- It has been proposed to sense a parameter of an article upstream of the position where the labels are to be printed and applied, and to store the labels on their backing medium in the form of a loop, to await the arrival of the corresponding article so as to achieve the minimum delay time between printing labels. As an article arrives at the label applying station, the appropriate label is removed from its backing medium, and positioned ready to be applied to the article as the article moves past the label applying station.
- It is however complicated to ensure that the correct label is applied to the correct article particularly in the event of an apparatus break down when the synchronism between the printer and the label applier is disturbed.
- Other arrangements are known for example from EP-A-124803 which provide for each label to be printed and applied to the relevant article prior to the next label being printed. Whilst such arrangements tend to be more reliable than arrangements which utilise a loop in ensuring that the correct label is applied to the correct article, such arrangements are slow.
- The method of using these arrangements disclosed in EP-A-124803 corresponds to the preamble of
claim 1, where we provide a method of applying a label to each article of a succession of articles comprising the steps of sensing a parameter of a first article by a first sensing means at a position upstream of a label applying station, providing a signal to a printing means to print information appropriate to the parameter sensed of the first article on a first label, receiving the first, printed label for the first article by a label holding means, sensing a parameter of the next article of the succession of articles, and providing a signal to the printing means to print information relevant to the parameter sensed of the next article on a further label, moving the first label for the first article to a label applying station, sensing the arrival of the first article at the label applying station and applying the first label to the first article. According to the invention, the first label is retained at the label applying station until the arrival of the first article whilst the printing means at least partially prints the further label for the next article of the succession of articles. - It will be appreciated that as soon as a label is moved away from the label holding means, the label holding means will be free to receive a further label from the printing means. Thus printing of the next label can at least begin prior to the previous label having been applied to its respective article.
- The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
- FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of part of a label printing and applying apparatus which operates in accordance with the invention,
- FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view taken on the arrow II of Figure 1,
- FIGURE 3 is a purely illustrative diagram showing operation of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2.
- Referring to the drawings, a label printing and applying apparatus comprises a label feed means 10 for feeding self
adhesive labels 11 fromstorage roll 12 where thelabels 11 are stored on abacking medium 13 such as waxed paper to which thelabels 11 are releasably adhered, towards a printing means 14, by means of drive rollers D. - Subsequent to each
label 11 being printed, and/or during the printing process, thelabel 11 is stripped from thebacking medium 13 by abeak 15 and thebacking medium 13 is collected on acollection roll 16. - Printed
labels 11 are received by alabel holding means 17 to be described in more detail below, where thelabels 11 are held until a label applying means 18 moves thelabel 11 to alabel applying station 20 where the labels are each retained until acorresponding article 21 to which eachlabel 11 is to be applied arrives at thelabel applying station 20, when thelabel applying means 18 will apply the labels toarticles 21. - The apparatus further comprises a first sensing means 22 which senses a parameter of each
article 21 of the succession of articles indicated at 21a to 21d, the parameter being for example weight, size, colour or type. The printing means 14 is instructed by a control means 23 to print information relating to the sensed parameter for eacharticle 21a-21d onto acorresponding label 11, whichlabels 11 are then applied toappropriate articles 21a to 21d. - The apparatus further comprises a second sensing means 24 which senses the arrival of the
relevant article 21a to 21d at thelabel applying station 20. - The control means 23 and sensor means 22/24 may simply correlate the number of
articles 21 since any particular article sensed so that the sensing means 24 knows that an article arriving at thelabel applying station 20 is the applicable article for alabel 11 which is waiting at thelabel applying station 20 to be applied to the article. Alternatively, the sensing means 24 may check that the parameter sensed by the first sensing means 22 is present on an article arriving at thelabel applying station 20 whereby the second sensing means 24 and control means 23 can check that the article arriving is that expected for thewaiting label 11. - In the present case, the
articles 21a to 21d are conveyed on aroller conveyor 25 past thelabel applying station 20 although any other appropriate means to convey thearticles 11 past thelabel applying station 20 may be used. - In the present case, the operation of the conveyor is controlled via the control means 23, a
transmission 26 of theconveyor 25 being disengaged when the control means 23 needs to stop movement of thearticles 21, if this becomes necessary, for example if the articles are too close together and moving too fast for the printing means 14 to keep up. - The label applying means 18 is of the so called "blower" type and comprises a
pad surface 28 which has a plurality of small apertures, some of which are indicated at 29, whichapertures 29 can alternatively be connected to a source ofvacuum 30 or a source ofpressurised air 31. The label applicator means 18 is movable from a first position which is shown in dotted lines in figure 1 when theapertures 29 will be connected to the source ofvacuum 30 so that thelabels 11 can be held on thepad surface 28 with the printed sides of thelabels 11 facing thepad 28, to a second position at thelabel applying station 20 where under the control of the control means 23, theapertures 29 can be connected to a source ofpressurised air 31 so that alabel 11 held thereby is propelled by a blast of air in the direction ofarrow 35 in figure 1 towards and into engagement with thearticle 21. - It will be appreciated that each
label 11 would be retained at thelabel applying station 20 by the vacuum at thepad surface 28 of thelabel applying means 18 until theappropriate article 21a to 21d arrives at thelabel applying station 20 when the vacuum can be replaced or overcome by the pressurised air.Respective control valves apertures 29 to be connected alternatively to thevacuum source 30 or thepressurised air 31. - The
label holding means 17 which receives thelabels 11 during and/or after printing also comprises apad surface 39 at which suction can be applied to hold the labels. Thepad surface 39 comprises twoparts space 42, and connected by abridging part 43, eachpart apertures 44. - Thus the
pad surface 39 is in the form of an inverted U. As thelabels 11 pass from the printing means 14 in the direction of arrow B in Figure 2, they are each generally received on thepad surface 39 each label slides relative to thepad surface 39 until all of theapertures 44 are covered by thelabel 11, the printed side of the label facing thepad surface 39. -
Apertures 44 are also connected to thevacuum source 30 via acontrol valve 45 and are arranged so that only when all of theapertures 44 are covered by thelabel 11 is thelabel 11 held by thelabel holding means 17 by suction. - The
label applying means 18 is configured so that thepad surface 28 thereof, which in the present example is rectangular, is received in thespace 42 between the twoparts pad surface 49 when thelabel applying means 18 is in its first position, to enable thepad surface 28 to pick up alabel 11 held by thelabel holding means 17, and to move the label away from thelabel holding means 17 to thelabel applying station 20, thus freeing thelabel holding means 17 to receive a further label from theprinting means 14. - To assist the transfer of the labels from the
label holding means 17 to thelabel applying means 18, thelabel holding means 17 is movable from a receive position which is shown in full lines in figure 1 to a release position shown in dotted lines, in the direction of arrow 46, by any suitable motive means 47 under the control of the control means 23. Preferably as thelabel holding means 17 moves to its release position, suction of thelabel 11 at thepad surface 39 is discontinued either by the control meansclosing valve 45, or by there being a mechanical means to disconnect theapertures 44 from thevacuum source 30. In either case, as thelabel holding means 17 is moved to its release position, the label is transferred to thepad surface 28 of thelabel applying means 18. - Movement of the label applying means 18 from its first to its second position can be achieved with a stepper motor for example or any other motive means 48 under the control of the control means 23, which causes the
label applying means 18 to pivot about anaxis 49, thepad surface 28 of thelabel applying means 18 being connected to its motive means 48 by anarm 50. - Immediately the
label applying means 18 is moved away from its first position, the control means 23 causes thelabel holding means 17 to return to its receive position ready to receive the next label from the printing means 14. - Operation of the apparatus will now be described.
- As a succession of
articles 21a to 21d are conveyed on theconveyor 25, the first sensing means 22 senses a desired parameter of eacharticle 21a to 21d. In the present example, as shown in figure 3, the first sensing means 22 is sensing a parameter ofarticle 21b, and the sensing means 22 sends an appropriate signal to the control means 23 which is stored. Once labels have been printed for all of the precedingarticles 21c,21d, etc. the control means 23 will signal the label feed means 10 to feed a label to the printing means 14 and will signal the printing means 14 to print appropriate information on the label forarticle 21b. For example, the printing means 14 may print a description of thearticle 21a, details of its weight or its price, or a code such as a bar code, depending on the particular parameter sensed by the first sensing means 22. - During this time, the
article 21b will continue to be moved closer to thelabel applying station 20 by theconveyor 25. - During label printing, the
label 11 is received by thelabel holding means 17 as it passes out of the printing means 14, with vacuum applied to theapertures 44 of thepad surface 39 by the control means 23 signalling thevalve 45 to open. When thelabel 11 covers all of theapertures 44 of thepad surface 39, thelabel 11 will be held by thelabel holding means 17 by suction. - As soon as the
label applying means 18 has applied the preceding label to article 21c thelabel applying means 18 will be moved by the control means 23 to its first position and vacuum will be applied at thepad surface 28 by the control means 23actuating valves - The
label holding means 17 is then moved by the control means 23 to its release position when suction at thepad surface 39 thereof will be discontinued, so that thelabel 11 forarticle 21b will be transferred to and retained by thepad surface 18 of thelabel applying means 18. - The control means 23 will then move the label applying means 18 by actuating the motive means 48 thereof, to the
label applying station 20 where the label will be retained until the second sensing means 24 senses that thearticle 21b has arrived at thelabel applying station 20. - The control means 23 will then close
valve 36 andopen valve 37 so that the label is propelled onto thearticle 21a by a blast of pressurised air. - As soon as the label applying means 18 has moved the label for
article 21b, from thelabel holding means 17, the label for thenext article 21a can be printed by the printing means 14, even before the label forarticle 21b has been applied to the article. - In the event that any article is too close to the preceding article for the printing means 14 to keep up, the control means 23 can temporarily halt the
conveyor 25 by disengagingtransmission 26 thereof. - It will further be appreciated that particularly if the
labels 11 are significantly bigger than thepad surface 39 of thelabel holding means 17, a label could foul thelabel applying means 18 as it returns to its first position. Thus if necessary a label may be arranged only to be partially printed by the printing means 14 until thelabel applying means 18 is in its first position, when printing of the label can be completed. This can be achieved by the control means 23 providing suitable signals to the label feeding means 10 and the printing means 14. - Various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
- It is envisaged that the
control valve 45 for theapertures 44 of thepad surface 39 may not be required where connection of theapertures 44 to thevacuum source 30 is controlled by a mechanical means actuated by movement of thelabel holding means 17 from its receive to its release position. - Instead of providing a
control valve 36 so that the suction of thepad surface 28 can be discontinued when it is desired to propel alabel 11 onto anarticle 21, if desired the blast of air provided from the source ofpressurised air 31 may simply be sufficient to overcome the vacuum provided by thevacuum source 30. - The mechanical arrangements of the label applying means 18 and the
label holding means 17 need not be exactly as described, but may be modified in many ways. For example, movement of the label applying means 18 to thelabel applying station 20 may be achieved by an alternative to purely pivotal movement as described. - Instead of using pressurised air to propel the labels into engagement with their respective articles, any other suitable pressurised gas may be used.
Claims (8)
- A method of applying a label (11) to each article (21) of a succession of articles (21a-21d) comprising the steps of sensing a parameter of a first article (21) by a first sensing means (27) at a position upstream of a label applying station (20), providing a signal to a printing means (14) to print information appropriate to the parameter sensed of the first article (21) on a first label (11), receiving the first, printed label (11) for the first article by a label holding means (17), sensing a parameter of the next article (21) of the succession of articles, and providing a signal to the printing means (14) to print information relevant to the parameter sensed of the next article on a further label (11), moving the first label for the first article to a label applying station (20), sensing the arrival of the first article at the label applying station (20) and applying the first label to the first article (21) characterised in that the first label (11) is retained at the label applying station (20) until the arrival of the first article (21) whilst the printing means (14) at least partially prints the further label (11) for the next article of the succession of articles (21a-21d).
- A method according to claim 1 wherein the labels (11) are self adhesive labels which are releasably adhered to a backing medium (13), the labels (11) and backing medium (13) being provided in the form of a roll (12), characterised in that the method includes the step of removing each label (11) from the backing medium (13) after printing so that the label (11) only is held by the label holding means (17) and moved to the label applying station (20).
- A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the first label is held by the label holding means (17) by suction applied at a pad surface (40,41) thereof, with the printed side of the first label facing the pad surface (40,41).
- A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the first label is held by suction applied at a pad surface (28) of a label applying means (18) as the label is moved to the label applying station (20), and the first label is retained at the label applying station (20) by suction until the first label is applied to the first article.
- A method according to claim 4 where appendant to claim 3 characterised in that the suction of the pad surface (40,41) of the label holding means (17) is released as the label holding means (17) is moved from a position where the label holding means (17) receives the labels (11) from the printing means (14) relatively away from the pad surface (40,41) of the label applying means (18) to a release position to release the label (11) from the label holding means (17).
- A method according to claim 4 or claim 5 characterised in that the label applying means (18) is pivoted to move the label towards the label applying station (20).
- A method according to claim 4 or claim 5 or claim 6 characterised in that the first label is applied to the first article by being propelled towards the first article by means of a blast of gas applied at the pad surface (28) of the label applying means (18).
- A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that whilst the first label is retained at the label applying station (20) the further label is only partially printed and as soon as the first label (11) held at the label applying station (20) is applied to the first article (21), the label applying means is moved back towards the label holding means (17) and printing of the further label (11) is completed.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9020386 | 1990-09-18 | ||
GB9020386A GB2248051B (en) | 1990-09-18 | 1990-09-18 | Apparatus for printing and applying labels |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0476447A1 EP0476447A1 (en) | 1992-03-25 |
EP0476447B1 true EP0476447B1 (en) | 1994-11-30 |
Family
ID=10682394
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19910115015 Expired - Lifetime EP0476447B1 (en) | 1990-09-18 | 1991-09-05 | Apparatus for printing and applying labels |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0476447B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69105425T2 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2248051B (en) |
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DE9310301U1 (en) * | 1993-07-10 | 1993-10-14 | Farbfoto Schnellservice Siegfried Kübe (V-DIA) GmbH, 69123 Heidelberg | Labeling device |
FR2715145B1 (en) * | 1994-01-18 | 1996-03-15 | Lutrana Sa | Device for transferring light objects by pneumatic pulses. |
US5954913A (en) * | 1994-04-29 | 1999-09-21 | Accu-Sort Systems, Inc. | Label applicator |
US5705021A (en) * | 1994-04-29 | 1998-01-06 | Accu-Sort Systems, Inc. | Label applicator |
FR2720373A1 (en) * | 1994-05-25 | 1995-12-01 | Etiqu Adher | Automatic labeller for fruit on conveyor belt |
EP0688008A1 (en) * | 1994-06-14 | 1995-12-20 | LINTEC Corporation | Printed label, method and apparatus for manufacturing printed labels, and method and apparatus for attaching printed labels |
EP1640276B1 (en) * | 1999-03-17 | 2008-05-07 | Dibal, S.A. | Mechanical label applicator |
JP3444236B2 (en) * | 1999-05-21 | 2003-09-08 | 日本電気株式会社 | Label sticking device |
FR2843096B1 (en) * | 2002-08-05 | 2005-03-18 | Euro Label 06 | OBJECT LABELING MACHINE COMPRISING A LABEL HOLDER SEPARATING FROM A BAND |
JP4778498B2 (en) * | 2007-11-26 | 2011-09-21 | 日東電工株式会社 | Label attaching method and label attaching device |
DE102008032019A1 (en) * | 2008-07-07 | 2010-01-14 | Bizerba Gmbh & Co. Kg | Labeling device for tagging system for applying labels on goods, has extended manipulator arm provided at extendable end with punch head |
ES2529024T3 (en) * | 2011-01-31 | 2015-02-16 | Espera-Werke Gmbh | Device and procedure for labeling individual packages from the bottom side of the package |
ES2612551B2 (en) * | 2017-01-04 | 2018-08-23 | Orbital Gestión, S.L. | LABEL MACHINE WITH MICROCHIP AND PROCEDURE FOR USING THE SAME |
CN108584052B (en) * | 2018-06-15 | 2024-06-21 | 长沙格力暖通制冷设备有限公司 | Labeling equipment |
DE102020104053A1 (en) | 2020-02-17 | 2021-08-19 | Krones Aktiengesellschaft | Labeling unit for labeling containers |
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GB965149A (en) * | 1962-10-26 | 1964-07-29 | Miller Wrapping & Sealing Mach | Package labelling equipment |
US3428509A (en) * | 1964-10-27 | 1969-02-18 | Roto American Corp | Labeling machine |
US3779829A (en) * | 1972-01-24 | 1973-12-18 | Njm Inc | Labeling machine |
US4124436A (en) * | 1977-05-02 | 1978-11-07 | Hi-Speed Checkweigher Co., Inc. | Cylinder label applier |
US4618392A (en) * | 1982-03-05 | 1986-10-21 | Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd. | Label adhering apparatus |
DE3301439A1 (en) * | 1983-01-18 | 1984-07-19 | Bizerba-Werke Wilhelm Kraut GmbH & Co KG, 7460 Balingen | DEVICE FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE LABELS TO ITEMS |
US4561921A (en) * | 1983-05-05 | 1985-12-31 | Hobart Corporation | Label applicator and method of label application |
JPS6065211U (en) * | 1983-10-13 | 1985-05-09 | オムロン株式会社 | Envelope stamp processing equipment |
US4844771A (en) * | 1987-10-16 | 1989-07-04 | Label-Aire Inc. | Printer-tamp label applicator |
-
1990
- 1990-09-18 GB GB9020386A patent/GB2248051B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1991
- 1991-09-05 EP EP19910115015 patent/EP0476447B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-09-05 DE DE1991605425 patent/DE69105425T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2016144827A1 (en) * | 2015-03-06 | 2016-09-15 | Modernchef, Inc. | Cooking apparatuses, labeling systems, and methods for sous vide cooking |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE69105425T2 (en) | 1995-07-20 |
GB9020386D0 (en) | 1990-10-31 |
DE69105425D1 (en) | 1995-01-12 |
GB2248051B (en) | 1994-05-25 |
EP0476447A1 (en) | 1992-03-25 |
GB2248051A (en) | 1992-03-25 |
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