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
• • 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
  • B65C9/40—Controls; Safety devices
  • B65C9/42—Label feed control

Definitions

• This invention relates to controlling the speed and tension of a web of labels supplied to associated labelling apparatus .
• Labelling apparatus such as roll-fed labellers
• reel stands which are adapted to hold a continuous reel of label web intended to be applied to containers, bottles or the like by the apparatus.
• Reel stand assemblies are used to hold this continuous web and to feed same at the required speed and tension to the other associated apparatus within the labeller.
• This associated apparatus in the case of a roll-fed labeller, generally includes a cutter drum and a vacuum drum, which, in use, are desirably rotated at a predetermined speed. It is necessary for effective operation of the labeller to provide the label web to the drums at a proportionate speed. Failure to do this results in tearing of the web or, alternatively, cutting of the web at inappropriate increments such that individual labels are truncated or damaged.
• films used in relation to the aforementioned labels are likely to be increasingly reduced in thickness as material technology improves and this is also likely to be associated with an increase in the elasticity of the labelling material. It is therefore of significant importance to provide efficient and reliable means for regulating the speed and tension of the label web supplied to the associated labelling apparatus .
• a regulating means for regulating the speed and tension of continuous label web for supply to associated labelling apparatus, wherein said regulating means comprises an arm adapted to move in a first direction and a second direction, wherein said arm includes tension control means and is adapted to grip said continuous web while said web is moving, wherein said tension control means comprises a pneumatic cylinder with a variable regulated air supply, wherein said cylinder is adapted to forcibly encourage said arm in said first direction, and wherein tension of said continuous web forcibly encourages said arm in said second direction, wherein said arm moves in the direction most encouraged and consequentially regulates the speed and tension of the web supplied.
• said regulating means further includes a reel stand assembly having one or more reel bearing housing assemblies for supporting a respective reel of continuous label web, wherein each said reel bearing housing assembly includes braking means for retarding the speed of rotation of a respective said reel, wherein said braking means is controlled by control means including a rotary sensor communicating with said arm, such that when said arm is caused to move in said first direction the movement is detected by said rotary sensor and a signal is generated by said control apparatus which is adapted to activate said braking means.
• control means including a rotary sensor communicating with said arm, such that when said arm is caused to move in said first direction the movement is detected by said rotary sensor and a signal is generated by said control apparatus which is adapted to activate said braking means.
• said reel bearing housing assemblies each further include a motor adapted to drive said reel, wherein when said arm is caused to move in said second direction said rotary sensor generates a signal to said motors, such that said motors accelerate the rotational velocity of the respective said reel.
• Fig. 1 is a plan view of a reel stand assembly
• Fig. 2 is a part sectional elevation through A-A of the reel stand assembly shown in Fig. 1
• Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the reel stand assembly of Fig. 1.
• a reel stand assembly 1 comprises two label reel-bearing housing assemblies 2a, 2b.
• Each reel bearing housing assembly 2 is adapted to support a reel of continuous label web 15 which, in use, is guided through a first guide roller 3 around a gripping means 4 on an arm 5 and thereafter again through a further guide roller 6.
• the label web 15 is then fed to associated labelling apparatus which may include a cutter drum and vacuum drum.
• associated labelling apparatus which may include a cutter drum and vacuum drum.
• the arm 5 is adapted to pivot about the point 10 such that it may rotate in a first direction, represented by the arrow A, or in a second direction, represented by the arrow B.
• the arm 5 When the arm 5 rotates in the first direction A, any slack in the continuous label web 15 is taken up. On the other hand, when the arm 5 rotates in the second direction B, the tension of the web is reduced. For this reason, the arm 5 is frequently called a dancer arm or a tension control arm as it dances in both first and second directions about a mean or equilibrium position X in order to regulate the tension of the web supplied to associated labelling apparatus.
• a tension control means which in the invention, comprises an actuator such as a pneumatic cylinder 7 with a variable regulated air supply.
• the cylinder 7 encourages the arm in the first direction A to counter- balance the tension which is inherent in the web 15 which encourages the arm 5 in the second direction B.
• the mean force applied by the cylinder 7 is regulated by the air supply to maintain the arm 5 in an equilibrium position X.
• the air pressure supplied to the pneumatic cylinder 7 is regulated to correct this state, such that the arm 5 is encouraged to return towards the mean equilibrium position X. It is realised that the arm 5 may only move within certain limits and the invention is preferably caused to operate with the arm in close proximity to this equilibrium position X.
• the brake 8 may be of any appropriate type, although electro-mechanical brakes are suggested as preferable.
• the brakes 8, in the embodiment shown, are adapted to be activated when the arm 5 is caused to travel in the first direction A. As explained above, this occurs when the speed of the reel is above that which is desired and the tension in the web is therefore reduced.
• a motor such as a servomotor 14 may be attached to the reel-bearing housing assembly 2; the motor 14 being adapted to drive the reel 15 and, when appropriate, increase the rotational velocity of the reel.
• the servomotor 14 can be accelerated such that the reel supplies the web at a greater speed.
• the arm 5 would be caused to move in the second direction B and this would be sensed by a rotary sensor 9, such as the potentiometer shown, which would send a signal via the control apparatus 11 to the servomotor 14.
• the servomotor 14 may incorporate the electro- mechanical brake 8 or, alternatively, the brake 8 may be separate.
• the invention provides a means for variably controlling the supply of label web to associated labelling apparatus with far greater control than that which has been known in the past.
• the variable control is applied to both the dancer arm 5 and the reel-bearing housing assemblies 2 and is adapted to both increase and decrease the tension and/or speed of the web in accordance with optimum levels.

Landscapes

• Controlling Rewinding, Feeding, Winding, Or Abnormalities Of Webs (AREA)
• Replacement Of Web Rolls (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10746586

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (3)

• 1993
  • 1993-12-14 GB GB939325577A patent/GB9325577D0/en active Pending
• 1994
  • 1994-12-13 BR BR9408296A patent/BR9408296A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1994-12-13 WO PCT/GB1994/002728 patent/WO1995016612A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1994-12-13 CA CA002178812A patent/CA2178812C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-12-13 DE DE69409670T patent/DE69409670T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-12-13 EP EP95903417A patent/EP0734344B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-12-13 AU AU12473/95A patent/AU1247395A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

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