Claims
- 1. An improved adhesive station for use with labels moving in an upright position along a portion of a label path of a labeling machine comprising:
- a heated adhesive applicator comprising an adhesive sprayer configured to direct heated adhesive towards labels passing along the label path;
- an adhesive shield, mountable between the sprayer and the label path, comprising a wall having a window, through which adhesive can be sprayed from the sprayer onto a passing label, said wall having a heated overspray-intercepting surface surrounding said window, said overspray-intercepting surface being positioned such that adhesive overspray flowing down and dropping from said overspray-intercepting surface is out of alignment with said label path; and
- an adhesive collector associated with the adhesive shield which collects adhesive overspray intercepted by said adhesive shield.
- 2. The improved adhesive station according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive shield is mounted for oscillatory movement along the portion of the label path.
- 3. The improved adhesive station according to claim 1 wherein said sprayer is stationary.
- 4. The improved adhesive station according to claim 1 wherein said window is substantially the same size and shape as the passing label.
- 5. The improved adhesive station according to claim 4 wherein said window is rectangular.
- 6. An improved adhesive station for use along a portion of a label path of a labeling machine comprising:
- a heated adhesive applicator comprising an adhesive sprayer configured to direct heated adhesive towards labels passing along the label path;
- an adhesive shield, mountable between the sprayer and the label path, comprising a window. through which adhesive can be sprayed from the sprayer onto a passing label, and a heated overspray-intercepting surface surrounding said window, said adhesive shield including a divider which separates the window into first and second window portions; and
- an adhesive collector associated with the adhesive shield which collects adhesive overspray intercepted by said adhesive shield.
- 7. An improved adhesive station for use with labels moving in an upright position along a portion of a label path of a labeling machine comprising:
- an adhesive applicator comprising an adhesive sprayer configured to direct adhesive towards labels passing along the label path;
- an adhesive shield, mountable between the sprayer and the label path, comprising a wall having a window, through which adhesive can be sprayed from the sprayer onto a passing label, said wall having a overspray-intercepting surface surrounding said window, said overspray-intercepting surface being positioned such that adhesive overspray flowing down and dropping from said overspray-intercepting surface is out of alignment with said label path; and
- an adhesive collector associated with the adhesive shield which collects adhesive overspray intercepted by said adhesive shield.
- 8. The improved adhesive station according to claim 7 further including a label material-supporting surface for supporting a continuous length of label material and means for cutting said label material into a series of labels having cut edges.
- 9. The improved adhesive station according to claim 8 wherein said label material-supporting surface is mounted for rotation and said adhesive shield is mounted for oscillatory movement including movement in the same direction as said label material-supporting surface, said same direction movement occurring when said cut edges are aligned with said window.
- 10. The improved adhesive station according to claim 8 wherein said label material-supporting surface has a least one groove formed therein and positioned spaced from said cutting means and vacuum ports communicating with said groove for drawing label material therein.
- 11. The improved adhesive station according to claim 10 wherein a plurality of grooves are provided.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of the following Provisional Patent Applications: application Ser. No. 60/039,555, filed Feb. 25, 1997, titled "Labeling Machine"; application Ser. No. 60/040,544, filed Mar. 12, 1997, titled "Labeling Machine with Label Transport Turret"; and application Ser. No. 60/046,699, filed May 14, 1997, titled "Labeling Machine and Method", the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (37)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
9623218 |
Nov 1996 |
GBX |
9703173 |
Feb 1997 |
GBX |
9819916 |
May 1998 |
WOX |