Patent Application
20160347493
Technical Field of the Disclosure
The present embodiment relates in general to bottling and labeling machines. More specifically, the present embodiment relates to a bottling and labeling machine that can control the in feed accelerations of containers by means of a servo mechanism.
Description of the Related Art
Labeling machines are used to apply labels to all types of containers both cylindrical, non-cylindrical and regular and irregular shaped polygons. The introduction of adhesive-backed pressure sensitive labels and hand-held, manually operated applicators has greatly facilitated the marking of objects. However, the use of a hand-held label applicator in a high speed operation would be unacceptably slow, inefficient, labor intensive and therefore, impractical due to the time constraints associated with high volume production. As a result, automated, high speed labeling machines have been developed to apply labels to containers passing through a labeling station on, for example, a conveyor belt. In certain labeling machines, the containers to be labeled are positioned on a conveyor and moved in a controlled manner into a labeling zone.
In conventional labeling machines, a continuous label material is removed from a roll and fed to a cutting system. The continuous label material is then cut into labels that are transferred face down onto the circumferential surface of a vacuum drum where they are held in place by vacuum. As the drum rotates the labels pass a glue applicator that applies adhesive to the back (inner) surface of the label. The label, with the adhesive applied thereto, is released from the drum as it comes into contact with and is applied to a container. The pressure-sensitive labels are commonly precut and carded on a continuous web of material often called backing material which is on a roll for mounting on the labeling machine. Labeling machines that can be adjusted to process labels and containers of different sizes are available. These machines, however, frequently require a skilled technician to spend from four to six hours to effect the adjustments that are needed to apply labels to container sizes that are different from the label and container sizes in the preceding production run. To make these machine component adjustments, it is usually necessary to start the labeling apparatus after an initial adjustment, stop the machinery and make additional adjustments, then start the labeling machinery again and keep repeating this adjustment cycle until suitable adjustments for the machine components are achieved.
One existing labeling machine comprises a conveyor of containers, each to be labeled by cutting from a continuous ribbon wound in a reel, and further comprising feeder elements which are adapted to convey with the appropriate timing the ribbon to a device for the intermittent cutting of each individual label, and elements for locking the label during cutting which are inserted between the cutting device and a drum for transferring the cut label to a container provided on the conveyor. However, the containers can often fall over when the machinery is stopped, because they are not always exactly the same shape and can lead to potential instability.
Another existing labeling machine comprising a cylindrical vacuum drum, a feed screw located in relation to the vacuum drum to move cylindrical containers from a starting point to a release point past the vacuum drum with their cylinder axes parallel to the cylinder axis of the vacuum drum, and in tangent contact with the vacuum drum. It also includes a continuous drive belt located to contact the sides of containers opposite the sides in contact with the feed screw, said belt serving to spin the containers from the starting point to the release point. However, this labeling machine uses feed screws, which make the setup complicated. With bottles of a more complex shape, the machine needs double feed screws, which are an even more complicated set up. At some point the continuous belt may not move at the exact same speed and the machine needs double screws to prevent the containers from falling.
Another existing high-speed container labeling machine comprises a conveyor, a pressure sensitive label applying apparatus, a star wheel and at least one indexing mechanism. The conveyor moves the containers to and from the star wheel. The indexing mechanism aligns the star wheel to present the container into a perpendicular relation with the label applying apparatus and holds the container until the label adheres to the container. The indexing mechanism releases the star wheel, which directs the container carrying the label to the conveyor. However, this high-speed container-labeling machine does not have the means to control the speed of the containers coming into the labeling zone.
Therefore there is a need for a labeling machine that will provide a continuous movement of containers along a conveyor belt. Such a machine would not need to stop the conveyor at all to make adjustments, which would prevent the containers from falling. Such a needed machine would be employed for labeling containers of different shapes, and would provide the capability to allow control of the speed of the containers coming into the labeling zone. Such a needed machine would be simple in construction, does not require mechanical components and eliminates the space between the containers so they hold each other upright. The present invention overcomes the prior art shortcomings by accomplishing these objectives.
To minimize the limitations found in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will be apparent upon the reading of the specifications, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a labeling apparatus that controls the in feed accelerations of a plurality of articles by means of a servo mechanism.
The labeling apparatus comprises a conveyor for supplying the plurality of articles into a labeling zone controlled by a servo mechanism, an active star wheel, a rotating roller star drum and a vacuum drum rotatable about a drum axis and positioned opposite the rotating roller star drum. The plurality of articles is fed to the conveyor having a conveyor guide to constrain the plurality of articles thereto. The servomechanism includes a servomotor that is controlled by a programmed control panel with a user machine interface to control the rotation of the active star wheel and thus the rotating roller star drum to move the plurality of articles toward and away from the labeling zone through the conveyor. The active star wheel adaptable to rotate about a central axis by means of the servomechanism includes a plurality of arms to form a plurality of pockets. The rotating roller star drum includes a plurality of rollers. The plurality of rollers is, preferably, made of flexible polymers. Each of the plurality of rollers includes a plurality of flexible discs arranged in a stacked manner. Each of the plurality of articles propagating from the active star wheel is guided to at least two of the plurality of rollers of the rotating roller star drum. The rotating roller star drum moves the plurality of articles further towards the vacuum drum. The vacuum drum is positioned opposite to the rotating roller star drum and adaptable to rotate about a drum axis. The vacuum drum holds the label to be applied to the plurality of articles. When each of the plurality of articles is pressed against the plurality of rollers of the rotating roller star drum and the vacuum drum, the plurality of rollers deforms slightly due to the pressure and the label is applied on to each of the plurality of articles.
A first objective of the present invention is to provide a servo controlled labeling apparatus that provides a continual motion of the plurality of articles through the conveyor.
A second objective of the present invention is to provide a servo controlled labeling apparatus that has a servo controlled active star wheel to control the infeed acceleration of the plurality of articles.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide a servo controlled labeling apparatus with the vacuum drum speeding up and the rotating roller star drum slowing down to provide rotational motion to the plurality of articles as it enters the labeling zone.
A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide a servo controlled labeling apparatus that is simple in construction, does not require mechanical components and eliminates the space between the containers so that they hold each other upright.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a servo controlled labeling apparatus having a conveyor speed dependent on the diameter of the plurality of articles conveyed through the conveyor by means of the servomechanism.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a servo controlled labeling apparatus that can be employed for all types of articles, both cylindrical, non-cylindrical and regular and irregular shaped polygons.
Still another objective of the invention is to provide a servo controlled labeling apparatus that prevents falling of the plurality of articles coming at the take-out end of the conveyor.
These and other advantages and features of the present invention are described with specificity so as to make the present invention understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art.
In order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of these various elements and embodiments of the invention, elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the invention, thus the drawings are generalized in form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
In the following discussion that addresses a number of embodiments and applications of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. However, any single inventive feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or only address one of the problems discussed above. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not be fully addressed by any of the features described below. Finally, many of the steps are presented below in an order intended only as an exemplary embodiment. Unless logically required, no step should be assumed to be required earlier in the process than a later step simply because it is written first in this document.
As the plurality of articles 104 is fed through the conveyor 102, each of the plurality of articles 104 first touches the active star wheel 110. The rotation of the active star wheel 110 moves each of the plurality of articles 104 forward. Then each of the plurality of articles 104 is caught between at least two of the plurality of rollers 120 of the rotating roller star drum 118 which further moves each of the plurality of articles 104 forward which touches both the star wheel 110 and the rotating roller star drum 118. Then it no longer touches the star wheel 110 but continues contact with the rotating roller star drum 118 and the vacuum drum 124. The rotating roller star drum 118 rotates in counter clockwise direction and the vacuum drum 124 rotates in clockwise direction. The speed of the vacuum drum 124 controlled by the servomechanism 130 increases above the speed of the rotating roller star drum 118, which imparts a rotational motion to each of the plurality of articles 104. As the label enters the labeling zone 106 the speed of the vacuum drum 124 increases, to push each of the plurality of articles 104 forward and as each of the plurality of articles 104 comes out of the labeling zone 106 the speed of the vacuum drum 124 is decreased. By the proper geometry by the conveyor guide 108, the active star wheel 110 and the rotating roller star drum 118 a smooth vector of speed change can be achieved.
The labeling apparatus 100 of the present embodiment does not stop the conveyor 102 to make adjustments, which prevents the plurality of articles 104 from falling. The labeling apparatus 100 is employed for labeling the plurality of articles 104 of different shapes, and is simple in construction and eliminates the space between each of the plurality of articles 104.
