Patent Application
20200407099
The present application relates generally to labeling devices and more particularly to devices for printing labels and labeling items as the items are conveyed along a path.
Material handling systems are used many different industries and often include complex packaging and conveyor systems that convey items quickly from one place to the next within a facility or multiple facilities. Labeling is often necessary to convey information about the items so that the items can be identified, categorized, and/or properly routed, among other reasons. Placing labels on items that are moving along a conveyance path within a material handling system presents unique challenges, which industry has sought to overcome by using complex electro-mechanical or electro-pneumatic systems that rely on many moving parts and a high degree of complexity. Examples of these existing systems include label applicators that use pneumatic cylinders to press labels on as the items go by and label applicators that employ complex arrangements of electrical motors and mechanical components to apply the labels to the items. Moreover, in labeling devices that incorporate a printer, the label print speed must generally be matched to the speed of item conveyance for proper system operation. More specifically, the current state of the art is referred to as a “reels up” print and apply machine that dispenses the label directly onto the product from the printer. The product line speed must be synchronized with the print speed. If the product line is too slow, the label will bunch up (wrinkle). Conversely, if the product line is too fast, the label will be ripped out of the printer.
Additionally, label feedstock support shafts on current “reels up” print and apply machines are disposed vertically and utilize a label feedstock where the labels are orientated on the feedstock such that the long axis of the label, typically 4″, is aligned with the feed direction. This configuration results in several drawbacks, including inefficiencies in production line space and label feedstock rolls, increased wear on the machine due to the inefficiencies, and the label feedstock roll potentially “telescoping” when applied to the reel because it must be handled in a horizontal configuration. Also, because of the orientation of the labels on the feedstock relative to the printer, indicia, such as one dimensional (or 1D) barcodes, must be printed in a “ladder” manner, leading to poor print quality. Generally, one-dimensional (or 1D) barcodes systematically represent data by varying the widths and spacing of parallel lines.
It would be desirable to provide a label applying apparatus that enables label print speed to vary from the conveyance speed of items being labeled, efficient use of production line space and label feedstock rolls, and increased print quality.
In one aspect, a method of printing and applying a label to an item moving in a conveyance direction along a conveyance path involves the steps of: utilizing a label stock having a liner with a plurality of labels thereon; moving the label stock along a label stock path in a feed direction past a printer to print a given one of the labels, wherein a parallel line bar code is printed on the given label and each line of the parallel line bar code runs parallel to the feed direction and the length of the liner; separating the given label from the liner and dispensing the given label out of the label stock path in a first direction onto a label applying belt system for movement of the label in a second direction, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the second direction is either substantially parallel to the conveyance direction or includes a directional component that is substantially parallel to the conveyance direction; the label applying belt assembly moves the label into position to be contacted by the item moving in the conveyance direction for application of the label to the item as the item moves.
In another aspect, a method of printing and applying a label to an item moving in a conveyance direction along a conveyance path involves the steps of: utilizing a print and labeling assembly that includes a label stock path that feeds label stock past a printer to print on a label of the label stock to produce a printed label that is dispensed in a first direction onto a label applying belt that moves in a second direction, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction such that the printed label moves onto the label applying belt from a lateral side of the label applying belt; and the label applying belt moves the printed label into position to engage with the item as it moves along the conveyance path.
In a further aspect, a label print and apply system includes a conveyor for moving items to be labeled in a conveyance direction. A label roll support shaft is oriented substantially horizontally, and a roll of label stock formed by a liner with a plurality of labels thereon is mounted for rotation on the label roll support shaft. A label printer positioned along a label stock path for printing labels of the label stock as the label stock moves along the label stock path past the label printer. A label separation station is positioned along the label stock path, and at which labels separate from the liner and are dispensed out of the label stock path in a first direction. A label applying belt system is positioned to receive labels as the labels are dispensed in the first direction, wherein the label applying belt system moves in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
In one implementation of the foregoing aspect, the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the second direction is either substantially parallel to the conveyance direction or includes a directional component that is substantially parallel to the conveyance direction. The label belt applying system is configured to move labels into position to be contacted by items moving in the conveyance direction for application of the labels to the items as the items move.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Referring to
The labels 28 may generally be pressure sensitive adhesive labels having an adhesive label side facing the liner prior to separation from the liner, such adhesive side for engagement of the label 28 with the moving item intended to be labeled, and a non-adhesive label side that is generally the printed side. The non-adhesive label side may be a printable substrate, a non-printable substrate, or a pre-printed surface. In other embodiments, the label stock 22 used may be liner-less label stock, in which case the label release mechanism 16 may operate to separate each label from the trailing length of label stock 22.
The label applying assembly 26 may be of module configuration, enabling it to be installed and removed from the apparatus 10 without impacting the function or operation of the other parts of the apparatus. Importantly, the label applying assemble 26 provides a “buffer” between the printer and the application point, so that the print speed and the product speed do not have to be synchronized because the two processes are decoupled. Conversely, conventional print and apply machines dispense the label directly onto the product from the printer, requiring the product speed to be synchronized with the print speed. If the product speed is too slow, the label will bunch up (wrinkle), and if the product speed is too fast, the label will be ripped out of the printer.
The label applying belt assembly or system 26, which may also be referred to herein as a label merge module in the alternative, includes a first conveyor 40, a second conveyor 40′, a roller 42, at least a first fan 44, and a plenum 46 (internal of the assembly housing). The first and second conveyors 40, 40′ have a support surface 48, 48′ positioned to receive a label 28 that has been released from the backing 30, an upstream end 50 positioned proximate to the label release mechanism 16, and a downstream end 52 positioned proximate to the roller 42. The conveyor 40, 40′ has one or more openings 58 to enable a negative pressure effect to occur at the support surface 48. The openings 58 can have any convenient shape, which can include, but is not limited to, circular, slotted, elliptical, square, rectangular, other shape, or combinations thereof. As shown, the conveyor 40, 40′ can have a plurality of openings 58 arranged as rows of evenly spaced slots. In other embodiments, the shape and orientation of the openings 58 in the plate 40 may vary. The primary portion of the conveyor 40, 40′ defining the support surface 48 may typically be planar as shown, but other variations are possible including conveyor configurations that result in sonic curvature in the support surface 48 and/or one or more angle changes in the support surface 48. The conveyor 40 may have any convenient thickness ranging from a thin plate to a thick plate.
As shown, the fan 44 is positioned to draw an air flow F through the openings 58 in the conveyor 40, 40′, which air flow passes through the plenum 46 and is then exhausted from another side of the assembly. By drawing the air flow F through the openings 58 in the conveyor 40, 40′, the fan 44 creates a negative pressure effect at the support surface 48 of the conveyor 40, 40′. The fan 44 can be any convenient type or size of commercially available fan. The plenum 46 is defined by the rear surface 56 of the conveyor 40, 40′, an end wall 60 opposite the conveyor 40, 40′, and a plurality of side walls 62 extending from the conveyor 40, 40′ to the end wall 60. It is recognized that the fan 44 may be positioned in any one of the plurality of side walls 62 or in the end wall 60. The plenum 46 may be sealed to prevent air leakage, but embodiments having some air leakage may also be implemented. Although the use of a fan is described above, alternative means for creating a negative pressure effect at the support surface 48 of the conveyor 40, 40′ may be used, which may include any means of creating a negative pressure known in the art. Such means for creating a negative pressure effect at the support surface 48 may include a Venturi apparatus, a vacuum pump, or other device capable of creating a negative pressure effect at the support surface 48 by drawing air through the openings 58 in the conveyor 40, 40′.
As shown in
The outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 may be compliant such that it conforms to irregular surfaces and/or varying distances. The outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 may also be resilient so that the outer surface portion 64 durably and consistently re-conforms to an original shape in response to any deformation. The compliant and resilient properties of the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 allows the passing application surface 68 of the moving item 66 to partially displace the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42, which re-conforms after the application surface 68 has passed. A roller 42 having an outer surface portion 64 that is compliant and/or resilient may also be referred to herein in the alternative as a compliant roller without implying a lack of resilience. The outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 may also be non-stick so that adhesive and/or label faults do not accumulate on the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 to impede performance. The outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 may be made from a resilient material, such as plastic, rubber, silicone rubber, or foam, for example. One or more surface treatments may be applied to the outer surface portion 64 to provide non-stick properties to the roller 42. In one embodiment, the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 may be a highly resilient, non-stick silicone rubber. In some embodiments, the roller 42 may have hollow windows 72 extending lengthwise through the roller 42, the windows 72 enabling the outer surface portion 64 to deform towards a central axis of the roller 42 to provide resilience. In operation, the application surface 68 of the moving item 66 partially displaces the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42, which may deform. Because of the resilient nature of the roller 42, the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 seeks to maintain its original shape and exerts a force back against the application surface 68 of the moving item 66, When a label 28 moves through the nip zone 70, this force acts on the label 28, pressing the adhesive label side against the application surface 68 to adhere the label 28 to the moving item 66. Also due to the resilience of the roller 42, a degree of displacement/deformation of the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 constantly changes in response to changes in a contour of the application surface 68 of the moving item 66. This dynamic nature of the outer surface portion 64 of the roller 42 enables the roller 42 to maintain contact with the application surface 68 of the moving item 66 despite one or more contour irregularities in the application surface 68 and allows smooth application of the label 28 to the application surface 68.
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The fan 44 creates an air flow through the openings 58 in the conveyor 40, 40′, and the air flow in turn creates a negative pressure effect (partial vacuum effect) along the support surface 48 of the conveyor 40, 40′. The negative pressure effect at the support surface 48 maintains the label 28 in contact with the support surface 48 and keeps the label 28 straight as the label 28 moves along the label release path.
A controller 100 is provided for controlling the various components. The controller may take on various forms, incorporating electrical and electronic circuitry and/or other components. As used herein, the term controller is intended to broadly encompass any circuit (e.g., solid state, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a combinational logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA)), processor(s) (e.g., shared, dedicated, or group—including hardware or software that executes code), software, firmware and/or other components, or a combination of some or all of the above, that carries out the control functions of the device or the control functions of any component thereof.
As shown in
As shown in 7, in an additional embodiment, roller 42 is replaced with a plurality of fingers 78. The fingers 78 have a medial flat portion that is positioned proximate to a moving item 66 (e.g., moved along by a conveyor 67) to be labeled such that the medial flat portion is in contact with an application surface 68 of the moving item 66 (also referred to herein as a moving item application surface). Contact between the medial flat portion of the fingers 78 and the application surface 68 of the moving item 66 creates a nip zone where the medial flat portion contacts the application surface 68. The nip zone receives the leading edge 32 of a label 28 and pulls the label 28 forward into contact with the application surface 68 of the moving item 66. In one embodiment, the fingers 78 are flexible, such that they may flex during application of the label 28. In one embodiment, the fingers 78 are metal.
As shown in
Thus, the described embodiment provides a label print and apply system that includes a conveyor for moving items to be labeled in a conveyance direction. A label roll support shaft is oriented substantially horizontally, and a roll of label stock formed by a liner with a plurality of labels thereon is mounted for rotation on the label roll support reel. A label printer positioned along a label stock path for printing labels of the label stock as the label stock moves along the label stock path past the label printer. A label separation station is positioned along the label stock path, and at which labels separate from the liner and are dispensed out of the label stock path in a first direction. A label applying belt system is positioned to receive labels as the labels are dispensed in the first direction, wherein the label applying belt system moves in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first direction is substantially perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the second direction is either substantially parallel to the conveyance direction or includes a directional component that is substantially parallel to the conveyance direction. The label belt applying system is configured to move labels into position to be contacted by items moving in the conveyance direction for application of the labels to the items as the items move. The described embodiment also provides a method of printing and applying a label to an item moving m a conveyance direction along a conveyance path. The method involves the steps of: utilizing a label stock having a liner with a plurality of labels thereon, wherein the liner has a length and a width, and each label on the liner has a height that runs parallel to the length of the liner and a width that runs parallel to the width of the liner, and the width of each label is at least 1.5 times greater than the height of each label; moving the label stock along a label stock path in a feed direction past a printer to print a given one of the labels, wherein a parallel line bar code is printed on the given label and each line of the parallel line bar code runs parallel to the feed direction and the length of the liner; separating the given label from the liner and dispensing the given label out of the label stock path in a first direction onto a label applying belt system for movement of the label a second direction, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the second direction is either substantially parallel to the conveyance direction or includes a directional component that is substantially parallel to the conveyance direction; the label applying belt assembly moves the label into position to be contacted by the item moving in the conveyance direction for application of the label to the item as the item moves.
The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of labeling apparatus. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of this application.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62866927 | Jun 2019 | US |
