The invention relates to a label attachment device for attaching a tubular label such as a stretch label to an attachment target object such as a jar or a bottle.
For example, as a label attachment device that attaches a tubular stretch label to the outer peripheral surface of a main body portion of a bottle such as a PET bottle, which serves as a beverage container, there is a rotary label attachment device including a plurality of attachment heads. As shown in (a) of
In such a label attachment device, the tubular stretch label L is attached to the bottle B as follows. First, as shown in (a) of
Next, as shown in (c) to (e) of
Then, as shown in (g) of
If the stretch label L has thus been inserted into the bottle B (see (j) of
Then, as shown in (m) to (p) of
[PTL 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-284130
In the label attachment device described above, however, after the bottle B has been inserted into the stretch label L expanded at the label attachment level, the bottle B is once lifted to remove the expansion claws 72 from the stretch label L, and then, the bottle B falls. Thus, while the bottle B moves to below the clamp members 71, the clamp members 71 cannot execute a series of processes from the reception of a new stretch label L to the preliminarily opening of the stretch label L.
Thus, such a label attachment device cannot secure a large assigned angle for executing a series of processing steps from the reception of a label to the preliminary opening of the label, and therefore is unfit for speeding up.
It is an objective of the invention to provide a label attachment device that can secure a sufficient assigned angle for executing a series of processing steps from the reception of a label to the preliminary opening of the label, and is suitable for speeding up.
To achieve the above objective, the invention of claim 1 provides a label attachment device including: a label opening unit configured to preliminarily open a tubular label supplied as folded in a sheet; a label expansion unit having openable and closable expansion claws configured to expand the label preliminarily opened by the label opening unit; and a lifting unit configured to lift to a label attachment level a mounting on which an attachment target object is mounted, wherein the lifting unit lifts the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted, thereby inserting the attachment target object into the tubular label expanded by the expansion claws, and the expansion claws are removed from the label, thereby attaching the label to the attachment target object that is moving along a predetermined movement path, the label attachment device further includes a pull-up unit configured to pull up the attachment target object to which the label is attached, while holding the attachment target object at a label portion, and after the attachment target object has been inserted into the label, the pull-up unit pulls up the attachment target object, thereby removing the expansion claws from the label and moving the attachment target object to above the label opening unit, so that, while a process after the label opening unit receives the label is executed, the attachment target object to which the label is attached is conveyed above the label opening unit.
Further, in the invention of claim 2, on the basis of the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 1, the pull-up unit pulls up the attachment target object, thereby, when the expansion claws are removed from the label, temporarily lifting the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted, in conjunction with an operation of the pull-up unit pulling up the attachment target object.
Further, in the invention of claim 3, on the basis of the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 1, the pull-up unit pulls up the attachment target object, thereby, when the expansion claws are removed from the label, causing the expansion claws to once fall while temporarily lifting the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted, in conjunction with an operation of the pull-up unit pulling up the attachment target object.
Further, the invention of claim 4 is a label attachment device including: a label opening unit configured to preliminarily open a tubular label supplied as folded in a sheet; a label expansion unit having openable and closable expansion claws configured to expand the label preliminarily opened by the label opening unit; and a lifting unit configured to lift to a label attachment level a mounting on which an attachment target object is mounted, wherein the lifting unit lifts the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted, thereby inserting the attachment target object into the tubular label expanded by the expansion claws, and the expansion claws are removed from the label, thereby attaching the label to the attachment target object that is moving along a predetermined movement path, the label attachment device further includes a pull-up unit configured to pull up the attachment target object to which the label is attached, while holding the attachment target object at a label portion, and after the attachment target object has been inserted into the label, the expansion claws once fall with the pull-up unit holding the attachment target object at the label portion, thereby removing the expansion claws from the label, and then, the pull-up unit pulls up the attachment target object, thereby moving the attachment target object to above the label opening unit, so that, while a process after the label opening unit receives the label is executed, the attachment target object to which the label is attached is conveyed above the label opening unit.
As described above, the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 1 includes a pull-up unit configured to pull up the attachment target object to which the label is attached, while holding the attachment target object at a label portion, and after the attachment target object has been inserted into the label, the pull-up unit pulls up the attachment target object, thereby removing the expansion claws from the label and moving the attachment target object to above the label opening unit, so that, while a process after the label opening unit receives the label is executed, the attachment target object to which the label is attached is conveyed above the label opening unit. This makes it possible to secure a more sufficient assigned angle for executing a series of processing steps from the reception of a label to the preliminary opening of the label, than a conventional label attachment device that inserts a bottle into a label, then once lifts the bottle to remove expansion claws from the label, and then causes the bottle to fall, and therefore cannot execute a series of processes in which the clamp members receive a new label and preliminarily open the new label until the attachment target object moves to below the clamp members. This makes it possible to achieve the effect of facilitating the speeding up of a device.
Further, when, after the attachment target object has been inserted into the label, the pull-up unit pulls up the attachment target object, thereby removing the expansion claws from the label, as in the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 2, the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted may be temporarily lifted in conjunction with an operation of the pull-up unit pulling up the attachment target object. Alternatively, as in the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 3, the expansion claws may once fall while the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted is temporarily lifted in conjunction with an operation of the pull-up unit pulling up the attachment target object. Yet alternatively, as in the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 4, the expansion claws may once fall with the pull-up unit holding the attachment target object at the label portion, thereby removing the expansion claws from the label, and then, the pull-up unit may pull up the attachment target object. Thus, when the expansion claws are removed from the label, the full weight of the attachment target object is not applied to the pull-up unit. Moreover, when the expansion claws are removed from the label, the force of pulling down the attachment target object by the frictional force generated between the expansion claws and the attachment target object is not applied to the pull-up unit. Thus, when the expansion claws are removed from the label, the position of the pull-up unit holding the attachment target object at the label portion is unlikely to shift relative to the attachment target object. This results in achieving the effect that when the expansion claws are removed from the label, the position of the label attached to the attachment target object is unlikely to shift relative to the attachment target object.
In particular, as in the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 2, the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted may be temporarily lifted in conjunction with an operation of the pull-up unit pulling up the attachment target object. Alternatively, as in the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 3, the expansion claws may once fall while the mounting on which the attachment target object is mounted is temporarily lifted in conjunction with an operation of the pull-up unit pulling up the attachment target object. This makes it possible to simultaneously perform the operation of removing the expansion claws and the operation of raising the attachment target object to which the label is attached. This makes it possible to move the attachment target object to which the label is attached in the shortest time without wasted waiting time.
Further, also in the label attachment device according to the invention of claims 2 to 4, after the expansion claws have been removed from the label, the pull-up unit pulls up the attachment target object, thereby moving the attachment target object to above the label opening unit, so that, while a process after the label opening unit receives the label is executed, the attachment target object to which the label is attached is conveyed above the label opening unit. This makes it possible to achieve an effect similar to that of the label attachment device according to the invention of claim 1.
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With reference to the drawings, embodiments are described below.
It should be noted that the label forming base material is a material in which tubular labels to be attached to the bottle B are continuously connected to each other, and is wound around a drum while being folded in a sheet at the base material feeding section.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
It should be noted that as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The cam member 29 is disposed along the movement path of the label expansion unit 20. As shown in
The rise and fall portion 31 generally corresponds to the area between the position where the insertion of the bottle B into the label L expanded by the label expansion unit 20 starts (the position immediately after the bottle lifting unit 40 starts lifting the bottle B) and the position where the insertion of the bottle B is completed. The rise and fall portion 31 has a flat cam surface over the entire length. Thus, while the cam follower 28 is moving on the cam surface of the rise and fall portion 31, the expansion claws 22 of the label expansion unit 20 are maintained at the same height position.
The connection portion 32u corresponds to the area between the bottle supply position γ and the position where the insertion of the bottle B into the expanded label L starts (the position immediately after the bottle lifting unit 40 starts lifting the bottle B). The connection portion 32d corresponds to the area between the position where the insertion of the bottle B into the expanded label L is completed and the position immediately after the bottle pull-up unit 50 starts pulling up the bottle B. The rise and fall portion 31 rises and falls, thereby changing the angle of inclination of the cam surface at the connection portions 32u and 32d.
The area from the fixed portion 30d to the fixed portion 30u in the cam member 29 has only a cam surface that the lower surface of the cam follower 28 abuts. In the area from the fixed portion 30u to the fixed portion 30d, that is, the areas corresponding to the connection portion 32u, the rise and fall portion 31, and the connection portion 32d, on the upper sides of the connection portion 32u, the rise and fall portion 31, and the connection portion 32d, a connection portion 32uA, a rise and fall portion 31A, and a connection portion 32dA connected to the connection portion 32u, the rise and fall portion 31, and the connection portion 32d, respectively, are disposed at predetermined intervals. Thus, the cam follower 28 moves between: the connection portion 32u, the rise and fall portion 31, and the connection portion 32d; and the connection portion 32uA, the rise and fall portion 31A, and the connection portion 32dA.
As shown in
Further, to prevent the bottle B mounted on the mounting 42 from falling over, an openable and closable bottle guide 46, which includes a fixed guide 46a and a movable guide 46b that surround the mounting 42, is disposed on the supporting disk 5a. Consequently, when the bottle B supplied from the bottle supply device 2 is received at the bottle supply position γ, the movable guide 46b opens so as not to hinder the reception of the bottle B.
The movable guide 46b is provided in a standing manner on a swinging lever 47 swingably supported by the supporting disk 5a via a bearing, with the operation rod 41 inserted so as to rise and fall. A cam follower 49, which is attached to a base end portion of the swinging lever 47 via a supporting member 48, abuts a cam surface of a cam member (not shown), thereby causing the swinging lever 47 to swing. Accordingly, the movable guide 46b opens and closes relative to the fixed guide 46a.
As shown in
The rise and fall mechanism 57 includes: a cam follower 58, which is attached to the supporting member 54; and a cylindrical cam member 59, which has a cam groove 59a into which the cam follower 58 fits, the cam member 59 disposed along the movement paths of the grippers 52. A cam mechanism including the cam follower 58 and the cam member 59 (the cam groove 59a) moves up and down the slide guide 55, thereby causing the swinging arms 51 to rise and fall.
The opening and closing mechanism 60 includes: a spring (not shown), which always biases the swinging arms 51 in an opening direction; a pair of rollers (not shown), which are attached to the swinging arms 51 on the base end portion side; and an operation rod 61, to a lower end portion of which a cam member 62 is attached, the cam member 62 having a cam surface that abuts both rollers by being inserted between both rollers. The operation rod 61 is supported so as to be movable up and down by the supporting member 54, and a slide guide 63, which rises and falls along the slide rail 56, is attached to an upper end portion of the operation rod 61.
To the upper end portion of the operation rod 61, a cam follower 64, which fits into a cam groove 59b formed in the cam member 59, is attached. A cam mechanism including the cam follower 64 and the cam member 59 (the cam groove 59b) moves up and down the slide guide 63, thereby causing the operation rod 61 to rise and fall.
Thus, if the cam follower 64 has fallen using the cam groove 59b, then accordingly, the operation rod 61 falls, and the cam member 62 attached to the lower end portion of the operation rod 61 presses and spreads the rollers, thereby causing the swinging arms 51 to close on the extremity sides. Thus, the cam mechanism including the cam groove 59b and the cam follower 64 moves up and down the operation rod 61, thereby opening and closing the swinging arms 51.
In the label attachment device 5 configured as described above, first, as shown in
Subsequently, as shown in (e) and (f) of
If the expansion claws 22 in the closed state have thus been inserted into the label L in the open state (see (g) of
Subsequently, as shown in (j) to (m) of
If the bottle B has thus been inserted into the label L (see (m) of
As described above, in the label attachment device 5, the bottle pull-up unit 50 is provided, which pulls up the bottle B to which the label L is attached, while holding the bottle B at the label L portion. After the bottle B has been inserted into the label L, the bottle pull-up unit 50 pulls up the bottle B, thereby removing the expansion claws 22 from the label L. Then, the bottle B is moved as it is to above the clamp members 11 of the label opening unit 10. This shortens the time required from when the label L is attached to the bottle B to when the clamp members 11 receive a new label L, that is, the time (T1) required for (m) to (a) of
Further, in the label attachment device 5, as shown in (h) to (m) of
It should be noted that in the above embodiment, the bottle pull-up unit 50 pulls up the bottle B, thereby removing the expansion claws 22 from the label L. To remove the expansion claws 22 from the label L as described above, however, when the expansion claws 22 are removed from the label L, the full weight of the bottle B is applied to the bottle pull-up unit 50. Simultaneously, the force of pulling down the bottle B by the frictional force generated between the inner surfaces of the expansion claws 22 and the outer surface of the bottle B when the expansion claws 22 are removed from the label L is applied to the bottle pull-up unit 50. Thus, the position of the bottle pull-up unit 50 holding the bottle B at the label L portion may shift relative to the bottle B. As a result, when the expansion claws 22 are removed from the label L, the position of the label L attached to the bottle B may shift relative to the bottle B.
Thus, after, as shown in (m) of
In this case, however, the time during which the expansion claws 22 are removed from the label L becomes waiting time. Thus, after, as shown in (m) of
Further, after, as shown in (m) of
Further, in the above embodiments, the case is described where a stretch label is attached to a PET bottle. An attachment target object, however, is not limited to a PET bottle as described above. It goes without saying that alternatively, the label attachment device according to the present invention can be applied to the case where a stretch label is attached to various containers such as a jar and a can, and a tubular object.
The invention can be applied to a label attachment device that attaches a stretch label to an attachment target object such as a jar or a bottle.
1 label attachment system
2 bottle supply device
2
a belt conveyor
2
b screw
2
c star wheel
3 label supply device
4 label delivery device
4
a take-up member
5 label attachment device
5
a supporting disk
5
b supporting arm
5
c label attachment head
6 bottle conveyance device
6
a star wheel
6
b belt conveyor
10 label opening unit
11 clamp member
11
a clamping portion
12 opening and closing driving unit
20 label expansion unit
21 base member
21
a upper annular disk
21
b lower tubular member
22 expansion claw
23 sliding member
24 supporting member
25 cam follower
26 cam member
27 rise and fall mechanism
28 cam follower
29 cam member
30
u,
30
d fixed portion
31, 31A rise and fall portion
32
u,
32
d,
32
uA, 32dA connection portion
33 rise and fall mechanism
40 bottle lifting unit
41 operation rod
42 mounting
43 rise and fall mechanism
44 cam follower
45 cam plate
46 bottle guide
46
a fixed guide
46
b movable guide
47 swinging lever
48 supporting member
49 cam follower
50 bottle pull-up unit
51 swinging arm
52 gripper
53 neck clamper
54 supporting member
55 slide guide
56 slide rail
57 rise and fall mechanism
58 cam follower
59 cam plate
59
a,
59
b cam groove
60 opening and closing mechanism
61 operation rod
62 cam member
63 slide guide
64 cam follower
B bottle
L stretch label
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2011/070250 | 9/6/2011 | WO | 00 | 2/28/2014 |