Claims
- 1. A method for applying a label on a supply web to a product conveyed by a conveyance mechanism, comprising:
conveying said product past a first sensor; conveying said label past a second sensor; determining a first distance, said first distance being the distance of said product to a nip point, based upon an output of said first sensor; determining a second distance, said second distance being the distance of said label to said nip point, based upon an output of said second sensor; calculating an electronic gear ratio by dividing said second distance by said first distance; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said supply web; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said conveyance mechanism; coupling the movement of said supply web to the movement of said conveyance mechanism based on said electronic gear ratio; and applying said label to said product at said nip point.
- 2. A method for applying a label to an item conveyed by a conveyance mechanism, comprising:
determining a first distance, said first distance being the distance of an item to a nip point; determining a second distance, said second distance being the distance of a label to said nip point; calculating an electronic gear ratio by dividing said second distance by said first distance; coupling the positional movement of said label to the positional movement of said item by multiplying said electronic gear ratio by the movement of said item; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said item; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said label; conveying said items continuously past said nip point; causing a supply web bearing said label to move over a peel tip to produce a peeled label; directing said label into said nip point created with said item; and applying said label to said item.
- 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising supporting said peeled label while it is directed from said peel tip to said nip point.
- 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
drawing said label toward said support with vacuum forces from the time said label leaves said peel tip to the time said label arrives at said nip point.
- 5. A method for controlling the movement of a label of a label placement machine comprising:
determining a first distance required for an item to be labeled to travel to a nip point; determining a second distance required for said label to travel to said nip point; calculating an effective gear ratio using said first distance and said second distance; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said label; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said item; and controlling the movement of said label to the movement of said item by coupling the position of said label to the position of said item by multiplying said effective gear ratio to the positional movement of said item such that said label and said item arrive at said nip point substantially simultaneously.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said coupling is performed by a servo control system.
- 7. The method of claim 5 wherein said label and said item arrive at said nip point at substantially different speeds.
- 8. A method for placing a label onto an item using a label placement machine comprising:
sensing the position of said item; sensing the position of said label; determining a first distance required for said item to travel to a nip point; determining a second distance required for said label to travel to said nip point; calculating an electronic gear ratio by dividing said first distance and said second distance; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said label; continuously tracking the instantaneous position of said item; coupling the movement of said label to the movement of said item by multiplying said electronic gear ratio to the positional movement of said item such that said label and said item arrive at said nip point substantially simultaneously; advancing said item to said nip point; and placing said label onto said item at said nip point.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said coupling is performed by a servo control system.
- 10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
wherein said label and said item arrive at said nip point at substantially different speeds.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/318,875, which is herein incorporated by reference.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09318875 |
May 1999 |
US |
Child |
10017339 |
Dec 2001 |
US |