Apparatus for continuously applying labels to articles

Abstract: An apparatus for applying seals to articles has a rotary table (11) having heads (13), and an article guide (12) provided along the periphery of the rotary table (11). Each head (13) is provided with a holding-moving mechanism (21) for holding an article (P) and moving the article (P) on and along the article guide (13) together with the head (13), and a labeling mechanism (22) for applying a label (S) to the article (P) which is being transferred together with the head (13). The article (P) is held by the holding-moving mechanism (21) and moved together with the head (13). During the transfer of the article (P), the label (S) is applied to the article (P). The article (P) can be applied with the label (S) while the article (P) is being continuously transferred without being moved intermittently, whereby the apparatus can be easily operated at a high speed.

Description: This invention relates to an apparatus for applying small labels to articles according to the preamble of claim 1. Such an apparatus is already disclosed in GB-A-2 055 747. However, with this apparatus the articles are hold only by negative pressure of a suction device, which limits the rotation speed of the table due to increasing centrifugal force. This invention concerns in particular an apparatus for continuously applying small labels to articles such as wrapped goods, and more particularly to an apparatus for continuously applying seals to end faces of wrapped cigarette cases at a high speed. In general, an end face of a wrapped cigarette case is applied with a belt-like seal for sealing the cigarette case or for other purposes. The central portion of the seal is attached to the corresponding end face of the wrapped cigarette case, and both end portions of the seal are folded on the side faces of the wrapped cigarette case and adhered thereto. In the conventional cigarette manufacturing processes, cigarette cases which have been wrapped completely are intermittently transferred. While the cigarette cases halt, belt-like seals are applied to the ends of the wrapped cigarette cases and then both end portions of the seals are folded on and adhered to the side faces of the wrapped cigarette cases, by utilizing the conventional apparatus. The recent cigarette manufacturing apparatus is adapted to be operated at an extremely high speed. The processes from the manufacture of cigarettes to the wrapping of the cigarettes are performed in series. As cigarette manufacture speeds up, therefore, the number of cigarette cases which are wrapped in a unit time increases. In order to increase the number of cigarette cases which are wrapped in a unit time, the operational speed of a seal applying apparatus must be enhanced. However, the conventional seal applying apparatus applies seals to wrapped cigarette cases which are moved intermittently, when they are stopped temporarily. The cigarette-case moving apparatus inevitably has an intermittently operating mechanism and, accordingly, cannot be moved at a very high speed due to the limitation of the inertial force of the intermittently operating mechanism. The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for continuously applying small labels such as seals to articles such as wrapped cigarette cases at a high speed while the articles are being transferred continuously. The object of this invention is achieved by providing an apparatus for applying small labels to articles according to the preamble of claim 1, which comprises the characterizing features thereof. Claims 2-4 contain further embodiments. The apparatus according to this invention comprises a rotary table continuously rotating in a horizontal plane and provided on the peripheral portions thereof with a plurality of heads, and an arcuated article guide provided on the outer periphery of the rotary table. Each head has a holding or gripping and transfer or moving mechanism and a labeling mechanism. The gripping-moving mechanism holds articles such as cigarette cases which are supplied and moves the articles on and along the article guide at a speed equal to that of the heads. The labeling mechanism applies labels to articles which are moving together with the heads. Since each article loaded on the guide is held by the gripping-moving mechanism and is moved continuously on and along the article guide together with the head, no relative movement occurs between the article and the labeling mechanism mounted on the head while the article is being moved together with the head. With the label applying apparatus according to this invention, labels are applied to continuously moving articles without moving the articles intermittently. Accordingly, label application can be carried out at a high speed without using a mechanism for transferring the articles intermittently. This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a general view of the overall cigarette wrapping device with which an embodiment of a sealing apparatus according to this invention is provided; Fig. 2 is a general plan view of the embodiment of the sealing apparatus according to this invention; Fig. 3 is a general side elevational view along line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the main part of a gripping-moving mechanism; Fig. 5 is a general perspective view of a seal applying mechanism; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mechanism comprising heads and a rotary table; Fig. 7 is a general view of a state illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to this invention; Fig. 8 is a general view of another state illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to this invention; Fig. 9 is a general view of a further state illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to this invention; and Fig. 10 is a general view of a still further state illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to this invention. An embodiment of this invention will now be described. The apparatus of the embodiment is an apparatus for applying seals to cigarette cases continuously. In Fig. 1 is shown a continuous cigarette-wrapping apparatus 1 which is provided with a row of rotary drums 2. Upon being continuously supplied to the spaces between the rotary drums, a predetermined number of cigarettes, for example, twenty cigarettes for a cigarette case are piled in a three layers and wrapped by a wrapping sheet or wrapping paper into a predetermined case shape. Seals are continuously applied to the wrapped cigarette cases by means of the sealing apparatus 3 of this invention. In Figs. 2 and 3 is shown a general structure of the sealing apparatus according to this invention, which is provided with a rotary table 11 continuously rotating in a horizontal plane. The rotary table 11 is rotatably supported by a fixed shaft 12 connected to the fixed portion of the apparatus and rotated at a predetermined speed by means of a conventional driving mechanism (not shown). On the peripheral portions of the rotary table 11 are provided a plurality of heads 13 whose structure will be described in detail later. An arcuated cigarette-case guide 14, which is an embodiment of the article guide of this invention and has a substantially semi-circular shape extends along the circumference of the rotary table 11. A mechanism 15 for supplying wrapped cigarette cases P, which are embodiments of articles, is provided at the inlet portion of the guide 14. The cigarette-case supplying mechanism 15 moves the continuously supplied, wrapped cigarette cases P upward and for loading them on the guide 14 with the end faces of the cigarette cases P to be applied with seals being directed radially inward, i.e., toward the rotary table 11. At the outlet portion of the guide 14 is connected a transportation conveyor 16 for transporting the cigarette cases P from the outlet portion of the guide 14 to the apparatus in the next process. A seal supplying mechanism 17 and an adhesive supplying mechanism 18 are arranged at the periphery of the rotary table 11. They are provided at the upstream side of the inlet portion of the guide 14, i.e., at the upstream side in the direction of the rotary table 11 beyond the inlet portion of the guide 14. The general operation of the apparatus will now be described. A cigarette cases P is supplied to the inlet portion of the guide 14 by means of the supplying mechanism 15. When a head 13 on the rotary table 11 faces the seal supplying mechanism 17 as the rotary table 11 is rotated, a seal is supplied to the head 13 by means of the seal supplying mechanism 17 and sucked and held by the head 13. Then, the rotary table 11 is further rotated. When the head 13, which is holding the seal, faces the adhesive supplying mechanism 18, the adhesive supplying mechanism 18 applies an adhesive to the rear face of the seal held by the head 13. When the head 13 arrives at the location of the cigarette case P at the inlet portion of the guide 14, the head 13 grips the cigarette case P and transfers the same on and along the guide 14. While the cigarette case P is being transferred on the guide 14, the seal S held by the head 13 is applied to the end face of the cigarette case P. When the cigarette case P applied with the seal S arrives at the outlet portion of the guide 14, the cigarette case P is released from the head 13 and is sent to the apparatus in the next process by means of the transportation conveyer 16. The structure of each head 13 will now be described; As shown in Fig. 3, the head 13 is provided with a gripping-moving mechanism 21 and a seal applying mechanism 22. The gripping-moving mechanism 21 whose main part is shown in Fig. 4 has a frame 31 extending radially outward of the rotary table 11 and crosswise over the guide 14. Rotary shafts 32 and 33 extend along both sides of the frame 31 and are rotatably supported by arm portions of the frame 31. The front end portion of the frame 31 rotatably supports a rotary shaft 34 which intersects with the rotary shafts 33 and 32 at right angles and extends in the peripheral direction of the rotary table 11. The rotary shaft 32 is connected to the rotary shaft 34 by bevel gears 35 and 36. Fixing blocks 37, 38 and 39 are secured to the rotary shafts 32, 33 and 34, respectively. Gripping members 40, 41 and 42 each having a plate shape extend downward from the respective fixing blocks 37, 38 and 39. As the rotary shafts 32, 33 and 34 are rotated, the gripping members 40, 41 and 42 are turned in horizontal directions, shown by two-headed arrows in Fig. 4. When the gripping-moving mechanism 21 is moved to the position over the cigarette case P at the inlet portion of the guide 14, the rotary shafts 32, 33 and 34 are rotated to turn the gripping members 40, 41 and 42 downward. In this operation, the rotary shaft 33 is rotated first, and then the rotary shafts 32 and 34 are rotated in order to avoid interference of the holding members with the cigarette case. The gripping members 40, 41 and 42 contact the radially outward end face and the side faces of the cigarette case P, respectively so as to hold the same and moves on and along the guide 14 together with the head 13. The gripping-moving mechanism 21 is driven by a cam mechanism as shown in Fig. 6. The rotary table 11 is rotatably supported by the fixed shaft 12 secured to the fixed portion of the labeling apparatus and rotated by means of a driving mechanism (not shown) via a drive gear 51. The rotary shaft 33 is rotatably supported by the rotary table 11. To the proximal end of the rotary shaft 33 is fixed a gear 43 to which a cam lever 46 is connected via a segment gear 44 and a shaft 45. A cam 48 is securely connected to the fixed shaft 12, and a cam roller 47 which makes rolling contact with the cam 48 is fixed to the front end of the cam lever 47. The rotary shaft 32 is also connected to a cam mechanism which has the same structure as the one for the rotary shaft 33 and is provided with a roller cam roller 49 and a cam 50 for the rotary shaft 32. The cam mechanisms rotate the rotary shafts 32 and 33 at predetermined timing in synchronism with the rotation of the rotary table 11, so as to operate the gripping members 41 and 42. In Fig. 5 is shown the main part of the sealing mechanism 22 which has a casing 51 connected to a rod 52 and reciprocated radially thereby. Rotary shafts 53 and 54 extend outward from the casing 51. To the front ends of the rotary shafts 53 and 54 are fixed seal folding members 55 and 56 each having a front end directed radially outward of the rotary table 11. I.e., the front end of each of members 44 and 56 causes the upper end face of the cigarette case P (transferred together with the head 13), to which a seal is to be applied, to be directed in the radially outward direction of the rotary table 11. The seal folding members 55 and 56 reciprocate in the radial directions of the rotary table 11 together with the casing 51 such that the rotary shafts 53 and 54 are rotated in the opposite directions, whereby the seal folding members 55 and 56 are opened and closed selectively as shown by two-headed arrows in Fig. 5. Between the seal folding members 55 and 56 is provided a seal pressing member 57 fixed to a rod 58 which reciprocates independently of the seal folding members 55 and 56. The height of the front end face of the seal pressing member 57 is substantially equal to the thickness of the cigarette case P. At the front end faces of the seal folding members 55 and 56 open slit-like suction ports 59 which are connected to a conventional suction device (not shown) via of a flexible hose 60. Each member of the sealing mechanism 22 is operated by means of a cam mechanism as shown in Fig. 6. The rod 52 connected to the casing 51 is slidably supported by the rotary table 11 and connected to a cam roller 61 which is fitted in the cam groove formed in a cam 62 secured to the fixed shaft 12. The rotary shafts 53 and 54 are rotatably supported by the casing 51 and connected together by means of gears 67 and 68 in the casing 51 such that they are rotated in the opposite directions. The rotary shaft 53 is connected to a rod 63 by means of a lever 65 slidably supported by the rotary table 11 and a link 64 connected to a cam roller 69. To the fixed shaft 12 is secured a cam 70 having a cam groove in which the cam roller 69 is fitted. The rod 58 connected to the seal pressing member 57 is also reciprocated by a cam mechanism which has the same structure as the one for the rod 52 as described above and has a cam roller 71 making rolling contact with a cam 72 as shown in Fig. 6 such that the seal pressing members 57, 55 and 56 are driven at predetermined timing in accordance with the rotation of the rotary table 11. The operation of the apparatus will now described with reference to Figs. 7 to 10. First, as shown in Fig. 7, the seal folding members 55 and 56 of the head 13 are closed and their front end faces and the front end face of the seal pressing member 57 are disposed on the same plane. When the head 13 is moved to the position corresponding to the seal supplying mechanism 17, a seal S is supplied to the front face of the head 13 and is sucked and held thereby under a negative pressure produced at the suction ports 59. When the head 13 holding the seal S is moved to the position corresponding to the adhesive supplying mechanism 18, an adhesive is applied to the rear face of the seal S. When the head 13 is moved to the position corresponding to the cigarette case P which is held by the cigarette-case supplying mechanism 15 and is disposed at the inlet of the guide 14 at the level of the passage 14, the gripping members 40, 41 and 42 of the holding-moving mechanism 21 are rotated downward to hold the cigarette case P. Thereafter, the cigarette case P together with the head 13 is moved on and along the guide 14. As the cigarette case P starts to move together with the head 13, the seal pressing member 57 advances as shown in Fig. 8 and presses the central portion of the seal S against the central portion of the upper end face of the cigarette case P so as to hold the cigarette case P. Thereafter, the seal folding members 55 and 56 together with the casing 51 are advanced beyond the position of the seal pressing member 57, and both end portions of the seal S are held between the seal folding members 55 and 56 and folded on both side faces of the cigarette case P. Then, the cigarette case P is moved to the outlet portion of the guide 14 in this state. During the transfer of the cigarette case P on the guide 14, the seal S is attached to the cigarette case P. When the cigarette case P arrives at the outlet portion of the guide 14, the seal folding members 55 and 56 are opened as shown in Fig. 10 to release the cigarette case P. The cigarette case P applied with the seal S is sent to the next process by means of the transportation conveyer 16. This invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, the holding or gripping-moving mechanism and the sealing mechanism are not limited to above-mentioned cam mechanisms but various mechanisms can be applied thereto. As described above, according to this invention, each article is held by the holding or gripping-moving mechanism of each head and transferred to a guide together with the head. While the article together with the head is moving on and along the guide, a seal is applied to the article by means of a sealing mechanism. With the apparatus according to this invention, therefore, seals are applied to cigarette cases while the cigarette cases are being continuously transferred without being moved intermittently, whereby sealing operation can be performed at a high speed. Further, the seal-folding time can be prolonged, ensuring seal adhesion to cigarette cases. The sealing apparatus according to this invention comprises mechanisms necessary for completing the sealing operation starting with applying the central portions of seals to the central portions of the upper end faces of cigarette cases and ending with attaching both end portions of the seals to both side faces of the cigarette cases. Accordingly, the number of cigarette cases to which seals have not yet been completely attached during the sealing operation is very few. If, therefore, it happens that apparatus stops during the sealing operation, very few unfinished cigarette cases, that is, very few "no good" cigarette cases are produced. This invention is not limited to a general apparatus for applying seals to cigarette cases but is applicable to the apparatus for applying small labels such as seals to the surfaces of articles such as cases of foods, pharmaceutical substances, cosmetics, etc.

Claims: An apparatus for applying small labels to articles, comprising: a rotary table (11) continuously rotatable in a horizontal plane and having peripheral portions; and heads (13) provided on said peripheral portions of said rotary table (11) for holding and transferring an article (P) in accordance with rotation of said table (11); characterized by an arcuated article guide (14) provided around said rotary table (11); each of said heads (13) having a gripping-moving mechanism (21) for gripping a supplied article (P) and for transferring said held article (P) on and along said article guide (14) together with said each head (13), said gripping-moving mechanism including gripping members (40, 41), being attached to sides facing the radial direction of said arcuated article guide (14); and each of said heads (13) having a labeling mechanism (22) for attaching a label (S) to said article (P) while said labeling mechanism (22) is moving together with said head (13) and said article (P) transferred along said article guide (14) by means of said gripping-moving mechanism (21). The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said gripping members (40, 41, 42) are movable downward so as to abut against a peripheral portion of said supplied article (P) for transferring said article (P) on and along said article guide (14). The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said gripping members (40, 41, 42) hold said supplied article (P) by three sides, namely, both faces along the radial direction and an outer end face along the circumference direction of said arcuated article guide (14). The apparatus according to a precedent claim, characterized in that said labeling mechanism (22) is provided on a front end face thereof with a label pressing member (57) for sucking and holding said label (S) under negative pressure and for pressing said label (S) against an end face of said article (P), as said label pressing member (57) advances; and label folding members (55, 56) are provided on both sides of said label pressing member (57), for folding both end portions of said label (S) on both sides of said article (P), as said label pressing member (57) further advances.

Inventors: WATANABE TOMOICHI C O JAPAN TO, WATANABE, TOMOICHI, C/O JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
Applicants: JAPAN TOBACCO INC, JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B65C1
IPC codes: B65C1, B65C9