BOTTLE ORIENTATION APPARATUS

Abstract: Roll-fed labelling apparatus comprises a turret having a plurality of bottle gripping means (9), each of which are controllably disposed to ensure that respective bottles (1), when gripped, are presented to a label application station in a desirable orientation. The gripping means may include teeth (10) adapted to grip or engage the base of a respective bottle (1) and the apparatus may also include agitation means for agitating the bottle (1) to encourage alignment and meshing of the teeth (10) with the respective indentations (8) on the base of the bottle (1).

Description: "BOTTLE ORIENTATION APPARATUS" This invention relates to apparatus for applying labels to bottles or containers and particularly is of relevance to roll-fed labellers which may be employed to apply a label around a fluted or ribbed bottle. In the beverage industry, it is becoming increasingly common to fill a plastics bottle or container with a beverage while the beverage is hot. Accordingly, it is necessary to strengthen the walls of the bottle to withstand the weakening effect of elevated temperatures. A method of enabling enhanced strength is by providing a plurality of ribs or flutes around the external circumferential surface or wall of the bottle, there being indented or concave portions spaced interstitially between the ribs or flutes. While such a design is advantageous for the aforementioned reasons, it renders the application of a label to the external surface of the bottle more difficult. Roll-fed labelling apparatus is conventionally adapted to apply a leading edge of a label to an appropriate portion of the surface or wall of the bottle. The bottle is then rotated, causing the remainder of the label to wrap-around the bottle and eventually be sealed in a position which circumnavigates or partially circumnavigates the bottle's surface. When the external surface of the bottle is uniformally cylindrical, the position at which the leading edge is applied to the bottle need only be at a correct height and along a line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bottle. However, on the other hand, when a bottle is fluted or otherwise comprises raised portions on its exterior it is also necessary to ensure that the bottle is so orientated that the application of the leading edge of the label is positioned not only to an appropriate height and angle, but also at an appropriate circumferential position which corresponds to a flute or rib on the surface of the bottle. It is therefore desirable to include a means for controlling the rotational orientation of a bottle, such that the orientation of a bottle is known and appropriate at the point when a label is brought into contact with it. Frequently, the aforementioned ribbed or fluted bottles also comprise a plurality of ribbed or fluted portions and indentations within their base. In some cases the ribbed portions are in alignment with and correspond in number to the ribbed portions on the external surface of the wall of the bottle. However, this is not always so and fluted or ribbed bottles may be made wherein the number of ribbed portions in the base of the bottle is unequal to the number of the ribbed portions on the external surface of the wall of the bottle. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided roll-fed labelling apparatus comprising a turret for transporting bottles to a label application station, the turret including a plurality of bottle gripping means, each of which are controllably disposed to ensure that respective bottles, when gripped, are presented to the label application station in a desirable orientation. Preferably, each gripping means comprises a chuck having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion includes teeth adapted to grip or engage the base of a respective bottle, wherein the teeth are sized to mesh with a respective indention in the base of the bottle. Preferably, the apparatus also includes biasing means for biasing the upper portion of the chuck and the bottle in attraction. Preferably, the apparatus also includes agitation means for agitating the bottle to encourage alignment and meshing of the teeth with the respective indentations on the base of the bottle. This first aspect of the invention is particularly for use with bottles wherein the number of indentations and raised portions in the base of the bottle correspond to the number of indentations and raised portions on the wall of the bottle. In a second aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for use in relation to bottles which do not have an equal number of indentations and raised portions in the base to the number of indentations and raised portions in the bottle wall. According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided roll-fed labelling apparatus comprising a turret including a plurality of bottle gripping means for transporting bottles to a label application station, each bottle gripping means being associated with a respective bottle orientating device adapted to ensure that the bottles are presented to the label application station in a desirable orientation. Preferably, each gripping means comprises a chuck having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being controllably rotatable relative to the lower portion and including teeth adapted to grip or engage the base of a respective bottle, wherein the orientation of the lower portion of the chuck is controlled, and wherein the upper portion may be locked or secured against rotation relative to the lower portion when desired. Preferably, the apparatus also includes agitation means for agitating a bottle to encourage alignment and meshing of the teeth with the respective indentations on the base of the bottle, and optionally the agitating means also serves as the bottle orientating device. Each bottle orientating device preferably comprises a vertically disposed axle supporting at least one roller, the axle being biased towards a first position wherein the roller engages an indented portion in the wall of a respective bottle, the axle being free to reciprocate between the first position and a second position wherein the roller is in contact with a provoking surface which causes rotation of the roller relative to the bottle until the roller is aligned with an indented portion in the wall of the bottle and, by reason of the bias, is caused to engage the indented portion. Thus, the roller is only caused to contact the provoking surface when the roller is pushed toward the second position by a protruding portion of the bottle wall such as a rib or flute. Preferably, the apparatus also comprises braking means for preventing movement of the axle relative to the bottle when in the first position. Preferably, the rollers are fixed on the axle and the axle is free to rotate within a bearing mount. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for controlling the orientation of a bottle on a turret in a roll-fed labeller comprising gripping the base of the bottle, orientating the bottle and gripping means to a correct orientation and thereafter controlling the orientation of the gripping means. In order to clarify the invention, two example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompany Figures, in which:- Fig. 1 shows an example fluted bottle in respect of which use of the invention is appropriate; Fig. 2a is a plan view of a chuck adapted to grip a bottle illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 2b is a sectional elevation through A-A of Fig. 2a; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of an agitating means in /26301 j r , -. /« --. accordance with the invention. In Fig. 1 there is shown a fluted bottle 1 which has an inherent strength in its cylindrical wall 2. The bottle comprises six fluted portions 3 and a further six indented portions 4 interstitially spaced between the respective adjacent fluted portions 3. The bottle also has a substantially indented or concave base portion 5 which also includes a further six ribs 6 or flutes equally rotatably spaced and radially orientated within the concave portion 5 of the base. Again, between each rib or flute 6 there is provided an indented portion 8. In roll-fed labelling apparatus it is desirable to present a fluted portion or raised portion 3 to a leading edge of a label which is to be applied to the wall 2 of the bottle 1 and thus it is desirable to ensure correct orientation of the bottle when presenting the bottle 1 to a label application station. The label application station (not shown) may conventionally comprise the point at which the turret is closest to a vacuum drum holding the labels to be applied. In order to grip the bottles 1, a chuck 9 as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b is provided on the turret. The chuck 9 comprises an upper portion 7 and a lower portion 15. The upper portion 7 includes a plurality of teeth 10 for engaging the indented portions 8 in the base portion 5 of the bottle 1. The bottle shown in Fig. 1 has indented portions in its base which correspond to the indented portions in its wall. In view of this symmetry, when the teeth 10 are engaged within the indented portions 8, the orientation of the bottle 1 is controlled by controlling the orientation of the chuck 9. It is therefore possible to ensure that a fluted portion 6 is at an appropriate position for subsequent presentation to the label application station. In the example embodiment of Fig. 2, the chuck 9 comprises three teeth 10 which correspond in width to an indented portion 8 in the base 5 of the bottle 1. When a fluted bottle does not have the symmetry shown in Fig. 1, it is preferable to provide a more sophisticated gripping means or chuck 9. In particular, the chuck 9 may be provided with a clutch or sprag bearing between the upper portion 7 and lower portion 15 such that the upper portion 7 is rotatable relative to the lower portion 15. The extent of rotation may be limited incrementally to angles (eg 15 degrees) which correspond to the minimum common differential between the angle of a flute in the bottle wall and the angle of a flute in the base. This will depend on the number of flutes in the base relative to the number of flutes in the bottle wall. In use, the bottle may be agitated to mesh or engage with the teeth 10 in the upper portion 7 of the chuck 9. However, in view of the asymmetry of the bottle this itself does not necessitate appropriate orientation of the bottle and accordingly the bottle orientating means, an example embodiment of which is shown in Fig. 3, is used to ensure appropriate orientation. This may require that the bottle and upper portion 7 are rotated relative to the lower portion 15 of the chuck 9. Once, if necessary, the orientation has been corrected the upper portion 7 is locked or secured against relative rotation to the lower portion 15. The path of the lower portion 15 is controlled in the same way as described above when used in relation to a symmetrically fluted bottle. The upper portion 7 is mounted on a plurality of spring members 11 causing the upper portion 7 to be biased in an upward direction. In effect, this provides a gripping means biased in an upward direction which, in use, is towards the respective bottles which are to be gripped. The roll-fed labelling apparatus as a whole may also comprise means for urging the bottles on the turret on a downward direction to counteract the upward bias of the gripping means or to otherwise enhance the engagement of the bottle with the gripping means. In use, it is common that when presenting the base of the bottle to the gripping means, the indented portions will not exactly correspond to the teeth on the gripping means and, accordingly, there will be interference by the fluted portions 6 within the base. This of course will, at least initially, prevent appropriate meshing or engaging of the respective articles. It is therefore desirable to include an agitating device which agitates the bottle in a rotational direction such that the bottle is rotated until the indented portions 8 sufficiently correspond with the teeth 10 on the gripping means to allow engagement. In a very simple embodiment, not shown, the agitating means may merely comprise a pad or lever simply adapted to nudge or provoke the bottle and, as the central longitudinal axes of the bottle is maintained in a correct position and the gripping means and bottle are biased in attraction, the relevant freedom of movement is only in a rotational direction; such that any provocation or nudging of the bottle will cause the base of the bottle to rotate until in engagement with the teeth. Each gripping means 9 may be associated with a respective bottle orientating device 14 as shown in Fig. 3. This device 14 comprises a vertically disposed axle 12 upon which are mounted two rollers 13a, 13b. The axle 12 is itself mounted on the bearing 18 and free to rotate about its own axis and reciprocate in a linear direction within the slot 25 in the bearing 18. The rollers 13 are sized to engage the indented portions 4 of the bottle wall 2. When so engaged within the bottle wall 2, the rollers 13 are cleared from a provoking surface 16. However, when the rollers 13 do not engage the indented portions, by reason of them fouling with a raised or fluted portion 3, the rollers 13 are in contact with the provoking surface 16. The combined contact with the raised or fluted portion 3 of the bottle wall 2 and the provoking surface 16 causes the rollers 13 to rotate relative to the circumference of the bottle wall 2 until such time as they are able to engage with an indented portion 4 of the bottle wall 2. The axle 12 is biased by a spring member 17 towards the bottle wall 2 and, by reason of such bias, is desirous to assume a first position wherein the rollers 13 are engaged with the indented portions 4 of the bottle wall 2 and clear from contact with the provoking surface 16. The shape of the slot 25 may be designed to resist movement of the axle when the axle is in the first position. This may be achieved by narrowing the width of the slot 25 at the end thereof closest to the respective bottle. In the situation where the bottles to be labelled are asymmetrical, it is envisaged that the bottle orientating device may also be used as an agitation means. The bottle orientating device 14 may be modified in a number of ways without departing from the general functionality thereof. For example, the rollers 13 may be replaced by a plurality of smaller rollers in each respective plane to enable a smaller orientating device and/or better engagement with the indented portions 4. It is also anticipated that as the bottles required to be labelled may vary in size, the rollers 13 should be replaceable such that rollers of size corresponding to the indented portions of the bottle used may be employed. In a yet further embodiment of the bottle orientating device 14 (not shown) , the bias 17 of the device toward the bottle may be directed towards the bearing 18. This would mean the bearing 18, as a whole, would reciprocate rather than merely the axle 12 only. The slot 15 could be replaced by a cylindrical hole only fractionally larger in diameter than the axle 12. The invention herein described caters for bottles having base portions with flutes which correspond in number and angle to flutes provided in the bottle wall. In respect of such bottles, it is only necessary to ensure that the gripping means is properly meshing with the indented portions in the base and the orientation of the gripping means is correct in order to ensure that the bottle has a correct rotational orientation. On the other hand, where the flutes and indentations in the base do not correspond to the number of flutes and indentations in the bottle wall, it is necessary to have a two-stage process, whereby an appropriate bottle orientation is ensured. This two-stage process involves, firstly gripping the bottle with the upper portion of the gripping means and thereafter rotating the bottle and upper portion to an appropriate orientation using the bottle orientating device. Thereafter, the upper portion and bottle are fixed relative to the lower portion, the path and orientation of the lower portion of the gripping means being controlled. Further modifications and improvements may be incorporated into the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention herein intended.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Roll-fed labelling apparatus comprising a turret for transporting bottles to a label application station, the turret including a plurality of bottle gripping means, each of which are controllably disposed to ensure that respective bottles, when gripped, are presented to the label application station in a desirable orientation. 2. Labelling apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each gripping means comprises a chuck having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion includes teeth adapted to grip or engage the base of a respective bottle, wherein the teeth are sized to mesh with a respective indention in the base of the bottle. 3. Labelling apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 also including biasing means for biasing the upper portion of the chuck and the bottle in attraction. 4. Labelling apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims also including agitation means for agitating the bottle to encourage alignment and meshing of the teeth with the respective indentations on the base of the bottle. 5. Roll-fed labelling apparatus comprising a turret including a plurality of bottle gripping means for transporting bottles to a label application station, each bottle gripping means being associated with a respective bottle orientating device adapted to ensure that the bottles are presented to the label application station in a desirable orientation. 6. Labelling apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each gripping means comprises a chuck having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being controllably rotatable relative to the lower portion and including teeth adapted to grip or engage the base of a respective bottle, wherein the orientation of the lower portion of the chuck is controlled, and wherein the upper portion may be locked or secured against rotation relative to the lower portion when desired. 7. Labelling apparatus as claimed in Claims 5 or 6 also including agitation means for agitating a bottle to encourage alignment and meshing of the teeth with the respective indentations on the base of the bottle, and optionally the agitating means also serves as the bottle orientating device. 8. Labelling apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 5, 6 or 7, wherein each bottle orientating device preferably comprises a vertically disposed axle supporting at least one roller, the axle being biased towards a first position wherein the roller engages an indented portion in the wall of a respective bottle, the axle being free to reciprocate between the first position and a second position wherein the roller is in contact with a provoking surface which causes rotation of the roller relative to the bottle until the roller is aligned with an indented portion in the wall of the bottle and, by reason of the bias, is caused to engage the indented portion. 9. Labelling apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 also comprising braking means for preventing movement of the axle relative to the bottle when in the first position. 10. Labelling apparatus as claimed in Claims 8 or 9, wherein the rollers are fixed on the axle and the axle is free to rotate within a bearing mount. 11. A method for controlling the orientation of a bottle on a turret in a roll-fed labeller comprising gripping the base of the bottle, orientating the bottle and gripping means to a correct orientation and thereafter controlling the orientation of the gripping means.

Inventors: CARMICHAEL JAMES, CARMICHAEL, JAMES
Applicants: CARMICHAEL JAMES, KHS CARMICHAEL LTD, CARMICHAEL, JAMES, KHS CARMICHAEL LIMITED
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65C9
IPC codes: B65C9