Abstract:
Provided is a label feeding device that is capable of efficiently peeling and feeding liner-less labels one by one, said liner-less labels comprising multiple labels that are arranged, without using release paper, such that each label is bonded to the surface of a label thereunder at an overlapping section while being displaced from the lower label at a displaced section. 
     The labels are moved by means of a conveyor ( 8 ) that has on a surface thereof protrusions or grooves to which the labels are temporarily attached, and the conveyor bends at a peeling part ( 9 ), thereby peeling off the displaced section ( 5 ) of the upper label from the conveyer. 
     A slider ( 13 ) that presses the lower label against the conveyor surface is movably disposed at the peeling part, thereby preventing the lower label from being peeled off from the conveyor. 
     The displaced section projecting from the conveyor is pinched by a claw mechanism ( 12 ) and carried to a label ejection slot ( 11 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a label feeding machine capable of feeding labels one by one, and more particularly, to a label feeding machine capable of peeling and feeding liner-less labels having a plurality of labels stuck with the stacking positions shifted without using a release paper, one by one. 
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0002]    As labels, there have been known liner-less labels (non-liner labels) not stuck on a release paper (backing paper) unlike conventional ones. In the liner-less labels (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a label), the surface of the label is used as a peeling face, an adhesive face formed on the back thereof is stuck on the surface of a label located thereunder while being shifted with a predetermined width, a plurality of labels are continuously formed into a tape-like shape and wound to form a roll or adhered into a sheet-like shape while being shifted with a predetermined distance. Since such labels do not use a release paper, there are advantages such that no waste is generated, the entire size can be made small to realize space saving, packing costs, transportation costs and the like can be reduced. Such a label peeling machine capable of peeling the continuously stuck labels one by one has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the structure of the machine described in Patent Document 1, labels are moved forward or backward by a carrier belt made of a rubber belt, and when the upper label of overlapped labels moves backward, a peeling claw is brought into abutment with the edge portion of the label and peels the label from the labels located thereunder, and the peeled label is held between holding rollers and then taken out by hand. 
         [0003]    From the state of the labels stuck as above, it is assumed that each label is classified into an overlapped part that is stuck on and overlapped with the lower label and a shifted part that extends forward and is apart from the lower label. And, the machine described in Patent Document 1 is used for a method wherein a peeling claw is inserted between the lower face of the edge of the overlapped part of the upper label and the upper face of the lower label and forcibly peels the upper label. Accordingly, the structure thereof is complicated, and adhesives tend to accumulate at the peeling claw and the like, and therefore if such portions are not constantly cleaned, a situation where labels cannot be peeled may be caused. 
         [0004]    Further, with the machine described in Patent Document 1, when the label moves backward, if the peeling claw fails to securely enter between the overlapped labels and the upper label comes below the peeling claw, peeling of labels cannot be made. 
       PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Document 
       [0005]    Patent Document 1: JP-A-2012-91910 (Scope of claims, paragraphs 0038 to 0045, and FIG. 5 to FIG. 9) 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems that the Invention is to Solve 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a label feeding machine capable of feeding linerless labels having a plurality of labels overlapped and shifted with a distance and wound to form a roll, one by one, wherein the structure is simple, adhesives of the labels less likely accumulate on several portions of the machine, and the labels can be fed one by one reliably whereby subsequent sticking operation of labels by handwork can efficiently be made. 
       Means of Solving the Problems 
       [0007]    As mentioned above, in the conventional machines, peeling of label is carried out from the edge portion side of the overlapped part of the label. However, the label feeding machine of the present invention is constructed to pinch a shifted part extending from the lower label by a predetermined width and peel the label, not peeling the label from the edge portion side of the overlapped part of the label. Namely, the present invention provides a label feeding machine which comprises a conveyer which moves circularly, carries liner-less labels, and bends at a peeling portion to cause a shifted part side of the label to project; a claw mechanism which pinches the shifted part of the label projecting from the peeling portion to peel the label and transfers the peeled label to a label ejection slot; and a slider which presses the liner-less labels against the surface of the conveyer when the claw mechanism moves while pinching the shifted part of the peeled label, wherein the surface of the conveyer is formed in a rough face to which the liner-less labels temporarily stick, and at the time of peeling the labels, the slider is movable along the conveyer and urged in the direction toward the peeling portion. The above problems can be solved by the present invention. 
         [0008]    Further, the present invention provides a label feeding machine wherein the rough face formed on the surface of the conveyer has projections or grooves, the claw mechanism has a plurality of claw units provided around a rotatable hub, each of the claw units has a fixed claw and a movable claw, the movable claw can move toward and away from the fixed claw so that the movable claw is capable of holding or releasing the shifted part of the label together with the fixed claw by means of a cam follower, and the fixed claw is urged in such a direction of clamping the shifted part. 
       Effects of the Invention 
       [0009]    The present invention is constructed as above, namely, the label feeding machine comprises a conveyer which moves circularly, carries liner-less labels and bends at a peeling portion to cause a shifted part side of the label to project; a claw mechanism which pinches the shifted part of the label projecting from the peeling portion to peel the label and transports the peeled label to a label ejection slot; and a slider which presses the liner-less labels against the surface of the conveyer when the claw mechanism moves while pinching the shifted part of the peeled label, wherein the surface of the conveyer is formed in a rough face to which the liner-less labels temporarily stick, and at the time of peeling the labels, the slider is movable along the conveyer and urged in the direction toward the peeling portion. The labels are temporarily stuck on the rough face of the conveyer and transferred to the peeling portion, and the shifted part of the upper label can easily be detached from the conveyer since the conveyer bends, and projects forward from the conveyer. And, the shifted part is clamped by the claw mechanism which is placed in a standby condition in close vicinity to the peeling portion, and the label is peeled from the lower label by the movement of the claw mechanism. At this time, since the lower and subsequent labels are pressed against the conveyer surface by the slider and the slider is urged in the direction toward the peeling portion of the conveyer, when the label is peeled, the slider moves against the urging action while pressing the labels to the conveyer face and the lower side labels are not raised. Accordingly, the labels can be peeled one by one reliably. Then, the slider returns to the original position of the peeling portion and is placed in a standby condition. 
         [0010]    Further, when projections or grooves are formed for temporary adhesion of the adhesive face of labels as the rough face formed on the surface of the conveyer, the shifted part of the labels temporarily stuck on the conveyer can be easily peeled from the conveyer face and projects in free state when the conveyer bends at the peeling portion and moves. Accordingly, adhesion or accumulation of adhesives can be reduced since the claw mechanism can easily clamp the shifted part, unlike the conventional mechanism where a peeling claw is inserted below the label to which an adhesive is provided. When the claw mechanism has a plurality of claw units provided around a rotatable hub, each of the claw units has a fixed claw and a movable claw each having a holding part, and the movable claw can move toward and away from the fixed claw so that the movable claw is capable of holding or releasing the shifted part of the label together with the fixed claw by means of a cam and a cam follower, it is easy to clamp the shifted part between the holding parts. Further, when the fixed claw is urged in such a direction to clamp the shifted part, it is possible to more reliably hold the shifted part of the labels, and a holding and feeding mechanism can easily be constructed. In addition, when the conveyer is circulated in the upward-and-downward direction and a label-transferring shaft at the peeling portion at which the conveyer bends is provided at the lowest part, the slider moving upward and downward along the conveyer can be urged in the direction toward the peeling portion by gravity (dead load) and therefore the construction can be made further simple. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an example of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an explanatory view showing the structure of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory view showing a case where liner-less labels wound in a roll-like shape are set on a roll holder and an enlarged view of a part of the liner-less labels. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory view showing a state where liner-less labels are set on a roll holder. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a label pressing mechanism, and  FIG. 5A  is an explanatory view showing a state where a pressing mechanism is drawn, and  FIG. 5B  is an explanatory view showing a state where labels are pressed against a conveyer by the pressing mechanism. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an explanatory view showing a state where the labels are peeled from the conveyer. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing an example of a slider mechanism. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an explanatory view showing a peeling portion of a conveyer. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an explanatory view showing a case where a conveyer is reversed. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an explanatory view showing a fixed position at which a shifted part of labels is projected. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is an explanatory view showing a state where a claw unit of a claw mechanism is placed in a standby condition. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is an explanatory view showing a state where a claw unit of a claw mechanism starts to rotate. 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  shows operation conditions and provides explanatory views i.e.  FIG. 13A  is a state placed in a standby condition,  FIG. 13B  a state where peeling of labels is just started, and  FIG. 13C  a state where the label is transferred to a label ejection slot. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  show an example of the present invention.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view and  FIG. 2  is an explanatory view of the structure. In a label  1  as the subject of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 3  with a partially enlarged view, a peeling face is formed on a surface  2  of the label, an adhesive face is provided on a back  3 , and the label is stuck on the surface of a lower side label while being shifted with a predetermined width so that these labels are partially overlapped. Most of the upper label is overlappingly stuck on the lower label, and the shifted part extends forward from the lower label. Namely, an overlapping-stuck part  4  of the upper label  1  is stuck on the lower label, but a sifted part  5  is not stuck on the lower side label located just under the upper label and is stuck on the surface of a label placed thereunder when the labels are wound in a roll-like shape. 
         [0025]    The label feeding machine of the present invention is mainly provided with a machine main body  6 , a holder part  7  which holds a label wound in a roll-like shape, a conveyer  8  which circulates and bends at a peeling portion  9  so that labels are transferred in a tape-like shape and a shifted part is projected, a label pressing mechanism  10  which presses the labels against the conveyer, a claw mechanism  12  which pinches the shifted part  5  of the label projecting from the peeling portion to peel the label and transfers the peeled label to a label ejection slot  11 , and a slider  13  which presses the lower and subsequent labels against the conveyer face when the claw mechanism moves while pinching the shifted part  5 . 
         [0026]    The holder portion  7  has inner side and outer side roll holders  15 ,  16  which are attached to a roll holder rotation axis  14  provided on the machine main body  6 . The roll holders  15 ,  16  have an installing part  17  and a side face plate  18 . The outer side roll holder  16  is detached and labels wound in a roll-like shape  19  are inserted into the roll holder rotation axis  14 , and then the outer side roll holder  16  is attached to the roll holder rotation axis  14 , and the labels wound in a roll-like shape  19  are clamped and held between the inner side roll holder  15  and the outer side roll holder  16 . The installing part  17  of the holders is provided at such a position being adjustable in the right-and-left direction, and when the labels are drawn out by the conveyer  8 , the installing part  17  rotates to feed the labels smoothly. 
         [0027]    The label pressing mechanism  10  has a movable part  21  having a pressing part  20  at its front end, which is movably attached via a pivot  23  to a support portion  22  provided on the machine main body  6  so as to tilt. The pressing part  20  is configured by a roller in the example shown in the figures, but may be configured by a sheet-like plate. And, when a movable part  21  is slanted as shown in  FIG. 5A , a space will be formed with the conveyer  8 , and the label  1  can be guided along the conveyer face and set easily. Afterward, when the movable part  21  is raised, the pressing part  20  presses the label  1  against the conveyer face as shown in  FIG. 5B  so as to keep the label not apart from the conveyer  8 . The movable part  21  may be urged by a spring (not shown) in the direction toward the conveyer, or the movable part may slant in the direction toward the conveyer so that the pressing part  20  presses the label  1  by its dead load. 
         [0028]    In the examples shown in the figures, the conveyer  8  is driven by a conveyer motor  66 , moved downward along a conveyer slide plate  24  extending in an upward-and-downward direction, cyclically circulated and raised by a drive pulley  25 , an outside passive pulley  26 , a tension pulley  27  and an inside passive pulley  28 , and bended at the part of a label-delivering shaft  29  provided at the lower position. The part of the label-delivering shaft  29  is the peeling portion  9  at which the shifted part  5  of the label  1  departs from the conveyer  8 . The surface of the conveyer  8  is formed in a rough face so that the adhesive face on the back  3  of the label can temporarily stick thereon. The rough face is roughened at such a level that the label will not be closely stuck and will be temporarily stuck on the conveyer  8  and carried together, preferably formed by risings such as dot-like or granular like risings, small projections, rib-like projections  30 , grooves  31 , or the like. The conveyer  8  may be configured by one or plural belts made of a plastic material, a rubber material, a metal wire net material, etc. having an appropriate hardness in response to adhesives of the label. Further, the pitch P between the projections  30  or grooves  31  can adequately be changed in response to the size of the label or adhesion. 
         [0029]    The peeling state of the label when the rib-like projections  30  or grooves  31  are provided on the conveyer  8  will be explained below with reference to  FIG. 6 . On an assumption, the labels put together by adhesion are temporarily stuck on the projections  30  formed together with the grooves  31  of a pitch (P) and carried along a slide plate at the straight part. When the labels reach a peeling portion  9 , the conveyer bends at the part of a label-delivering shaft  29  and moves continuously. In  FIG. 6 , when the arc length AB of the conveyer face having the center (O) of the label-delivering shaft  29  at its center which is in contact with the label-delivering shaft  29  becomes equal to the pitch P, i.e. AB=P, if the ratio of the radius OC to the label including the thickness of the conveyer to the radius OA of the shaft is referred to as α (alpha), although the label transfers with the pitch P at the straight part, its transfer route increases α times of the pitch P at the arc CD. Since the label generally has no elasticity and the projections of the conveyer has an appropriate hardness, the label cannot adsorb the increased transfer route and, as the results, the sifted part  5  of the label peels from the conveyer between C and D of the arc. 
         [0030]    At the peeling portion  9  of the conveyer  8 , as mentioned above, a slider  13  which presses the label  1  against the conveyer is provided movably in an upward-and-downward direction in the examples along the conveyer  8 .  FIG. 7  shows an example of the slider mechanism, brackets  32 ,  33  are provided at upper and lower portions of the machine main body  6  and two guide shafts  34  are provided therebetween, a slider-supporting frame  35  is attached to the guide shafts via an appropriate bearing or guide tube  36  slidably upward and downward, and one end of the slider  13  is fixed to the slider-supporting frame  35  so that the slider  13  can move stably without departing from the outside of the label  1 . The downward movement of the slider-supporting frame  35  can be stopped by a stopper  37 , and on one side of the slider-supporting frame  35 , a slider&#39; s original position-detecting sensor  38  is provided to detect the position of the slider  13  when the slider  13  stops at the lower original position. In the examples shown in the figures, the slider  13  has a slanting face or an arcuate face at its lower end edge so that it can be raised upward smoothly by the label when the upper label is peeled from the lower labels. Further, the slider is made of a material having an adequate weight so that it downs to the original position by its dead load when the upper label is released from the lower labels, but the slider may be provided with an adequate spring to urge it toward the original position. Here, instead of the supporting mechanism by the guide shaft  34 , an appropriately shaped supporting frame may be provided to hold both sides of the slider  13  so that the slider moves along the supporting frame (not shown). 
         [0031]    At the peeling part  9 , a label-detecting sensor  39  to detect the label  1  is provided (see  FIG. 8 ). An optical axis  40  of the label-detecting sensor  39  is adjusted to cross the shifted part  5  of the label  1  extending from the peeling part  9 . Since the shifted part  5  is a part to be clamped by the claw mechanism  12 , a short period of time from detection of the shifted part by the sensor  39  to the stop of the conveyer can be adjusted so as to secure an allowance for pinching in such a length sufficient for holding. 
         [0032]    If the claw mechanism  12  fails to clamp the shifted part  5  of the label  1 , the label-detecting sensor  39  determines that it is a failure, and as shown in  FIG. 9 , the conveyer  8  is reversed a little. And then, the conveyer is forwarded to a normal direction until the label moves to the pinching position and, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the label  1  is set again. If the claw mechanism fails to clamp the label after continuous several trials, the entire machine main body is configured to stop automatically. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 , the claw mechanism  12  has a rotatable hub  41  to be rotated by a hub rotation motor  67  and plural, three in the examples of these figures, claw units  42  provided around the hub  41 . Outside the hub  41 , as shown in  FIG. 13 , a position-detecting dog  43  is provided, and a hub&#39; s position-detecting sensor  44  located in the vicinity of the dog  43  is used to control the rotation position of the hub  41 . In the claw unit  42 , a supporting shaft  47  having a roller  46  rotationally moving along the side face of a cam plate  45  at its front end is fixed to the hub  41 , the supporting shaft  47  is slidably inserted into an installing hole  49  of the fixed claw  48 , and the fixed claw  48  is urged outwardly by a pressing spring  50  to the position at which the fixed claw  48  abuts on a stopper  51 . At the front end of the fixed claw  48 , a clamping part  52  is formed, and into an installing hole  54  provided at the side of the fixed claw, a supporting shaft  55  of a movable claw  53  is slidably inserted. The movable claw  53  has a clamping part  56  at its front end, and fixed to the front end of the supporting shaft  55 , and in the figure, it has a cam follower  57  on the back face side. On the supporting shaft  55  between the fixed claw  48  and the movable claw  53 , is provided a return spring  58  which urges the movable claw  53  in such a direction that the clamping part  56  of the movable claw  53  departs from the clamping part  52  of the fixed claw  48 . By the action of the return spring  58 , the movable claw  53  moves outwardly to such a position at which a stopper  59  provided on the supporting shaft  55  abuts on the fixed claw  48 . 
         [0034]    The cam plate  45  is provided with a standby slant face  60  which is slanting to allow the movable claw  53  to move outwardly so that the cam follower  57  is placed in contact with the standby slant face  60  and in a standby condition in such a state that a space is formed between the clamping parts  52 ,  56 , in the state wherein the claw unit  42  of the claw mechanism  12  is in the vicinity of the peeling part  9  as shown in  FIG. 11 ; an arcuate face  61  which allows the movable claw  53  to move inwardly so that the cam follower  57  is placed in contact with the arcuate face  61  and the shifted part  5  of the label  1  will be clamped between the clamping parts  52 ,  56 , when the claw unit  42  rotates as shown in  FIG. 12 ; and a release slant face  62  which allows the movable claw  53  to move so that the cam follower  57  rolls out, the movable claw  53  moves outwardly, and the label  1  is released, when the claw unit  42  rotates up to the label ejection slot  11 . 
         [0035]    At the label ejection slot  11 , a label receiver  63  is provided, and a label ejection-detecting sensor  64  is provided to confirm the ejection of the label, in such a position corresponding to a detection hole formed on the receiver  63 . And, a switch  65  is provided to control the entire movement of the machine main body  6 . When the label  1  on the label receiver  63  is taken out from the label ejection slot  11 , the label ejection-detecting sensor  64  turns on, the claw mechanism  12  being in a standby condition automatically peels only one piece of the label  1  and moves to the label receiver  63 , the label  1  is left in a standby condition until it is taken out, and this operation is repeated. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , as shown in  FIG. 13A , the label  1  is always placed in a standby condition at the start position. At this time, the slider  13  is located at such a position that a slider&#39; s original position-detecting sensor  38  can detect the slider  13  (a slider&#39; s original position). 
         [0037]    When the switch  65  is pressed, the conveyer  8  starts the operation by a conveyer motor  66 , and the label  1  is transferred to such a position at which the label-detecting sensor  39  detects the label (pinching position of label). When the switch is pressed further, the hub  41  of the claw mechanism  12  is turned by a hub rotation motor  67 . By the rotation of the claw unit  42  of the claw mechanism, the cam follower  57  provided on the movable claw  53  goes up onto the arcuate face  61  of the cam plate  45 , and then as shown in  FIG. 13B , the claw clamps the label  1  and the front end of the label is peeled off. At this time, since the slider  13  is brought into such a state that it is wrapped by the peeled label, the slider  13  moves upward by the transfer of the label. Since the lower labels are pressed against the conveyer face by the slider  13 , it is possible to prevent the labels lower than the peeled label from peeling from the conveyer  8 , and only one label can be reliably peeled from the overlapping-stuck labels. 
         [0038]    When the clamped label is completely peeled from the second label, the slider  13  moves downward by its dead load, and the slider returns to the original position and placed in a standby condition in such a state that the slider presses the labels against the conveyer face as shown in  FIG. 13C   
         [0039]    When the label  1  is transferred to the label receiver  63  of the label ejection slot  11  by the rotation of the hub  41 , the rotation of the hub  41  is stopped by the hub position-detecting sensor  44  at this position, and the claw unit  42  is placed in a standby condition while holding the label. When the label  1  is taken out from the receiver  63 , the label ejection-detecting sensor  64  turns on, the claw unit  12  being placed in a standby condition peels the next and only one label automatically from the conveyer  8  and moves to the label receiver  63  as described above, and placed in a standby condition until the label  1  is taken out. As described above, the action of the label ejection-detecting sensor  64  functions like the switch  65  is pressed. Such operation is repeated and the labels can be taken out one by one subsequently. 
         [0040]    In the above examples, the conveyer is located below the holder part and the conveyer is moved in upward-and-downward direction, but as the case requires, the conveyer may be located in a substantially horizontal direction and moved horizontally. In this instance, the slider may be urged in a direction toward the peeling portion by an appropriate spring. 
       EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS 
       [0000]    
       
           1  Label 
           4  Overlapping-stuck part 
           5  Shifted part 
           6  Machine main body 
           7  Holder part 
           8  Conveyer 
           9  Peeling portion 
           10  Label pressing mechanism 
           11  Label ejection slot 
           12  Claw mechanism 
           13  Slider 
           29  Label-delivering shaft 
           38  Slider&#39;s original position-detecting sensor 
           39  Label-detecting sensor 
           41  Hub 
           42  Claw unit 
           44  Hub&#39;s position-detecting sensor 
           45  Cam plate 
           48  Fixed claw 
           53  Movable claw 
           57  Cam follower 
           63  Label receiver 
           64  Label ejection-detecting sensor 
           65  Switch 
           66  Conveyer motor 
           67  Hub rotation motor