Patent Publication Number: US-2010116426-A1

Title: Labeling device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) to German patent application number DE 10 2008 056660.8, filed Nov. 10, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to a labeling device and method for attaching labels. 
     2. Background Art 
     Labeling devices for attaching in particular elongated narrow labels, such as for example sealing labels, are known from prior art. In these labeling devices, labels provided at a backing tape are dispensed directly to the item to be labeled by means of a dispensing edge. In practice, it might be necessary to attach elongated narrow labels to the neck of a bottle. That means that the same label must be attached to a front face as well as to a circumferential surface of the neck of the bottle. 
     To satisfy this requirement, an embodiment is known where the labeling device is arranged above a product conveying belt on which the bottles are conveyed. The dispensing edge is arranged with respect to the bottles such that, when the labeling device is in operation, the label dispensed at the dispensing edge adheres to the front face of the neck of the bottle and is thus taken along by the same. For this, it is necessary for the label to be separated from the backing tape at the dispensing edge such that the adhesive side of the label faces the front face of the bottle. In addition, it is necessary for the dispensing edge to be oriented in the direction of transport of the product conveying belt. Subsequently to the taking along of the label by means of the neck of the bottle, the portion of the label projecting from the neck of the bottle is pressed to the circumferential surface of the neck of the bottle by means of a very complex pressing mechanism. This pressing mechanism must ensure that the label is pressed without the transport of the bottle being hindered. Another disadvantage of the above-described embodiment is that the labeling device is arranged above the item to be labeled. This renders the operation of the labeling device, for example the exchange of the supply reel, difficult. 
     SUMMARY 
     The object underlying the present disclosure is now to provide a labeling device in which a space-saving construction and ergonomic operation may be achieved. Another object is to make labeling as easy as possible. 
     The advantages achieved by the invention are in particular that the use of a crossing conveying belt which conveys the labels permits to do without a complex pressing mechanism. 
     The crossing of the conveying belt can be adjusted, so that a simple and reproducible adjustment of the label position is possible. Another advantage is that almost any arbitrary position can be easily achieved by crossing and/or deflecting the conveying belt. It is moreover possible to realize the attaching of the labels to the item to be labeled in a simple manner. For this, the conveying belt conveys the respective dispensed label to a position where the portion of the label projecting from the conveying belt is attached to the item to be labeled. As in the labeling device according to the invention no complex pressing mechanism is required, the assembly space required for the labeling device is reduced. Another advantage of the invention is that it is no longer necessary to arrange the labeling device above the item to be labeled. Consequently, the operation of the labeling device is facilitated. 
     Another advantageous development of the invention is that the labels are provided with their adhesive sides at the conveying belt. This ensures that the labels can be conveyed from the position where they are dispensed to a second position where they are attached to the item to be labeled in a simple manner and without the use of any further components. 
     Another advantageous development of the invention consists in the label being provided at the backing tape with its elongated side transverse to the direction of transport of the backing tape. Thus, the number of labels provided on the backing tape per supply reel is clearly higher than in case of a supply reel where the elongated side of the label is oriented in parallel to the moving direction of the backing tape. Thus, much more labels can be accommodated on the supply reel, and the reel must be exchanged less often, which considerably increases efficiency. Moreover, the assembly space required for the labeling device is thereby reduced, e.g. as it is no longer necessary to provide several supply reels at the labeling device. It is furthermore advantageous for a width of the backing tape to approximately correspond to the length of the elongated side of the label. A backing tape embodied in such a manner can be easily reeled on a collecting reel after the dispensing procedure. The problem of preventing the already reeled backing tape from partially peeling off from the collecting reel, which problem arises with narrow backing tapes, can be prevented by a broader backing tape according to the invention. 
     Another advantage of the above mentioned arrangement of the labels on the backing tape is that a dispensing speed of the labels does not have to correspond to the transport speed of the items to be labeled but may be essentially slower. Thus, the risk of the backing tape tearing in particular when it passes the dispensing edge is reduced. 
     Details of the invention are illustrated more in detail with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a part of a labeling device; 
         FIG. 2  shows a front view of a labeling device; and 
         FIG. 3  shows a plan view of a labeling device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A labeling device  1  according to  FIG. 1  comprises a housing  14 ,  15 , composed of a box-shaped housing  14  and a housing section  15  projecting from the box-shaped housing  14 . A supply reel  10  of a backing tape  11  provided with labels  100  is rotatably mounted at the box-shaped housing  14 . The projecting housing section  15  extends transversely to a product conveying belt  31  by means of which the items to be labeled  30  are conveyed. At the side of the box-shaped housing  14  facing the supply reel  10 , several deflection rolls  12 , a drive mechanism for driving the backing tape  11 , and a collecting reel  13  for reeling the empty backing tape  11  after the labels  100  have been dispensed, are provided. 
     In this embodiment, the labels  100  are each designed as elongated narrow labels with an adhesive and a non-adhesive side. They are provided with their adhesive sides on the backing tape  11 , so that a secure conveyance of the labels  100  by the backing tape  11  is ensured. Furthermore, the labels  100  are provided on the backing tape  11  with their elongated sides being transverse to the direction of transport of the backing tape  11 . Embodiments that are not elongated are also conceivable for the labels. 
     The labeling device  1  comprises a dispensing edge  24  shown in  FIG. 3  for dispensing the labels  100  from the backing tape  11  to a conveying belt  20 . Furthermore, the labeling device  1  comprises a roller  25  located near the dispensing edge  24  which is connected to the housing  14 ,  15  via an arm. The conveying belt  20  located opposite the dispensing edge  24  is in this region, as can be taken from  FIG. 2 , arranged at the same level as the backing tape  11 . Consequently, the labels  100  dispensed from the dispensing edge  24  can be easily received by the conveying belt  20 . The distance between the conveying belt  20  and the dispensing edge  24  is selected such that the dispensed labels  100  can each be received and taken along by the conveying belt  20 . 
     The width of the conveying belt  20  transverse to the direction of transport is smaller than the width of the backing tape  11 . Thus, it is possible that only a portion of the label  100  dispensed from the dispensing edge  24  is received by the conveying belt  20 . Thus, a label portion which projects from the conveying belt  20  is necessarily formed. The portion of the label  100  that is connected to the conveying belt  20  is smaller than the portion of the label  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20 . The connection of the label  100  with the conveying belt  20  is accomplished by contacting the adhesive side of the labels  100  with the conveying belt  20 . 
     The roller  25  serves to support the transfer of the label  100  dispensed from the dispensing edge  24  to the conveying belt  20  by pressing the dispensed label  100  towards the conveying belt  20 . Moreover, embodiments are conceivable where the roller  25  is driven by a motor and, as a result of the rotation, exerts a force on the dispensed label towards the conveying belt  20 . 
     The conveying belt  20  can be embodied, for example, as a belt and it passes about a roll  27  represented in  FIG. 3  and a drive roll  26  represented in  FIG. 2 . The drive roll  26  is coupled to a drive unit which is not represented in  FIGS. 1 and 3  and serves to drive the conveying belt  20 . The roll  27  is oriented with respect to the drive roll  26  such that an angle is formed between an axis of the roll  27  and an axis of the drive roll  26 , when seen in the direction of transport of the conveying belt  20 . Such an orientation of the roll  27  with respect to the drive roll  26  results in a crossing or twisting of the conveying belt  20  when the same is circulating. 
     In the shown embodiment, an angle of 90° is formed between the roll axis and the drive roll axis, when seen in the direction of transport of the conveying belt  20 . That means that the conveying belt  20  is crossed or twisted by 90° when the roll  27  and the drive roll  26  are circulating. Moreover, embodiments are conceivable where an angle different from 90° is adjusted between the drive axis and the roll axis. 
     The drive roll  26  is connected to the housing  14 ,  15  via a non-depicted arm. The drive roll  26  projects from the housing  14 ,  15  in the same direction as the deflection rolls  12 , the roller  15  and the collecting reel  13 , the respective axes being in parallel to each other. The exact positioning of the drive roll  26  on the housing  14 ,  15  is selected such that the part of the conveying belt  20  receiving the labels  100  is at the same level as the backing tape  11  located at the dispensing edge  24 . The roll  27  is connected to the projecting housing section  15  via an arm  40 . 
     At the end of the arm  40  distal with respect to the projecting housing section  15 , a pressing mechanism  23  is provided for pressing a label portion projecting from an item to be labeled  30  to a front face of the item  30 . The pressing mechanism  23  comprises a pressing roll swiveling transversely to an axis of the arm  40 . The pressing roll is provided on the arm such that it can be brought into contact with the item to be labeled  30  conveyed on the product conveying belt  31 . 
     A deflection element  41  is arranged at the arm  40  between the end of the arm  48  at which the pressing mechanism  23  is arranged and the roll  26 . The deflection element  41  serves to deflect the portion of the labels  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20  towards the item to be labeled  30  conveyed by the product conveying belt  31 . The deflection element  41  is embodied such that it does not hinder the movement of the items to be labeled  30  conveyed by the product conveying belt  31 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a front view and  FIG. 3  a plan view of a labeling device. As can be taken from  FIG. 3 , the dispensing edge  24  is an edge of a non-depicted element oriented transversely to the direction of transport of the backing tape  11 . The element can be embodied as strip-like plate and is fixed to the box-shaped housing  14 . A pressing element  16  arranged near the dispensing edge  24  and connected to the box-shaped housing  14  serves to support the transfer of the dispensed label  100  to the conveying belt  20 . 
     Below, the method followed in the labeling device  1  will be described. The backing tape  11 , on which the labels  100  are first situated, is peeled off from the supply reel  10  and passes to the dispensing edge  24  via a plurality of deflection rolls  12 . After the passing of the dispensing edge  24 , the backing tape  11 , which is rid of the labels  100 , passes to the collecting reel  13  which is in this case embodied as a winder. 
     The labels  100  that are released from the backing tape  11  at the dispensing edge  24  are received by the conveying belt  20 . The labels are dispensed such that the adhesive sides of the labels  100  are connected with the conveying belt  20 . The roller  25  exerts force acting in the direction of the conveying belt  20 , such that the respective label  100  adheres to the conveying belt  20 . As the width of the conveying belt  20  is smaller than the width of the backing tape  11 , only a portion of the label  100  is received by the conveying belt  20 . Due to the above mentioned arrangement of the drive roll  27  and the roll  26 , the conveying belt  20 , and thus also the labels  100 , is crossed while it passes about the drive roll  27  and the roll  26 . 
     In detail, the conveying belt  20  passes the following positions. Starting from the position where the conveying belt  20  receives the dispensed labels  100  (hereinafter referred to as first position), the belt passes to a position in which the portion of the labels projecting from the conveying belt  20  is deflected by the deflection element  41 . 
     The deflection causes the portion of the label  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20  to be deflected towards the item to be labeled  30 . Consequently, the adhesive side of the respective label  100  faces the item to be labeled. In this position of the conveying belt  20 , the same is not yet crossed by 90°. Subsequently, the conveying belt  20  passes to a second position. In this second position, the conveying belt  20  is crossed by 90° compared to the position of the conveying belt  20  in the first position. The second position is selected such that the portion of the label  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20  can be contacted with the item to be labeled  30 . In this case, the portion of the label  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20  is perpendicular to the direction of transport of the product conveying belt  31 . 
     The item to be labeled  30  is arranged on a product conveying belt  31  which moves transversely to the direction of transport of the conveying belt. The item to be labeled  31  is in this case a bottle with a neck. However, other items are also conceivable. In a predetermined position of the conveying belt  31 , a circumferential surface of the conveyed bottle comes into contact with the portion of the label  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20 . As an adhesive strength between the portion of the label  100  connected to the conveying belt  20  is smaller than an adhesive strength between the portion of the label  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20  and the bottle, the portion of the label  100  connected to the conveying belt  20  is separated when the bottle is conveyed into a direction departing from the conveying belt  20 . 
     The label  100  is attached to the bottle such that the portion of the label  100  projecting from the conveying belt  20  adheres to a circumferential surface of the neck of the bottle or the body of the bottle. The section of the label  100  originally connected to the conveying belt  20  now projects from the bottle. This section projecting from the bottle is pressed to the front face of the bottle by means of the pressing mechanism  23 . 
     In this respect, the bottle passes a position during the movement of the product conveying belt  31  departing from the conveying belt  20 , in which the portion of the label  100  projecting from the bottle is pressed to the front face of the bottle by the pressing mechanism  23 . The pressing mechanism is in this case embodied as a pressing roll which is swiveling transversely to the axis of the arm  40 . The pressing roll is provided between the product conveying belt  31  and the arm  40 . The distance between the arm and the pressing roll is selected such that the pressing roll is contacted with the bottle, but the bottle is not hindered from being further conveyed by the product conveying belt  31 . 
     While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.