Patent Publication Number: US-2007095478-A1

Title: Sticking apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates to a sticking apparatus, particularly to a sticking apparatus capable of swiftly sticking a label onto a plurality of adherends having different size, enabling to improve accuracy of sticking positions of the label.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      Conventionally, sticking apparatuses for sticking a label onto a surface to be stuck with a label of an adherend have been widely in use. As such sticking apparatuses, following sticking apparatuses are available; i.e., a sticking apparatus equipped with a so-called air jet type label sticking unit, which, after keeping a predetermined distance between a label held by the label sticking unit and the surface to be stuck with the label of the adherend, blows the label by the air to stick the label thereon; and a sticking apparatus equipped with a press type label sticking unit, which, after holding a label at a position away from the adherend, the label sticking unit is moved a predetermined stroke by a cylinder or the like to press and stick the held label onto the surface to be stuck with the label. In a sticking apparatus, in the case where the surface to be stuck with the label is an upper surface of an adherend and adherends having the identical height are conveyed sequentially, when the label sticking unit is set to a predetermined height position, the labels can be stuck sequentially while keeping the distance therebetween to a constant distance. However, in the case where the adherends having different height are conveyed sequentially, it is necessary to suitably change the height of the label sticking unit corresponding to the adherends to ensure the distance therebetween to a constant distance.  
      Accordingly, as an apparatus in which the height position of the label sticking unit is adjustable corresponding to the height of the adherend, there is, for example, an apparatus of a type disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 77433/1982 (patent document 1).  
      The sticking apparatus disclosed in the patent document 1 includes a plurality of sensors to detect the height position of the adherends on a belt conveying the same, having a plurality of light emitting elements and a light receiving elements disposed along the vertical direction, a label sticking unit disposed at the downstream side behind the sensors in the conveying direction of the belt and a control unit for controlling the height position of the label sticking unit based on the data detected by the sensors. According to such arrangement, after detecting the height of the adherend with each sensor, the adherend is conveyed to the label sticking unit via the belt, the label sticking unit is moved in the vertical direction by the control unit, and the label is stuck onto the adherend in a state that the distance has been kept to a preset distance.  
      Patent document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 77433/1982  
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
      Problems to be solved by the Invention  
      However, in the sticking apparatus in accordance with the patent document 1, since the sensors and the label sticking unit are disposed at positions away from each other along the belt, in the process of conveying the adherend from the detecting position with sensors to the sticking position with the label sticking unit, error is easily generated between the height of the adherend detected by the sensors and the height of the adherend at the sticking position of the label. Therefore, the accuracy of the distance between the label held by the label sticking unit and the surface to be stuck with the label is deteriorated. As a result, in the air jet type sticking apparatus, there arises such a disadvantage that the label cannot-be stuck to a correct position. Also, in the press type sticking apparatus, the press force of the label becomes unstable leading to damage on the surface to be stuck with the label or unsatisfactory sticking of the label.  
      Further, since the adherend is detected by a plurality of sensors including the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements, the height of the adherend is detected for each distance of the sensors vertically adjacent to each other. Therefore, correct height of the adherend cannot be detected. In this case also, there arises such a disadvantage that the accuracy of the distance is deteriorated.  
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has been proposed in view of the above disadvantages. An object of the invention is to provide a sticking apparatus capable of correctly and stably ensuring the distance between the label held by the label sticking unit and the surface to be stuck with the label to a preset distance when sticking label to surface to be stuck with label of a plurality of different size adherends.  
      Means for Solving the Problem  
      To achieve the above described object, the present invention adopts such an: arrangement that a sticking apparatus comprises: a label sticking unit arranged so as to hold predetermined labels and to be movable in the direction away from/closer to an adherend; and a space maintaining device for ensuring the distance between the label held by the label sticking unit and a surface to be stuck with label of the adherend to a preset distance, wherein the space maintaining device is mounted on the label sticking unit for detecting the distance, and when the detected distance reaches to the preset distance, stops moving of the label sticking unit.  
      The present invention also preferably adopts such an arrangement that the space maintaining device includes a contact member that changes position thereof when the same comes into contact with the surface to be stuck with label and a single sensor for detecting a position change of the contact member.  
      Also, such an arrangement may be adopted that the sensor allows the label-sticking unit to move until the distance between the label and the surface to be stuck-with label reaches to the preset distance, while the sensor detects, when the distance reaches to the preset distance, the position of the contact member and outputs a signal to stop moving of the label sticking unit.  
      Further, it is preferable to adopt such an arrangement that the contact member includes a roller capable of rolling on the surface side to be stuck with label.  
     ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION  
      According to the invention, since the space maintaining device is mounted on the label sticking unit, sticking of the label is carried out while ensuring the distance between the label and the surface to be stuck with label to a preset distance without conveying the adherend after the adherend is detected. Therefore, even when sticking the labels sequentially onto a plurality of different size adherends, error of the distance in the conventional apparatus can be prevented from occurring in the process of conveying the adherend and accordingly, the distance can be ensured with a high accuracy. Owing to this, in the case where the label sticking unit is the air jet type, the label can be correctly stuck at a desired position while stably ensuring the label blowing distance. Also, in the case where the label sticking unit is the press type, the label can be reliably stuck correctly with a constant label press force.  
      Further, since the single sensor is used for the space maintaining device, the arrangement can be simplified. And in the case that the label sticking unit is stopped from moving when the distance reaches to the preset distance, the distance can be correctly ensured to the preset distance compared to the conventional arrangement.  
      Furthermore, since the contact member is arranged using a roller, the load imparted to the surface side to be stuck with label of the adherend can be reduced to the minimum.  
      Here, in this description and claims, the wording “away from” means that the adherend and the label or the label sticking unit are separated away from each other; i.e., the movement direction thereof is opposite to that of approaching each other. The distance between the adherend and the label or label sticking unit is not particularly restricted. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a front view schematically showing a sticking apparatus in accordance with the embodiment.  
       FIG. 2  is a left side view of the apparatus in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view schematically illustrating a space maintaining device arranging the sticking apparatus.  
       FIG. 4  is an explanatory view showing an intermediate state in label sticking process.  
       FIG. 5  is an explanatory view showing a state after the labels are stuck on an adherend. 
    
    
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS  
     
         
           10  sticking apparatus  
           12  label sticking unit  
           14  space maintaining device  
           46  contact member  
           47  sensor  
           51  roller  
          C adherend  
          C 1  surface to be stuck with label  
          L label  
       
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
      Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to drawings.  
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation schematically showing a sticking apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a sticking apparatus  10  includes: a label supply unit  11  located at the right side in  FIG. 1 ; a label sticking unit  12  for holding a label L supplied from the label supply unit  11 ; a drive unit  13  that supports the label sticking unit  12  from an upper portion thereof and drives the label sticking unit  12  to move in the vertical direction; and a space maintaining device  14  provided at the left side of the label sticking unit  12  in  FIG. 1 .  
      The label supply unit  11  generally includes: amounting plate  15 ; a feed-out reel  17 , which is rotatably supported by the mounting plate  15  via an arm  16  for feeding out a raw strip sheet in which the labels L are temporarily stuck on one face of a strip of release liner (base sheet) S at predetermined intervals; a feed-out roller  19 , which is supported within the face of the mounting plate  15  for imparting a feeding force to the release liner S; a peel plate  20  of which front end is positioned in the vicinity of the label sticking unit  12  and which folds back the release liner S between the feed-out roller  19  and the feed-out reel  17 ; a motor  21  for driving the feed-out roller  19 ; and a winding reel  22  for winding the release liner S sequentially from which the labels L have been peeled off.  
      Note that, in  FIG. 1 , the label supply unit  11  is shown in a relatively smaller size for the convenience of illustrating, compared to the other arrangements. Therefore, the actual label supply unit  11  is adapted to have a size expanded to such a extent that the label L of the label supply unit  11  is substantially as large as the size of the label L held by the label sticking unit  12 .  
      The label sticking unit  12  is a so-called air jet type sticking unit, the lower face of which being set as a suction face  26 , is arranged with a suction grid for holding the label L with the suction face  26 , and blows the held label L with the air onto an adherend C to be stuck therewith. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a suction tube  28  located at the right side and an exhaust tube  29  located at the left side are connected to the upper face side of the label sticking unit  12  The suction tube  28  is connected to a suction pump (not shown) and sucks the air through the suction face  26  to hold the label L on the suction face  26 . On the other hand, the exhaust tube  29  is connected to an air displacement pump (not shown), and is arranged so as to blow the label L held on the suction face  26  toward the surface C 1  (upper surface) of the adherend C to stick the label L thereon. Here, at the upper face side of the label sticking unit  12 , a support plate  30  having a size protruding from the right end in  FIG. 2  is provided, and the space maintaining device  14  is supported via the support plate  30 .  
      The drive unit  13  is supported via the mounting plate  32  provided above the label sticking unit  12 . The drive unit  13  includes: a cylinder  34 , which is disposed in the front side of the mounting plate  32  in  FIG. 2  (at the left side in  FIG. 1 ) and provided with a rod  33  in a lower end side thereof, the rod moving in the vertical direction; a pair of guide shafts  36 ,  36  provided at the right and left sides of the cylinder  34  in  FIG. 2 ; a guide shaft leading section  37 , which is attached to the mounting plate  32  in a lower area thereof, allowing the guide shafts  36 ,  36  to go through to be supported; a cylinder supporting section  38 , which is provided being nearly embedded in the guide shaft leading section  37 , to support the cylinder  34 ; a first coupling member  39  for coupling between the upper ends of the guide shafts  36 ,  36 ; and a second coupling member  40  coupling between the lower ends of the guide shafts  36 ,  36  and the lower end of the rod  33  being attached to the support plate  30 . The drive unit  13  moves the rod  33  of the cylinder  34  forward and backward to drive the label sticking unit  12  in the vertical direction, thereby moves the label L held by the label sticking unit  12  in the direction away from/closer to the surface C 1  to be stuck with label of the adherend C. Here, since the guide shafts  36 ,  36  are coupled with the lower end of the rod  33  via the second coupling member  40 , the guide shafts  36 ,  36  move vertically along with the rod  33 , the guide shafts  36 ,  36  being inserted into the guide shaft leading section  37  so as to stabilize the linear movement of the rod  33 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , the space maintaining device  14  includes: a support member  42  having an L-like shape consisting of a front face portion  42 A and a side face portion  42 B, which is attached to the label sticking unit  12  via the support plate  30 ; a support shaft  43  provided in a lower position of the front face portion  42 A of the support member  42 ; a contact member  46  rotatably supported via the support shaft  43  allowing rotary position change; and a single sensor  47  supported in an upper area of the front face portion  42 A and located above the contact member  46 .  
      The side face portion  42 B of the support member  42  is provided with a first shaft member  48  penetrating a substantially central area of the face thereof and a second shaft member  49  extending substantially in parallel with the first shaft member  48  in an area below the first shaft member  48 .  
      The contact member  46  includes an arm  50  having a substantially L-like shape viewed from the front, and a roller  51 , which is supported rotatably by the arm  50  and is positioned in a substantially central area of the label sticking unit  12  in the right and-left direction in  FIG. 1 .  
      The arm  50  includes: a vertical piece  52  extending upward from the support shaft  43 ; an inclined piece  53 , which continues to the lower end of the vertical piece  52  and oriented downwardly in the inclined direction and supports the contact member  46  at the lower end side thereof; a protruding piece  54  protruding toward you from the right end side of the vertical piece  52 ; and a bent piece  56 , which continues to the left end side of the vertical piece  52  and is formed in a substantially L-like shape oriented downward viewed from the front. Between the upper end side of the bent piece  56  and the one end portion of the first shaft member  48  (left end portion in  FIG. 1 ), a spring member  57  is provided and the spring member  57  imparts a force to the arm  50  to rotate in the clockwise direction in  FIG. 1 . On the other hand, the protruding piece  54  abutting on the one end portion of the second shaft member  49  (left end portion in  FIG. 1 ), which functions as a stopper for restricting rotary motion of the arm  50  by the spring member  57  exceeding the position shown in  FIG. 1 .  
      The roller  51  is arranged so as, when the label sticking unit  12  is lowered, to come into contact with the surface side C 1  to be stuck with label and rotate causing the arm  50  to provide a rotary position change in the counterclockwise direction as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 .  
      The sensor  47  includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element (not shown) between opposing faces  47 A and  47 A of a plate member, which is formed in a concave shape oriented downward, and is adapted so as to detect the upper end of the vertical piece  52  located between the opposing faces  47 A and  47 A. The sensor  47  is adapted so as, while the label sticking unit  12  is lowered by the cylinder  34 , to allow the label sticking unit  12  to be lowered in a state the vertical piece  52  is being detected, and when the vertical piece  52  is out of detection as shown in  FIG. 5 , to output a signal for stopping the cylinder  34  from moving to stop the label sticking unit  12  from being lowered.  
      Here, the distance D between the label L when the label sticking unit  12  is stopped from lowering and the surface C 1  to be stuck with label is an optimum distance to be preset for blowing and sticking the label L as described above. In other words, the shape, size and mounting position of the arm  50  and the roller  51  forming the contact member  46  are arranged so that, when the distance D reaches the preset distance, the vertical piece  52  goes out from between the opposing faces  47 A and  47 A.  
      Note that each pump connected to the suction tube  28  and the exhaust tube  29 , the cylinder  34 , the sensor  47  and the like are controlled totally through a controller (not shown).  
      It is arranged so that the adherend C to be stuck with the label is conveyed sequentially below the suction face  26  by a conveying unit such as a conveyer (not shown).  
      Next, the sticking process of the label L with the sticking apparatus  10  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1, 4  and  5 .  
      Here, it is assumed that a label L supplied from the label supply unit  11  is held by the suction face  26 , and an adherend C has been set at a position below the suction face  26  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
      In this state, first of all, the label sticking unit  12  is lowered by the rod  33  of the cylinder  34  to bring the held label L closer to the surface C 1  to be stuck with label of the adherend C. At this time, the space maintaining device  14  is also lowered along with the label sticking unit  12 . Owing to this descending, the roller  51  is brought into contact with the surface C 1  side to be stuck with label and rotates thereon, and the arm  50  rotates in the counterclockwise direction on the support shaft  43  as the rotation center against the force imparted by the spring member  57  as shown  FIG. 4 . And when label sticking unit  12  is lowered until the distance D between the label L and the surface C 1  to be stuck with label reaches the preset distance as shown in  FIG. 5 , the vertical piece  52  of the arm  50  goes out from the space between the opposing faces  47 A,  47 A of the sensor  47 . The sensor  47  detects the above and outputs a signal for stopping the cylinder  34 ; thus, the label sticking unit  12  is positioned. In this state, at the same time when suction through the suction tube  28  of the label sticking unit  12  is stopped, the air is exhausted through the exhaust tube  29 , and the label L is blown downward from the suction face  26 . Thus the label L is stuck onto the surface C 1  to be stuck with label.  
      After sticking the label L, when the label sticking unit  12  is raised via the cylinder  34 , the arm  50  rotates clockwise direction by means of the force of the spring member  57 . Then, when the protruding piece  54  of the arm  50  comes into contact with the second shaft member  49 , the rotation of the arm  50  comes to be restricted. Thus, the arm  50  and the roller  51  return to the initial position and the rod  33  of the cylinder  34  reaches to the return end. Thereafter, when a return signal of the rod  33  is received, a label L is supplied toward the label sticking unit  12  from the label supply unit  11 , the next adherend C is conveyed below the suction face  26 , and the sticking process of the label L is repeated in the same manner as described above.  
      Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, when the sensor  47  detects that the vertical piece  52  of the arm  50  has gone out from the space between the opposing faces  47 ,  47  of the sensor  47 , the label sticking unit  12  is stopped from lowering. Therefore, even when adherends C having different height are conveyed sequentially, the label sticking unit  12  can be positioned at a height in a state the distance D is precisely maintained to the preset distance, and accordingly the label L can be precisely stuck onto the surface C 1  to be stuck with label.  
      The best arrangement and method for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed so far. However, the present invention is not limited to the above.  
      That is, the present invention has been illustrated and described mainly about a specific embodiment. However, it is possible for ones skilled in the art to add various modifications to the above-described embodiment with respect to the shape, quantity or other detailed arrangement without departing from the technical spirit and the range of the object of the present invention.  
      Therefore, the above descriptions limiting the configuration and others are given for the purpose of illustrating only to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, but not intended to limit the present invention. Accordingly, the descriptions using different appellations of members removing all or a part of these limitations on the configuration and others should be understood to be included within the present invention.  
      For example, the label sticking unit  12  may be arranged in such a type that, after the distance D has reached to a preset distance, the rod  33  is further lowered to press the label L held on the suction face  26  onto the surface C 1  to be stuck with label. In this case, two air supply sources supplying a different pressure are connected to the cylinder  34  via a solenoid valve. Owing to this, the rod  33  of the cylinder  34  can be lowered relatively swiftly from the state shown in  FIG. 1  to the state shown in  FIG. 4  by means of the air supply source providing a larger pressure so that the preset distance of the distance D can be obtained swiftly. After that, by changing to the air supply source with a smaller pressure via the solenoid valve to lower the rod  33  at a relatively slow speed, and since the label L is stuck through the movement of the rod  33  of the preset distance, the adherend C can be prevented from being deformed or damaged due to the press force onto the label L.  
      Also, the design of the drive unit  13  can be variously changed. For example, an arrangement such that the label sticking unit  12  is driven by using a feed shaft or the like employing an appropriate screw structure may be adopted.  
      Further, the contact member  46  and the sensor  47  are not limited to the illustrated arrangement, but the following arrangement may be adopted. That is, for example, a contact member may be arranged in such a way that the contact member includes a shaft member of which lower end is brought into contact with the surface C 1  to be stuck with label and changes its position in the axial direction when the label sticking unit  12  is lowered, and as soon as the distance D has reached the preset distance, a sensor may detect the upper end of the contact member.  
      Furthermore, the space maintaining device  14  is not limited to the above-described arrangement, but the following arrangement may be adopted. That is, for example, support members extending downward from the suction face  26  may be provided to two different side faces of the label sticking unit  12  respectively, and between the opposing faces of the support members, a light receiving element and a light emitting element of a sensor may be provided. In this case, the mounting position of the light receiving element and the light emitting element in the support members is set to a position preset distance away from the label L held by the label sticking unit  12 . Owing to this, when the label sticking unit  12  is lowered, and when the sensor detects the surface C 1  to be stuck with label of the adherend C, the lowering is stopped; thereby the distance D is maintained to the preset distance. Still further, as another arrangement of the space maintaining device  14 , the following arrangement may be adopted. That is, a so-called reflection type sensor emits a predetermined light beam toward the surface C 1  side to be stuck with label, and a sensor for detecting the reflected light beam from the surface C 1  to be stuck with label when the distance D has reached the preset distance may be attached to the label sticking unit  12 . Owing to the above-described arrangements, the contact member  46  in the space maintaining device  14  can be eliminated.  
      Still furthermore, the surface C 1  to be stuck with label of the adherend C may be the side surface or the like of the adherend C. In this case, the direction of the sticking apparatus  10  has to be changed with respect to the conveyed adherend C.  
      Further, the label supply unit  11  may be a printer, a barcode printer or the like for printing individual information of the adherend C.  
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
      The present invention is applicable to a sticking apparatus for sticking a label to the surface to be stuck with label of a plurality of adherends conveyed sequentially.