Abstract:
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for making a looped label and accumulating labels in a stack. An intermediate portion of the label is inserted into the nip of a pair of rotating rolls which fold or loop the label into two side-by-side or face-to-face label portions. The looped label is transported between the nip of a pair of pressing rolls which press or iron the label at the fold line while the label is stationary between the rolls to maintain the label in the folded condition. From there the label is passed into a stacker in which successively looped labels are stacked.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the art of label loopers and label looping methods. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The following prior art is made of record: U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,809 to Forthman, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,411 to Forthman, Jr. et al, and PAXAR 8500 Loop Fold Attachment, Operation/Maintenance and Parts List, February 1995. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to improved method and apparatus for making a looped label and accumulating successive labels in a stack. 
     It is a feature of the invention to provide a label looper having a high capacity for looping labels and in particular to a looper which has a higher capacity than a parent device such as a printer which prints labels arranged in a web and cuts individual labels from the web. In this way the capacity of the parent device is not restricted by the looper. 
     It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved looper which uses a pair of rotating rolls and wherein a portion of the label is inserted into the nip of the rolls to fold or loop the label into a looped label. 
     It is another feature of the invention to use selectively rotatable pressing rolls to press or iron the looped label at the fold line to help maintain the looped label in its folded condition. At least one and preferably both of the pressing rolls are driven to bring the folded leading end of the looped label into the nip of the pressing rolls. When the looped label is thus in the nip, the rolls preferably do not rotate. In that at least one of the pressing rolls is heated, and the rolls cause the portion of the looped label at and adjacent to the fold line to be pressed or ironed, to help maintain the looped label in its looped condition. After the label has been pressed for a predetermined period of time, pressing rolls rotate to advance the pressed folded label into a stacker. 
     It is a feature of the invention to provide a self-contained looper that loops and stacks, which takes the straight label from the parent device, such as a printer, and advances it to a predetermined position. When the leading end of the label reaches that predetermined position, an inserter folds the label at a predetermined intermediate location between its ends and inserts it into the nip of a pair of rotating rolls which help further fold the label. The label is transported to between a pair of pressing rolls which press the fold into the label. After this pressing action is complete, the pressing rolls rotate to advance the pressed looped label into a stacker. 
     Other features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a looper in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the looper, in its initial or home position; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the looper as depicted in FIG. 2, but showing the inserter in its actuated position. 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the looped label in a position in which the looped or folded leading end of the label is entering the nip of the, pressing rolls; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the pressed looped label advanced to its position in the stacker; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the stacker; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing additional portions of the stacker; 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the looper with one side plate removed; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the side opposite the looper from the side shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the looper showing in particular the drive mechanism for various components; 
     FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the adjustment for one of the sensors; 
     FIG. 12 is an end view of a comb of the inserter; 
     FIG. 13 is an end view of the comb; 
     FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the two grooved rolls and the cooperating comb of the inserter in solid line and phantom line positions; 
     FIG. 15 is an elevational view taken from the right side of FIG. 14; and 
     FIG. 16 is a block diagram. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a looper generally indicated at  20  for looping and stacking labels L. The labels L are received from any suitable parent device such as a printer (not shown) which prints and cuts the labels L from a web of labels. Alternatively, the parent device can simply be a cutting mechanism that cuts labels from a previously printed web. The incoming label L, which is usually comprised of a fabric material, is essentially flat. The incoming label L is advanced by a conveying station generally indicated at  21  to a looping station  22 . From there the looped label L is conveyed to a pressing station  23  where the looped label L dwells for a predetermined length of time after which the pressed looped label L is conveyed to a stacking station  24 . 
     The looper  20  includes a frame generally indicated at  25  including a pair of generally parallel side plates  26  and  27  and transverse or lateral plates, one of which is indicated at  28 . The conveying station  21  has a belt conveyor generally indicated at  29  (FIG. 2) above which is a roller assembly generally indicated at  30 . The roller assembly  30  is pivotally mounted for upward swinging or pivotal movement on pivots  31  for easy access to the conveyor  29  and any label(s) L thereon. Similarly, the pressing station  23  has a roller assembly generally indicated at  32 . The roller assembly  32  is pivotally mounted for upward swinging or pivotal movement on pivots  33  for easy access to certain other parts of the looper  20  and to any label(s) L below the roller assembly  32 . The roller assembly  30  is releasably latched in the position shown. 
     With reference also to FIG. 2, the roller assembly  30  is shown to include five transversely extending spaced rollers  34  through  38  floatingly mounted for generally vertical movement in side plates  39  and  40 . The side plates  39  and  40  are connected by a transverse bar  42 . The conveyor  29  has a pair of grooved rollers  43  and  44 . Laterally spaced belts  45  under tension are trained about the rollers  43  and  44 . 
     FIG. 2 shows a label L as having been advanced to a position where its leading edge L 1  is sensed by an optical sensor  46 . It should be noted that the trailing marginal end portion L 2  of the label L is still captive between the belts  45  and their associated wheel  44  below the label L and the roller  38  above the label L. An inserter generally indicated at  47  is shown in its down or home position in FIG. 2 out of the path of the label L. Also, the label L is supported beyond its trailing marginal end portion L 2  on a table  47 ′. As soon as the sensor  46  senses the leading end L 1 , its signals the microprocessor  200  which cause the inserter  47  to move from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG.  3 . The inserter  47  is actuated by a single-revolution clutch  48  (FIG. 9) which drives a crank  49  (FIG. 2) through one revolution. The crank  49  has a pin  50  pivotally connected to a link  51  which in turn is pivotally connected to an arm  52  by a pin  53 . The arm  52  mounts a comb  54  with tines  55  as best shown in FIGS. 12 through 15. 
     A pair of grooved rolls  56  and  57  having identical profiles, each have five grit surfaced ridges  58  and six grooves  59 . The ridges  58  of the rolls  56  and  57  are aligned, and the ridges  58  of the roll  56  are in spring-urged contact with the ridges  58  on the roll  57 . The grooves  59  on the rolls  56  and  57  are aligned. When the sensor  46  senses the leading end L 1  of the label L, the single-revolution clutch  48  is operated to move the arm  52  and to cause the tines  55  to start to fold the label L at a predetermined place or transverse fold line F as shown in FIG.  3 . The position of the fold line F is determined by the position of the leading end L 1  when the tines  55  start to move upwardly. The position of the sensor  46  is horizontally adjustable to the right or left as viewed in FIG. 2 so that the stop position of the leading end L 1  can be adjusted. The position of the leading end L 1  determines the length of one portion P 1  of the label L. The portion P 1  extends from the leading end L 1  to the fold line F. The remaining portion of the label L is indicated at P 2 . Because the trailing portion L 2  is held in place at the conveyor station  21 , as the arm  52  starts to pivot into the FIG. 3 position, the leading end L 1  starts to regress. When the tines  55  have brought the label L to the FIG. 3 position, the tines  55  have brought the fold line F into the nip of the rolls  56  and  57  which then grip the label L at the fold line F and thus start to complete the folding or looping of the label L. The tines  55  can enter grooves  59  in the FIG. 3 position as best shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. As is apparent, the fold line F is at an intermediate location between the leading end L 1  and the trailing end L 3 . The fold line F can be half way between the ends L 1  and L 3 , in which case the portions P 1  and P 2  are of equal length. Alternately, depending on the length of the label L and the position of the sensor  46 , the portions P 1  and P 2  can be of different lengths as is desired in certain applications. The expression “intermediate” location or position can be any selected location or portion between the terminal ends L 1  and L 3 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the rolls  56  and  57  and cooperating pairs of rolls  60  and  61  and  62  and  63  have advanced the looped label L in the forward feed direction to the pressing station  23 . The portion of the label L at and closely adjacent to the fold line F is indicated at L 4 . The label portion L 4  is shown to be between the rolls  62  and  63 . The roll  62  is a hollow roll with a non-rotatable heater rod  64  received therein. The heater rod  64  heats the roll  62 . When there is no label between the rolls  62  and  63 , the rolls  62  and  63  are in contact, and the roll  63  is heated mainly by conduction. However, when portion L 4  of a label L is between the rolls  62  and  63 , the portion L 4  is pressed or ironed to press or iron the fold F permanently into the label L. For effective pressing or ironing, the drive motion to the rolls  62  and  63  (and also to the rolls  56  and  57 , and  60  and  61 ) is interrupted. The rolls  62  and  63  thus dwell or are stationary allowing the heat from the rolls  62  and  63  to iron or press the fold F. This pressing or ironing action is enhanced because the roll  63  is spring-urged downwardly toward the roll  62 . Also, the roll  61  is spring-urged downwardly toward the roll  60 , and a roll  66  is spring-urged downwardly against a roll  65 . When the label L has dwelled at the pressing station  23  for the predetermined or preselected period of time, the sets of rolls  60  and  61 ,  62  and  63 , and  65  and  66  are again rotated to advance the pressed looped label L to the stacking station  24  as shown in FIG.  5 . The timing is set so that the conveyor  29  is driven whenever the sets of rolls  56  and  57 ,  60  and  61 ,  62  and  63 , and  65  and  66  are driven. Therefore, while the rolls  65  and  66  are advancing a label L into the stacking station  24 , the conveyor can transport the next label L to the FIG. 2 position. 
     Alternatively, the sets of rolls  56  and  57 ,  60  and  61 ,  62  and  63 , and  65  and  55  can be stepped in the direction opposite to the feed direction described above by one or two steps, and thereafter advanced again in the feed direction to further iron or press the portion L 4  of the label L. 
     With reference to FIG. 8, the roller assembly  32  is comprised of a pair of rigidly connected end plates  67  and  68  having set screws  69 . The set screws  69  bear against springs  70  which in turn bear against bearings  71  for the rolls  57 ,  63  and  66 . The forces on the bearings  71  are adjustable by turning the respective set screws  69 . As shown, the bearings  71  are received in elongate slots  72  which allow movement of the rolls  57 ,  63  and  66  as the label L passes thereunder. The roller assembly  32  is releasably latched in the position shown. 
     The stacking station  24  includes a stacker generally indicated at  73  in FIG.  7 . The stacker  73  includes a side plate  74  spaced slightly from and secured to the side plate  27  by standoffs  75  and fasteners  76 . A generally horizontal channel  77  is secured to the plate  74 . The plate  74  is parallel to the side plate  27  and a front wall or plate  78  extends perpendicularly to the plate  74 . A plate  79  is shown to be parallel to the plate  74  and has a channel  80  opposed to and coextensive in length with the channel  77 . The plate  79  is L-shaped and has a vertically extending hinge  80  connecting the plates  78  and  79 . The hinge  80  has elongate vertical slots  81  for receiving threaded fasteners  82  to allow for vertical adjustment of the plate  79  and its channel  80 . The fasteners  82  pass through oblique slots  83  which allows the width of the space between plates  74  and  79  to be adjusted. The fasteners  82  are threadably received by identical nuts  84  (only one of which is shown). A depending plate  85  is secured to a horizontal leg  86  of the L-shaped plate  79 . The plate  85  is held connected to the leg  86  by a screw  87 . The plate  85  is spaced slightly from the leg  86  at the screw to accommodate a compression spring (not shown) encircling the screw  87 . This enables the plate  85  to be swung out of the way into the horizontal position, thus providing greater access to the stack S by the user. Also the plate  79  together with the plate  85  which it mounts can be pivoted clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 7 to allow the user to easily remove the stack S from the stacker  73 . Positioned between the plates  74  and  79  is a floor or platform  88  which supports the entire stack S of labels L. Screws  89  passing through a vertical elongate slot  90  in the plate  74  pass through holes  91  in a bracket  92  secured to the platform  88  and threadably receive nuts  93 . The height of the platform  88  can be adjusted by loosening the nuts  93  moving the platform either up or down and re-tightening the nuts  93 . 
     With reference to FIG. 6, a bracket  94  is secured to the plate  27  and mounts a stop generally indicated at  95 . The stop  95  has a horizontal portion  96  and a vertical portion  97 . As shown in FIG. 5, the vertical portion  97  serves as a stop for the labels L as they are successively advanced into the stacker  73 . The stop position of the stop  95  is horizontally adjustable by loosening a screw  98  threadably received in the bracket  94 , shifting the stop  95  either forwardly or rearwardly, and re-tightening the screw  98 . 
     The plates  74  and  79  provide a hopper generally indicated at  99  (FIG.  7 ). The marginal side edges of a pressed looped label L entering the hopper  99  are supported in the channels  77  and  80 . In order to strip the newly stacked looped label L from the channels  77  and  80 , a tamper  100  (FIG. 6) is provided. The tamper  100  includes a motor-driven single-revolution clutch  101  mounted by a bracket  102 . The clutch  101  drives a pin  103  pivotally connected to a link  104  at a hole  105 . The link  104  is pivotally connected by a pin  106  received in holes  107  and  108 . The hole  108  is in a slide  109  which is guided for straight line movement by a block  110  in a guide slot  111 . The upper end of the slide  109  is secured to a transversely extending bar  112 . A pair of independently adjustable tamper members  113  and  114  are mounted on the bar  112 . Threaded fasteners  115  can hold the tamper members  113  and  114  in any lateral location. This enables of a variety of widths of labels L to be tamped. It is preferred that the horizontal feet  116  of the tamper members  113  and  114  be positioned close to and between the respective channels  77  and  80  to strip the label L therefrom. This will clear the channels  77  and  80  in preparation for receipt of the next pressed looped label L. The tamper  100  also helps to settle the stack S and thus renders it more compact. The tamper  100  is initially in the raised position. 
     FIG. 9 shows a tension spring  117  connected to a bracket  118  secured to the end plate  27  and to the pin  106  secured to the slide  109 . The pin  106  moves freely in a vertical slot  106 ′. When the rolls  65  and  66  have transferred a pressed looped label L into the channels  77  and  80  of the stacker  73 , a solenoid  101 ′ is tripped and the single-revolution clutch  101  is operated to drive the tamper members  113  and  114  downwardly to strip this most recently received label L from the channels  77  and  80 . When the single revolution of the pin  103  is nearly complete, the spring  117  helps to return the slide  109  and the tamper members  113  and  114  to their home or raised positions and hold them there. 
     With continued reference to FIG. 9, the rolls  57 ,  61 ,  63  and  66  have respective shafts  57 ′,  61 ′,  63 ′ and  66 ′ to which gears  119 ,  120 ,  121  and  122  (FIG. 10) are secured. The gears  119 ,  120 ,  121  and  122  in turn mesh with respective gears  123 ,  124 ,  125  and  126 . The gears  124  and  125  mesh with an idler gear  127  and the gears  125  and  126  mesh with an idler gear  128 . The gears  123 ,  124 ,  125  and  126  are secured to respective shafts  56 ′,  60 ′,  62 ′ and  65 ′ of respective rolls  56 ,  60 ,  62  and  65 . The idler gears  127  and  128  are on respective fixed shafts  129  and  130  projecting from the side plate  27 . 
     The shaft  56 ′ also mounts sprockets  131  and  132 . The shaft  62 ′ also mounts a sprocket  133 . A shaft  134  of a stepper motor  135  mounts a sprocket  136 . A timing belt  137  is trained about sprockets  132 ,  133  and  136 . A belt  138  is trained about the pulley wheel  131 , a pulley wheel  139  and a pulley wheel  140 . The pulley wheel  139  is secured to a shaft  44 ′ for the roll  44 . The pulley wheel  140  is rotatably mounted on a shaft  141  on an adjustable bracket  142  of a belt tightener generally indicated at  143 . As is apparent, the stepping motor  135  drives the various rolls and the conveyor  29 . 
     As seen in FIG. 9, modules generally indicated at  144  and  145  operate the inserter  47  and the tamper  100 , respectively. The modules  144  and  145  are identical. The module  144  includes the single-revolution clutch  48 . The clutch  48  is mounted in a U-shaped bracket  102  and has a pulley wheel  146 . The clutch  101  of the module  145  has a pulley wheel  147 . Solenoids  48   a  and  101   a  are shown in their initial or home positions. When energized the solenoids  48   a  and  101   a  move toothed members  48   b  and  101   b  clear of respective teeth  48   c  and  101   c  to selectively operate the single revolution clutches  48  and  101 . 
     With reference to FIG. 10, there is a D.C. electric motor  148  mounted between side plates  26  and  27  with an output shaft  149  projecting through the side plate  27 . A pulley wheel  150  is secured to the shaft  149 . A belt  151  is trained about the pulley wheels  146 ,  147  and  150  and passes in contact with idlers  152  and  153 . The motor  148  runs continuously and continuously drives the pulley wheels  146  and  147 . 
     With reference to FIG. 11, there is shown an arrangement to adjustably mount the sensor  46 . The sensor  46  is mounted on a bar  154 . One end of the bar  154  has elongate ears  155  extending into an elongate slot  156  in the side plate  26 . The ears  155  extend lengthwise of the slot  156 . A screw  157  having a knurled head is threadably received in the bar  154 . The ears  155  prevent the bar  154  from rotating but allow the bar  154  to be slid in a direction lengthwise of the slot  156 . The sensor  46  is secured to a plate  159  having an elongate vertically extending slot  159 ′ through which a screw  160  passes into the bar  154 . FIGS. 14 and 15 best show the cooperation of the tines  55  with the rolls  56  and  57  in both the solid line position and in the phantom line position PL. The label L is not shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 for the sake of clarity. 
     The stepping motor  135  is under the control of an optical sensor  161  (FIG.  2 ). When the fold line F operates the optical sensor  161 , the microprocessor  200  is notified that the label L will be at the pressing position or station  23  shown in FIG. 4 after a predetermined number of steps of the motor  135 . When the folded label L reaches the nip of the rolls  62  and  63 , the speed of advance of the label L is reduced or slowed to enable the folded portion L 4  to be ironed or pressed for a longer period of time than if the speed of advance were held constant. It is most preferred that when the label L is at the pressing position with portion L 4  at the FIG. 4 position, the stepper motor  135  stops so that the label L dwells or stays motionless at the pressing station  23  while the rolls  62  and  63  press the folded label L using heat from the heater  64 , and after a predetermined period of time has passed (which is determined as satisfying the proper duration of pressing time) the stepper motor  135  is again started. The stepper motor  135  is again stopped when the next label L reaches the pressing station  23  as depicted in FIG.  4 . 
     A static eliminator  162  is disposed downstream of the roll  66 . 
     FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating the control system of the looper  20 . The system includes a microprocessor controller or microprocessor  200  that includes associated memory. The microprocessor  200 , as discussed above, is responsive to the output of the sensor  46 , indicating the detection of the leading end L 1  of a label L to actuate the solenoid operated clutch  48 . When actuated, the clutch  48  causes the inserter  47  to move from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3 to form a fold in the label L. The microprocessor  200  controls the stepping motor  135  to drive the rolls  56  and  57 ,  60  and  61 , and  62  and  63  to advance the folded or looped label to the pressing station  23 . When the sensor  161  detects the leading edge of the folded label L, i.e., the fold line F, it outputs a signal to the microprocessor  200 . The microprocessor  200  is responsive to the signal from the sensor  161  to stop the motor  135  within a predetermined number of steps from the detection of the fold line F so that the label L is at the pressing position with the fold F between the rollers  62  and  63  as shown in FIG.  4 . The heater  64  in the roller  62  is powered by a power supply  202  and controlled by a thermostat control  204  so as to press the fold F into the label L at the pressing station  23 . After the time for pressing the label L expires as determined by the microprocessor  200 , the microprocessor  200  controls the stepping motor  135  to drive the rolls to advance the folded label L from the pressing station to the stacking station  24 . The microprocessor  200  actuates the solenoid operated clutch  101  to in turn actuate the tamper  100 . The tamper  100  is actuated a predetermined number of stepper motor steps after the motor  135  is started or resumes its advancing speed to advance the folded label L after the expiration of the dwell time for pressing the label, and this predetermined number of steps is based on the length of time it takes for the stepper motor  135  to advance the longest label into the stacker. This predetermined number of steps may be a fixed number or it may be user selectable, entered by a selector switch, or other input device switch such as a keypad. Whereas the stepper motor  135  is controlled in the most preferred embodiment to start and stop intermittently under the control of the microprocessor  200 , the D.C. motor  148  may run continuously when the looper  20  is turned on. The D.C. motor receives power via a transformer or the like of the power supply  202 . 
     Other embodiments and modifications of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.