Patent ID: 8678057

Claim:
A label applicator that applies a label provided with a tag to an item, the label having first and second side surfaces, each side surface including a front surface and an opposite back surface, and also including a base end at one end of each of the first and second side surfaces, the applicator comprising: a suction-holding plate configured to suction and hold the label from the front surfaces of the side surfaces, the plate including a pair of divided bodies having opposing end surfaces, the bodies are relatively movable between two positions: a contact position at which end surfaces of the divided bodies that face toward each other are brought toward contact with each other, and a separated position at which the divided bodies are spaced apart from each other, whereby a section of the label is folded into a flexed portion of the label section by the end surfaces of the divided bodies that face toward each other by relative movement of the divided bodies toward the contact position, wherein each body of the pair of divided bodies comprises a noncontact portion including an eliminated corner at an edge portion of the body, and the noncontact portions respectively correspond to curved portions at flexed portions on the base end of the first and second surfaces of the label, the noncontact portions positioned and configured to prevent the noncontact portions of the bodies from being brought into contact with each other when the end surfaces of the divided bodies are brought toward contact with each other, wherein the noncontact portions are positioned and configured such that application of the label carried out by movement of the divided bodies toward the contact position causes folding of a section of the label including a tag providing portion of the label so the folded section projects into an angled shape between the divided bodies with the back surfaces facing inside the angled shape and the front surfaces facing outside the angled shape, thereby forming the flexed portions to include each side surface having a curved portion at the base end of the label, and the folded section in an angled shape defining a peak portion as a border between the one side surface and the other side surface.