METHOD AND DEVICE FOR LABELING CONTAINERS
First Claim
1. A method of operating a labeling arrangement configured to label filled, closed beverage bottles and print on beverage bottle caps of filled, closed beverage bottles, said labeling arrangement comprising:
- a labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage bottles with a label;
at least one printing arrangement being configured to print on caps of beverage bottles;
a rotor being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles to and from said labeling machine and to said printing arrangement;
said printing arrangement comprising;
a transport apparatus being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles through said at least one printing arrangement;
said transport apparatus being configured to prevent beverage bottles from rotating about a bottle axis to permit said printing arrangement to print at least one clearly, discernible printing;
a monitoring system being configured and disposed to receive information and send information to said printing arrangement;
said monitoring system comprising;
at least one sensor being configured and disposed to detect markings on each label of each beverage bottle; and
a memory being configured and disposed to store electronic images to be compared with information sent from said at least one sensor;
said monitoring system further being configured to compare information sent from said at least one sensor to electronic images in said memory in order to determine orientation of each label of each beverage bottle;
said printing arrangement comprising;
at least one printing station comprising at least one printing unit being configured and disposed to print on caps of beverage bottles; and
a printing station control system being configured and disposed to control said at least one printing unit;
said printing station control system being further configured to receive information sent from said monitoring system;
said printing station being configured to print on a beverage bottle cap of each beverage bottle depending on the orientation of each label on each beverage bottle, such that the orientation of a printing on a beverage bottle cap is aligned with the orientation of a label of the same beverage bottle in a predetermined spacial relationship;
said method comprising;
transporting filled, closed beverage bottles to said labeling machine;
labeling filled, closed beverage bottles with a label;
transporting filled, closed beverage bottles from said labeling machine to said transport apparatus of said printing arrangement;
preventing filled, closed beverage bottles from rotating about a bottle axis;
detecting markings on each label of each closed, filled beverage bottle with said at least one sensor;
sending information regarding the markings on each label of each closed, filled beverage bottle to said monitoring system;
comparing the information regarding the markings on each label of each closed, filled beverage bottle with electronic images stored in said memory;
sending information from said monitoring system to said printing station control system;
printing on a beverage bottle cap of each filled, closed beverage bottle depending on the orientation of each label on each filled, closed beverage bottle, such that the orientation of the printing on a beverage bottle cap is aligned with the orientation of a label of the same filled, closed beverage bottle in a predetermined spacial relationship.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and device for printing containers. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
22 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a labeling arrangement configured to label filled, closed beverage bottles and print on beverage bottle caps of filled, closed beverage bottles, said labeling arrangement comprising:
- a labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage bottles with a label;
at least one printing arrangement being configured to print on caps of beverage bottles;
a rotor being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles to and from said labeling machine and to said printing arrangement;
said printing arrangement comprising;
a transport apparatus being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles through said at least one printing arrangement;
said transport apparatus being configured to prevent beverage bottles from rotating about a bottle axis to permit said printing arrangement to print at least one clearly, discernible printing;
a monitoring system being configured and disposed to receive information and send information to said printing arrangement;
said monitoring system comprising;
at least one sensor being configured and disposed to detect markings on each label of each beverage bottle; and
a memory being configured and disposed to store electronic images to be compared with information sent from said at least one sensor;
said monitoring system further being configured to compare information sent from said at least one sensor to electronic images in said memory in order to determine orientation of each label of each beverage bottle;
said printing arrangement comprising;
at least one printing station comprising at least one printing unit being configured and disposed to print on caps of beverage bottles; and
a printing station control system being configured and disposed to control said at least one printing unit;
said printing station control system being further configured to receive information sent from said monitoring system;
said printing station being configured to print on a beverage bottle cap of each beverage bottle depending on the orientation of each label on each beverage bottle, such that the orientation of a printing on a beverage bottle cap is aligned with the orientation of a label of the same beverage bottle in a predetermined spacial relationship;said method comprising; transporting filled, closed beverage bottles to said labeling machine; labeling filled, closed beverage bottles with a label; transporting filled, closed beverage bottles from said labeling machine to said transport apparatus of said printing arrangement; preventing filled, closed beverage bottles from rotating about a bottle axis; detecting markings on each label of each closed, filled beverage bottle with said at least one sensor; sending information regarding the markings on each label of each closed, filled beverage bottle to said monitoring system; comparing the information regarding the markings on each label of each closed, filled beverage bottle with electronic images stored in said memory; sending information from said monitoring system to said printing station control system; printing on a beverage bottle cap of each filled, closed beverage bottle depending on the orientation of each label on each filled, closed beverage bottle, such that the orientation of the printing on a beverage bottle cap is aligned with the orientation of a label of the same filled, closed beverage bottle in a predetermined spacial relationship. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- a labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage bottles with a label;
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6. A labeling arrangement configured to label filled, closed beverage bottles and print on beverage bottle caps of filled, closed beverage bottles, said labeling arrangement comprising:
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a labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage bottles with a label; at least one printing arrangement being configured to print on caps of beverage bottles; a rotor being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles to and from said labeling machine and to said printing arrangement; said printing arrangement comprising; a transport apparatus being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles through said at least one printing arrangement; said transport apparatus being configured to prevent beverage bottles from rotating about a bottle axis to permit said printing arrangement to print at least one clearly, discernible printing; a monitoring system being configured and disposed to receive information and send information to said printing arrangement; said monitoring system comprising; at least one sensor being configured and disposed to detect markings on each label of each beverage bottle; and a memory being configured and disposed to store electronic images to be compared with information sent from said at least one sensor; said monitoring system further being configured to compare information sent from said at least one sensor to electronic images in said memory in order to determine orientation of each label of each beverage bottle; said printing arrangement comprising; at least one printing station comprising at least one printing unit being configured and disposed to print on caps of beverage bottles; and a printing station control system being configured and disposed to control said at least one printing unit; said printing station control system being further configured to receive information sent from said monitoring system; said printing station being configured to print on a beverage bottle cap of each beverage bottle depending on the orientation of each label on each beverage bottle, such that the orientation of a printing on a beverage bottle cap is aligned with the orientation of a label of the same beverage bottle in a predetermined spacial relationship. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method of operating an indicium-adding arrangement configured to add indicia on at least one predetermined portion being substantially transverse to a longitudinal container axis of a container, said indicium-adding arrangement comprising:
- a transport apparatus being configured and disposed to move containers through said indicium-adding arrangement;
said transport apparatus being configured to substantially minimize movement of containers upon containers being fed through said at least one indicium-adding arrangement to permit said indicia-adding arrangement to add at least one clearly, discernible indicium;
a monitoring system being configured and disposed to receive information and send information to said indicium-adding arrangement;
said monitoring system comprising;
at least one sensor being configured and disposed to detect at least one indicium on at least one portion of a container; and
a memory being configured and disposed to store information regarding portions of a container to be compared with information sent from said at least one sensor;
said monitoring system further being configured to compare information sent from said at least one sensor to information regarding portions of a container in said memory in order to determine orientation of at least one indicium on at least one portion of a container;
said at least one indicium-adding arrangement comprising;
at least one indicium-adding station comprising at least one indicium-adding unit being configured and disposed to add indicia on at least one predetermined portion substantially transverse to a longitudinal container axis of containers; and
an indicium-adding station control system being configured and disposed to control said at least one indicium-adding unit;
said indicium-adding station control system being further configured to receive information sent from said monitoring system;
said indicium-adding station being configured to produce indicia on at least one predetermined portion substantially transverse to a longitudinal container axis of a container depending on the orientation of at least one indicium on at least one portion of a container, such that the orientation of at least one indicium on at least one predetermined portion substantially transverse to a longitudinal container axis of the container is aligned with the orientation of at least one indicium on at least one portion of the same container in a predetermined spacial relationship;
said method comprising;transporting containers past said at least one sensor and through said indicium-adding arrangement; detecting at least one indicium on at least one portion of a container with said at least one sensor; sending information regarding at least one indicium on at least one portion of a container to said monitoring system; comparing the information regarding at least one indicium on at least one portion of a container with information stored in said memory; sending information from said monitoring system to said indicium-adding arrangement; adding indicia on at least one predetermined portion substantially transverse to a longitudinal container axis of a container depending on the orientation of at least one indicium on at least one portion of a container, such that the orientation of at least one indicium on at least one predetermined portion substantially transverse to a longitudinal container axis of a container is aligned with the orientation of at least one indicium on at least one portion of the same container in a predetermined spacial relationship. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a transport apparatus being configured and disposed to move containers through said indicium-adding arrangement;
Specification