METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL LABELING OF A RUN OF BLOW MOLDED BOTTLES WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL BOTTLES IN THE RUN HAVE AT LEAST ONE VARYING DIMENSION DUE TO MANUFACTURING TOLERANCES, THE METHOD AND APPARATUS PROVIDING MORE CONSISTENT LABELING OF INDIVIDUAL CONTAINERS IN THE RUN OF CONTAINERS

• US 20100012252A1
• Filed: 01/19/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: TILL, Volker
• Granted Patent: US 8,268,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/64
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/401 for detecting the height of articles to be labelled
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/16 by rolling the labels onto cylindrical containers, e.g. bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/1803 the labels being cut from a strip
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/40 Controls; Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/46 Applying date marks, code marks, or the like, to the label during labelling manually-controlled or operable apparatus having printing equipment B65C11/02; ticket printing and issuing G07B1/00 ; apparatus for ticket validating or cancelling G07B11/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the circumferential labeling of a run of blow molded bottles where the individual bottles in the run have at least one varying dimension due to manufacturing tolerances, the method and apparatus providing more consistent labeling of individual containers in the run of 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.

Claims

1. A method of filling and labeling beverage bottles in a beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material, said method compensating for a variation in circumference of individual bottles of a nominally similar size to minimize use of labeling material and to provide a substantially consistent aesthetic appearance of continuous uninterrupted artwork all the way around labeled bottles with a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap between the abutting ends for the bottles in a filling run of bottles, said beverage bottling plant comprising:

a beverage filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position comprising a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material;

said filling devices comprising apparatus being configured to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material;

a first conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to move bottles from a supply of bottles to said filling machine;

a closing machine being configured to close filled bottles;

a second conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer filled bottles from said filling machine to said closing machine;

a labeling machine being configured to label filled bottles with non-overlapping labels from a strip of labels; and

a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer closed bottles from said closing machine to said labeling machine;

said method of filling and labeling beverage bottles comprising the steps of;

moving bottles to said filling machine with said first conveyor arrangement;

filling bottles with a predetermined amount of liquid beverage filling material with said filling devices;

transferring filled bottles from said filling machine to said closing machine with said second conveyor arrangement;

closing filled bottles with said closing machine;

transferring closed bottles from said closing machine to said labeling machine with said third conveyor arrangement;

sensing, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, a dimension of the outer periphery of a first bottle to be labeled by said labeling machine;

transmitting the sensed dimension of the first bottle to a controller;

calculating a circumference of the first bottle from the transmitted dimension, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances;

calculating a first label length, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, the first label length being calculated to dispose the first label about the circumference of the first bottle to provide a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap for the first bottle;

calculating a first printing length, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, of a first label for applying to the outer periphery of the first bottle, the first printing length being equal to or less than the first label length;

calculating, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, a first pixel length for printing of the first label, the first pixel length being such that a plurality of first pixels making up the printing on the first label have a substantially equal printing length and the sum of the first pixel printing lengths of the first label substantially equals the first label printing length;

feeding label material in strip form to a label printer;

printing the plurality of first pixels within the first printing length on the label material being fed in strip form thereto;

cutting the first label from the label material being fed in strip form into a first individual label comprising the first plurality of pixels, the first label having substantially the first calculated label length;

applying the first label onto the outer periphery surface of the first bottle, the printing lengths of the first pixels being oriented circumferentially about the periphery of the first bottle;

sensing, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, a dimension of the outer periphery of a second bottle to be labeled by said labeling machine;

transmitting the sensed dimension of the second bottle to a controller;

calculating a circumference of the second bottle from the transmitted dimension;

calculating a second label length, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, the second label length being calculated to dispose the second label about the circumference of the second bottle to provide a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap for the second bottle;

calculating a second printing length, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, of a second label for applying to the outer periphery of the second bottle, the second printing length being equal to or less than the second label length;

calculating, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances a second pixel length for printing of the second label, the second pixel length being such that a plurality of second pixels making up the printing on the second label have a substantially equal printing length and the sum of the second pixel printing lengths of the second label substantially equals the second label printing length;

feeding label material in strip form to a label printer;

printing the plurality of second pixels within the second printing length on the label material being fed in strip form thereto;

cutting the second label from the label material being fed in strip form into a second individual label comprising the second plurality of pixels, the second label having substantially the second calculated label length;

applying the second label onto the outer periphery surface of the second bottle, the printing lengths of the second pixels being oriented circumferentially about the periphery of the second bottle; and

repeating the steps of sensing a dimension;

transmitting the sensed dimension;

calculating a circumference;

calculating a label length;

calculating a printing length;

calculating a pixel length;

feeding label material;

printing the plurality of pixels;

cutting the label; and

applying the label, for a run of bottles of a nominally similar size.

2. Method as recited in claim 1, said method further comprising:

the pixels have a length based on at least one sensed dimension of the container and the pixels have a fixed width.

3. A beverage bottling plant configured to operate according to the method of claim 1, said beverage bottling plant comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a dimension of the outer periphery of a bottle to be labeled by said labeling machine;

a transmitter configured to transmit the sensed dimension of the bottle to a controller;

a controller configured to calculate a circumference of the bottle from the transmitted dimension;

said controller also being configured to calculate a label length, the label length being calculated to dispose the label about the circumference of the bottle at a predetermined angular position of the first end with respect to the second end;

said controller also being configured the transmit the calculated label length to a cutting arrangement;

said controller also being configured to calculate a printing length of a label for applying to the outer periphery of the bottle, the printing length being equal to or less than the label length;

said controller also being configured to calculate a pixel length for printing of the label, the pixel length being such that a plurality of pixels making up the printing on the label have a substantially equal printing length and the sum of the pixel printing lengths of the label substantially equals the label printing length;

a label feeding arrangement configured to feed label material in strip form to a label printer;

a label printer configured to print a plurality of first pixels within the printing length on the label material being fed in strip form thereto;

a label cutting arrangement configured to cut labels from the label material being fed in strip form into individual labels comprising the plurality of pixels, the label having substantially the calculated label length; and

a label applying apparatus being configured to apply labels onto the outer periphery surface of the first bottle, the printing lengths of the first pixels being oriented circumferentially about the periphery of the bottles.

4. A method of operating a labeling machine in a container filling plant, said method compensating for a variation in circumference of individual containers of a nominally similar size to minimize use of labeling material in a filling run of containers, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing a dimension of a first container to be labeled;

calculating a first label length based upon the sensed dimension, the label length being configured to dispose a first and a second end of the label about the circumference of the container at a predetermined angular position of the first end with respect to the second end;

transmitting the first label length for the first container to be labeled to a label cutting apparatus;

feeding label material in strip form to a label printer;

printing an individual label for the first container to be labeled on the label material being fed thereto in strip form;

cutting an individual first label for the first container to be labeled with the cutting apparatus to the calculated length, the length of the individual first label being cut, substantially equals the transmitted label length for the first container to be labeled;

applying the individually cut label for the first container to be labeled to the first container such that the length of the individually cut label wraps around at least part of the circumference of the first container;

sensing a dimension of a second container to be labeled;

calculating a second label length based upon the sensed dimension, the label length being configured to dispose a first and a second end of the label about the circumference of the container at a predetermined angular position of the first end with respect to the second end;

transmitting the second label length for the second container to be labeled to a label cutting apparatus;

feeding label material in strip form to a label printer;

printing an individual label for the second container to be labeled on the label material being fed thereto in strip form;

cutting an individual second label for the second container to be labeled with the cutting apparatus to the calculated length, the length of the individual second label being cut, substantially equals the transmitted label length for the second container to be labeled;

applying the individually cut label for the second container to be labeled to the second container such that the length of the individually cut label wraps around at least part of the circumference of the second container; and

repeating the method steps for labeling subsequent containers in the filling run of containers.

5. A labeling machine configured to operate according to the method of claim 4, said labeling machine comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a dimension of a container to be labeled;

a controller configured to calculate a label length based upon the sensed dimension, the label length being configured to dispose a first and a second end of the label about the circumference of the container at a predetermined angular position of the first end with respect to the second end;

a transmitter configured to transmit the label length for the container to be labeled to a label cutting apparatus;

a label material feeding arrangement configured to feed label material in strip form to a label printer;

a label printer configured to print an individual label for the container to be labeled on the label material being fed thereto in strip form;

a label cutting arrangement configured to cut an individual label for the container to be labeled with the cutting apparatus to the calculated length, the length of the individual label being cut, substantially equals the transmitted label length for the container to be labeled; and

a label applying apparatus configured to apply the individually cut label for the container to be labeled to the container such that the length of the individually cut label wraps around at least part of the circumference of the container.

6. The labeling machine as recited in claim 5, said labeling machine further comprising a print head located at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form.

7. The labeling machine as recited in claim 5, said labeling machine further comprising a print head that is set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form.

8. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to at least one dimension of the container.

9. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in a sensed circumferential direction and/or vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label.

10. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of a vertical axis of the container.

11. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on at least one sensed dimension of the container.

12. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have a fixed length or width.

13. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

the printing on the cut label substantially fills the cut label.

14. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

the cutting of individual labels at the calculated label length provides a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap for the container.

15. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

calculating a label printing length of the label for applying to the outer periphery of the container, the printing length being equal to or less than the label length.

16. Method as recited in claim 4, said method further comprising:

calculating a pixel length for printing of the label, the pixel length being such that a plurality of pixels making up the printing on the label have a substantially equal printing length and the sum of the pixel printing lengths of the label substantially equals a label printing length.

17. A method of operating a labeling machine, said method compensating for a variation in at least one dimension of individual containers, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing at least one dimension of a first container to be labeled;

calculating a first label length based upon the at least one sensed dimension, the label length being configured to dispose a first and a second end of the label about the circumference of the container at a predetermined angular position of the first end with respect to the second end;

transmitting the first label length for the first container to be labeled to a label cutting apparatus;

feeding label material in strip form to a label printer;

printing an individual label for the first container to be labeled on the label material being fed thereto in strip form;

cutting an individual first label for the first container to be labeled with the cutting apparatus to the calculated length, the length of the individual first label being cut, substantially equals the transmitted label length for the first container to be labeled;

applying the individually cut label for the first container to be labeled to the first container such that the length of the individually cut label wraps around at least part of the circumference of the first container;

sensing at least one dimension of a second container to be labeled;

calculating a second label length based upon the at least one sensed dimension, the label length being configured to dispose a first and a second end of the label about the circumference of the container at a predetermined angular position of the first end with respect to the second end;

transmitting the second label length for the second container to be labeled to a label cutting apparatus;

feeding label material in strip form to a label printer;

printing an individual label for the second container to be labeled on the label material being fed thereto in strip form;

cutting an individual second label for the second container to be labeled with the cutting apparatus to the calculated length, the length of the individual second label being cut, substantially equals the transmitted label length for the second container to be labeled; and

applying the individually cut label for the second container to be labeled to the second container such that the length of the individually cut label wraps around at least part of the circumference of the second container; and

continuing the process for subsequent containers.

18. Method as recited in claim 17, said method further comprising one of (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XII), (XIII), and (XIV), wherein:

(I) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

(II) the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

(III) a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

(IV) a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

(V) the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

(VI) the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

(VII) the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

(VIII) the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container;

(IX) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on the at least one sensed dimension of the container;

(X) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have a fixed length or width;

(XI) the printing on the cut label substantially fills the cut label;

(XII) the cutting of individual labels at the calculated label length to provide a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap for the container;

(XIII) calculating a label printing length of the label for applying to the outer periphery of the container, the printing length being equal to or less than the label length; and

(XIV) calculating a pixel length for printing of the label, the pixel length being such that a plurality of pixels making up the printing on the label have a substantially equal printing length and the sum of the pixel printing lengths of the label substantially equals a label printing length.

19. Method as recited in claim 18, said method further comprising one of (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XII), (XIII), and (XIV), wherein:

(I) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

(II) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container; and

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

(III) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference; and

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

(IV) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label; and

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

(V) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit; and

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

(VI) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit; and

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form.

(VII) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form; and

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

(VIII) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container; and

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container;

(IX) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container; and

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on the at least one sensed dimension of the container;

(X) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on the at least one sensed dimension of the container; and

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have a fixed length or width;

(XI) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on the at least one sensed dimension of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have a fixed length or width; and

the printing on the cut label substantially fills the cut label;

(XII) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on the at least one sensed dimension of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have a fixed length or width;

the printing on the cut label substantially fills the cut label; and

the cutting of individual labels at the calculated label length to provide a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap for the container;

(XIII) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on the at least one sensed dimension of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have a fixed length or width;

the printing on the cut label substantially fills the cut label;

the cutting of individual labels at the calculated label length to provide a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap for the container; and

calculating a label printing length of the label for applying to the outer periphery of the container, the printing length being equal to or less than the label length;

(XIV) the printing is applied to the label material in strip form by means of a print head, whereby at least one dimension of the printing is adjusted to the at least one dimension of the container;

the length of the label is adapted to at least one dimension of the container circumference;

a pattern of the printing for the label is provided with angle marks for the actuation of a cutting device and/or of a print head as a function of the angle in the circumferential direction and/or the vertical axis direction of the container, the angle marks designate the length and width of pixels making up the printing on the label;

a pattern of the printing for the individual labels and angle marks designating the length and width of pixels making up the pattern are stored in a control unit;

the printing is applied by means of a print head in the form of a printed image to the label material in strip form, whereby the print head is one of a) or b);

a) at a fixed, specified distance from the label material in strip form;

b) set adjustably at a distance from the label material in strip form;

the label is applied to the container without any overlap on the container;

the printing is applied to the label in strip form perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip of label material on the basis of a sensed dimension of the vertical axis of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have length or width based on the at least one sensed dimension of the container;

the printing is applied to the label material in strip form with individual pixels, the pixels have a fixed length or width;

the printing on the cut label substantially fills the cut label;

the cutting of individual labels at the calculated label length to provide a non-overlapping label having abutting ends thereby providing a substantially seamless label without a gap for the container;

calculating a label printing length of the label for applying to the outer periphery of the container, the printing length being equal to or less than the label length; and

calculating a pixel length for printing of the label, the pixel length being such that a plurality of pixels making up the printing on the label have a substantially equal printing length and the sum of the pixel printing lengths of the label substantially equals a label printing length.

20. A labeling machine configured to operate according to the method of claim 17, said labeling machine comprising:

a sensor configured to sense at least one dimension of a container to be labeled;

a controller configured to calculate a label length based upon the at least one sensed dimension, the label length being configured to dispose a first and a second end of the label about the circumference of the container at a predetermined angular position of the first end with respect to the second end;

a transmitter configured to transmit the label length for the container to be labeled to a label cutting arrangement;

a label material feeding arrangement configured to feed label material in strip form to a label printer;

a label printer configured to print an individual label for the container to be labeled on the label material being fed thereto in strip form;

a label cutting arrangement configured to cut an individual label for the container to be labeled to the calculated length, the length of the individual label being cut, substantially equals the transmitted label length for the container to be labeled; and

a label applying apparatus configured to apply the individually cut label for the container to be labeled to the container such that the length of the individually cut label wraps around at least part of the circumference of the container.