Labelling station for labelling objects, such as bottles

• US 5,227,005 A
• Filed: 03/16/1990
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eti-Tec Maschinenbau GmbH
• Original Assignee: Eti-Tec Maschinenbau GmbH
• Inventors: Buchholz, Rainer, Zodrow, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Simmons, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Engel, Jr., James J.
• Application Number:
  US07/495,562
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 156/568, 156/571, 156/578, 156/566, 156/567, 118/230, 118/231, 271/33
• US Class Current: 156/566
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/00 Details of labelling machines or apparatus attaching articles to carriers B65B15/00; cards of samples G09F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/16 by wetting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 35/02 for conveying rotary motion with cyclically varying velocity ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 55/14 Construction providing resilience or vibration-damping F16H55/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1768 Means simultaneously conveying plural articles from a single source and serially presenting them to an assembly station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1773 For flexible sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/178 Rotary or pivoted picker

Abstract

This invention relates to a labelling station for objects such as bottles with several stations located one behind another along a track, which includes an adhesive application station, a label feed station and a label transfer station. At least one extracting element is mounted so that it can rotate on a driven support plate. The drive mechanism comprises a cam drive mechanism. The cam drive mechanism comprises a stationary double cam disc with two one-sided cams located above one another, and two sets of followers. The two sets of followers are mounted on the drive shaft of the extracting element or on a bearing shaft coupled to it by means of a support element. During rotation of the support plate, the two sets of followers provide, by action of a form-fit with the two cam surfaces, a positive movement of each extraction element over its entire revolution. To achieve a simple and compact construction of the labelling station, the drive or bearing shaft ends above the plane of the first cam disc which is closest to said bearing shaft, thus allowing the first cam disc to extend into the open space below the shaft without interference from the shaft.

Claims

1. A labelling station for a labelling machine for supplying labels to objects, such as bottles or the like, said labelling station comprising a plurality of stations located one behind another along a track;

the plurality of stations comprising an adhesive application apparatus, a label feed station and a label transfer station;

said labelling machine comprising;

a rotatable support mounted on a central axis for rotation by each of the plurality of stations;

a least one extracting means for the labels;

said extracting means including drive shaft means;

said extracting means being mounted on said drive shaft means for rotation on said rotatable support for movement by each of the stations during each rotation of said rotatable support;

means for rotating said extracting means;

said extracting means rotating means comprising cam means and cam follower means;

said cam means including a first cam disc and a second cam disc;

said first cam disc and said second cam disc being disposed below said rotatable support mounted on said central axis;

said first cam disc including a first outer cam surface extending about said central axis;

said second cam disc including a second outer cam surface extending about said central axis;

said first cam disc being disposed above said second cam disc;

said cam follower means for following said cam means;

means for operably connecting said follower means to said drive shaft means;

said follower means being mounted for rotation about a follower axis on said rotatable support for providing at least a portion of the rotation of said extracting means;

said follower means including a first pair of followers being disposed in substantially the same horizontal elevation as said first cam disc;

said first pair of followers for making contact with said first outer cam surface, and a second pair of followers being disposed in substantially the same horizontal elevation as said second cam disc;

said second pair of followers for making contact with said second outer cam surface;

each of said first pair of followers and said second pair of followers being mounted on a follower support element at substantially opposite sides of a follower axis;

said follower means being rotatable by said cam means for producing said rotation of said extracting means;

said means for operably connecting said follower means to said drive shaft means being for rotating said drive shaft means;

said means for operably connecting said follower means to said drive shaft means comprising;

a bearing shaft;

said follower means defining a shaft-free open area between said first pair of followers; and

said bearing shaft being disposed away from said shaft-free open area;

said shaft-free open area being disposed below said bearing shaft;

said drive shaft means at least partly defining an additional shaft-free open area disposed below said drive shaft means.

2. Labelling machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

said follower means corresponding to said second outer cam surface being mounted on a bridge element;

said bridge element being located between said first cam disc and said second cam disc;

said bridge element being supported by spacer elements positioned on a support element;

said spacer elements being located outside an area covered by the eccentric movement of said first pair of followers effected by said first cam disc; and

at least one of said first pair of followers and said second pair of followers comprising said spacer elements.

3. Labelling machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

said first pair of followers and said second pair of followers defining a moving equivalent cam surface;

said first cam disc and said second cam disc defining a fixed equivalent cam surface;

said moving equivalent cam surface being for rotation about said fixed equivalent cam surface with point by point rolling contact therebetween when said follower means is rotated about said cam means;

each of said followers including a center of rotation which is radially located within said moving equivalent cam surface; and

at least a portion of at least one of said followers lying outside of said moving equivalent cam surface.

4. Labelling machine according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said cam followers comprises a support element, said support element comprising:

an outer body member having a plurality of radially inwardly projecting claws for the mounting of a cam follower thereon;

an inner body member for being operatively associated with said outer body member, said inner body member comprising a plurality of radially outwardly projecting claws corresponding to said radially inwardly projecting claws of said outer body member, said inner body member and said outer body member being out of direct contact with one another; and

dampening means for being interposed between and in direct contact with said outer body member and said inner body member for dampening noise applied to said outer body member before the noise reaches said inner body member.

5. Labelling machine according to claim 4, further comprising:

said dampening means being an elastic material;

said plurality of radially outwardly projecting claws of said inner body member comprising first and second radially outwardly projecting claws corresponding to at least one radially inwardly projecting claw of said outer body member;

said first and second radially outwardly projecting claws of said inner body member being relatively positioned to define a cavity therebetween;

said at least one radially inwardly projecting claw of said body member being positioned within said cavity and between said first and second radially outwardly projecting claws of said inner body member;

said elastic material for absorbing at least radial forces between said inner body member and said outer body member to dampen noise applied to said outer body member before the noise reaches said inner body member; and

said outer body member and said inner body member defining a plurality of radial recesses which are filled with a slug of elastic material.

6. The labelling machine according to claim 5, further comprising rotatable support mounting means attached to said central axis and positioned adjacent to and in movable contact exclusively with the perimeter of said rotatable support for supporting said rotatable support and allowing relative rotational movement of said rotatable support with respect to said central axis.

7. The labelling machine according to claim 6, further comprising coupling means interposed between said drive shaft means and said rotatable support with said coupling means capable of assuming a couple position for coupling said drive shaft to said support table and capable of assuming a decoupled position for releasing said drive shaft from said support table.

8. The labelling machine according to claim 7, further comprising:

said drive shaft means comprising a drive shaft;

said extracting means comprising at least one glue segment having a curved glue take-up surface;

said at least one glue segment including a hole for receipt of the drive shaft within said hole;

said at least one glue segment for being disposed on the drive shaft with the drive shaft being disposed within said hole;

said at least one glue segment being for rotation with the drive shaft;

said at least one glue segment including an axial bore;

said axial bore including a longitudinal axis;

said hole including a longitudinal axis;

said longitudinal axis of said bore being substantially parallel with said longitudinal axis of said hole and with the axis of the drive shaft when the drive shaft is disposed within said hole;

a bushing including a base element and a spacing element;

said base element of said bushing for being disposed in said bore of said at least one glue segment;

said spacing element of said bushing for extending outwardly from said bore in an axial direction, along said longitudinal axis of said bore, toward one of the at least one radially extending surface means;

said spacing element including abutting surface means for making contact with the one of the at least one radially extending surface means; and

said abutting surface means making contact with the one of the at least one radially extending surface means for defining an axial position of said at least one glue segment relative to the predetermined location of the one of the at least one radially extending surface means of the drive shaft.

9. Labelling machine according to claim 8, further comprising:

said first cam disc defining a plane and said second cam disc also defining a plane;

at least one of;

said drive shaft means, and

said bearing shaft ending before intersecting either one of;

the plane of said first cam disc, and

the plane of said second cam disc; and

said plane of said first cam disc being closer to said bearing shaft than said plane of said second cam disc.

10. A labelling station for a labelling machine for supplying labels to objects, such as bottles or the like, said labelling station comprising a plurality of stations located one behind another along a track;

the plurality of stations comprising an adhesive application apparatus, a label feed station and a label transfer station;

said labelling machine comprising;

a rotatable support mounted on a central axis for rotation by each of the plurality of stations;

a least one extracting means for the labels;

said extracting means including drive shaft means;

said extracting means being mounted on said drive shaft means for rotation on said rotatable support for movement by each of the stations during each rotation of said rotatable support;

means for rotating said extracting means;

said extracting means rotating means comprising cam means and cam follower means;

said cam follower means for following said cam means;

means for operably connecting said follower means to said drive shaft means;

said follower means being mounted for rotation about a follower axis on said rotatable support for providing at least a portion of the rotation of said extracting means;

said follower means including at least a first pair of followers being disposed in substantially the same horizontal elevation;

said follower means being rotatable by said cam means for producing said rotation of said extracting means;

said means for operably connecting said follower means to said drive shaft means being for rotating said drive shaft means;

said means for operably connecting said follower means to said drive shaft means comprising;

a bearing shaft;

said follower means defining a shaft-free open area between said first pair of followers; and

said bearing shaft being disposed away from said shaft-free open area;

said shaft-free open area being disposed below said bearing shaft;

said drive shaft means at least partly defining an additional shaft-free open area disposed below said drive shaft means.

11. The labelling station according to claim 10, wherein said cam means includes a first cam disc and a second cam disc;

said first cam disc and said second cam disc being disposed below said rotatable support mounted on said central axis;

said first cam disc including a first outer cam surface extending about said central axis;

said second cam disc including a second outer cam surface extending about said central axis;

said first cam disc being disposed above said second cam disc;

said first pair of followers being disposed in substantially the same horizontal elevation as said first cam disc;

said first pair of followers for making contact with said first outer cam surface, and a second pair of followers being disposed in substantially the same horizontal elevation as said second cam disc; and

said second pair of followers for making contact with said second outer cam surface.

12. The labelling station according to claim 11, further comprising:

each of said first pair of followers and said second pair of followers being mounted on a follower support element;

said first cam disc defining a plane and said second cam disc also defining a plane;

at least one of;

said drive shaft means, and

said bearing shaft ending before intersecting either one of;

the plane of said first cam disc, and

the plane of the second cam disc; and

said plane of said first cam disc being closer to said bearing shaft than said plane of said second cam disc.

13. Labelling machine according to claim 12, further comprising:

said follower means corresponding to said second outer cam surface being mounted on a bridge element;

said bridge element being located between said first cam disc and said second cam disc;

said bridge element being supported by spacer elements positioned on a support element;

said spacer elements being located outside an area covered by the eccentric movement of said first pair of cam followers effected by said first cam disc; and

at least one of said first pair of followers and said second pair of followers comprising said spacer elements.

14. Labelling machine according to claim 12, further comprising:

said first pair of followers and said second pair of followers defining a moving equivalent cam surface;

said first cam disc and said second cam disc defining a fixed equivalent cam surface;

said moving equivalent cam surface being for rotation about said fixed equivalent cam surface with point by point rolling contact therebetween when said follower means is rotated about said cam means;

each of said followers including a center of rotation which is radially located within said moving equivalent cam surface; and

at least a portion of at least one of said followers lying outside of said moving equivalent cam surface.

15. Labelling machine according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said cam followers comprises a support element, said support element comprising:

an outer body member having a plurality of radially inwardly projecting claws for the mounting of a cam follower thereon;

an inner body member for being operatively associated with said outer body member, said inner body member comprising a plurality of radially outwardly projecting claws corresponding to said radially inwardly projecting claws of said outer body member, said inner body member and said outer body member being out of direct contact with one another; and

dampening means for being interposed between and in direct contact with said outer body member and said inner body member for dampening noise applied to said outer body member before the noise reaches said inner body member.

16. Labelling machine according to claim 15, further comprising:

said dampening means being an elastic material;

said plurality of radially outwardly projecting claws of said inner body member comprising first and second radially outwardly projecting claws corresponding to at least one radially inwardly projecting claw of said outer body member;

said first and second radially outwardly projecting claws of said inner body member being relatively positioned to define a cavity therebetween;

said at least one radially inwardly projecting claw of said body member being positioned within said cavity and between said first and second radially outwardly projecting claws of said inner body member;

said elastic material for absorbing at least radial forces between said inner body member and said outer body member to dampen noise applied to said outer body member before the noise reaches said inner body member; and

said outer body member and said inner body member defining a plurality of radial recesses which are filled with a slug of elastic material.

17. The labelling machine according to claim 16, further comprising rotatable support mounting means attached to said central axis and positioned adjacent to and in movable contact exclusively with the perimeter of said rotatable support for supporting said rotatable support and allowing relative rotational movement of said rotatable support with respect to said central axis.

18. The labelling machine according to claim 17, further comprising coupling means interposed between said drive shaft means and said rotatable support with said coupling means capable of assuming a couple position for coupling said drive shaft to said support table and capable of assuming a decoupled position for releasing said drive shaft from said support table.

19. The labelling machine according to claim 18, further comprising:

said drive shaft means comprising a drive shaft;

said extracting means comprising at least one glue segment having a curved glue take-up surface;

said at least one glue segment including a hole for receipt of the drive shaft within said hole;

said at least one glue segment for being disposed on the drive shaft with the drive shaft being disposed within said hole;

said at least one glue segment being for rotation with the drive shaft;

said at least one glue segment including an axial bore;

said axial bore including a longitudinal axis;

said hole including a longitudinal axis;

said longitudinal axis of said bore being substantially parallel with said longitudinal axis of said hole and with the axis of the drive shaft when the drive shaft is disposed within said hole;

a bushing including a base element and a spacing element;

said base element of said bushing for being disposed in said bore of said at least one glue segment;

said spacing element of said bushing for extending outwardly from said bore in an axial direction, along said longitudinal axis of said bore, toward one of the at least one radially extending surface means;

said spacing element including abutting surface means for making contact with the one of the at least one radially extending surface means; and

said abutting surface means making contact with the one of the at least one radially extending surface means for defining an axial position of said at least one glue segment relative to the predetermined location of the one of the at least one radially extending surface means of the drive shaft.

20. The labelling machine according to claim 19, further comprising:

each of said followers includes a portion thereof which lies outside of said moving equivalent cam surface;

at least some of said followers are offset from one another by an angle not equal to 90 degrees and have lever arms from said follower axis of different lengths;

two of said followers including longer ones of said lever arms are in engaging contact with said cam means during at least part of said rotation about said central axis;

two of said followers including shorter ones of said lever arms and one of said follower with a longer one of said lever arms are in engaging contact with said cam means during at least part of said rotation about said central axis;

at the adhesive application station, two of said followers with shorter said lever arms are engaged with said cam means for transmitting torque and one of said followers with a longer said lever arm is for supporting from the other side of said cam means;

at the label feed station, one of said followers with a longer said lever arm is engaged with said cam means for transmitting torque and one of said followers with a longer said lever arm are for supporting form the other side of said cam means;

at the label transfer station, one of said followers with a longer said lever arm is engaged with said cam means for transmitting torque and two of said followers with shorter said lever arms are for supporting from the other side of said cam means;

the follower for transmitting torque at the label feed station corresponds to said first cam disc;

one of said followers of said first pair and one of said followers of said second pair include long said lever arms and an opposite ones of said followers of said first pair and of said second pair include short said lever arms;

an orbit of said drive shaft means about said central axis is longer than an orbit of said follower axis about said central axis;

said dampening means is elastic material means;

said outer body member further includes wall means adjacent said elastic material means;

said outer body member and said inner body member define annular surfaces in at least partially surrounding relationship with respect to said elastic material means;

said annular surfaces are formed by elements which project from said outer body member and said inner body member and are relatively positioned in coaxial relation with respect to one another;

said outer body member includes a drive pinion;

said inner body member being separated from said outer body member on all sides;

said dampening means filling the space between said outer body member and said inner body member;

said at least one radially inwardly projecting claw being configured for the insertion of cam followers;

an end wall enclosing a space adjacent said at least one radially inwardly projection claw of said outer body member;

a plurality of axially extending annular surfaces between said outer body member and said inner body member;

said dampening means is positioned between said axially extended annular surfaces;

said annular surfaces making a transition gradually into the surface of said at least one radially inwardly projecting claw of said outer body member and the space containing said radially outwardly projecting claws of said inner body member and said at least one radially inwardly projecting claw of said outer body member;

said elastic material being connected with said dampening means;

said radial recesses and said slug of elastic material being positioned on the outside circumference of a support element;

said radial recesses being aligned with one another in pairs;

said outer body member including a drive pinion;

transmission means moveably attached to the support table and the label extractor for moving the label extractor relative to the support table;

said coupling means is positioned within a central area which has a perimeter defined by a path of movement of said transmission means;

decoupling means mechanically attached to said coupling means for causing said coupling means to assume said decoupled position;

biasing means for causing said coupling means to be biased toward said coupled position;

said biasing means includes spring means;

said decoupling means includes shaft means for causing said coupling means to assume said decoupled position;

first alignment means attached to said shaft means for determining the angular position of the support table relative to the drive shaft;

said coupling means includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member;

said first coupling member is in contact with said second coupling member when said coupling means is in said coupled position;

said first coupling member is out of contact with said second coupling member when said coupling means is in said decoupled position;

said first and second coupling member include spur teeth;

said spur teeth on said first coupling member are relatively positioned to correspond to and engage with said spur teeth on said second coupling member when said coupling means is in said coupled position;

said alignment means includes alignment marks which correspond to the relatively positioned spur teeth on said first and second coupling members;

said curved glue take-up surface has a center of curvature and said longitudinal axis of said bore is substantially located at said center of curvature;

said at least one glue segment includes means for selectively securing said at least one glue segment at said axial position;

said means for selectively securing includes said at least one glue segment having a wall between said hole and said bore;

said wall having an axial slot;

said slot having a circumferential width;

tensioning bolt means disposed through said wall; and

said tensioning bolt means being selectively rotated to decrease said circumferential width of said slot for tightening said hole about the drive shaft;

said tensioning bolt means extends at least partially through said bore, said base element of said bushing includes recess means, and said tensioning bolt means is disposed within said recess means of said base element;

said spacing element includes a side portion, said side portion includes an axially extending recess, and said side portion is for at least partially encircling the drive shaft when the drive shaft is at least partially disposed within said axially extending recess;

first keyway means between the drive shaft and said at least one glue segment at said hole and said first keyway means being for preventing relative rotation of said at least one glue segment about the drive shaft when said at least one glue segment is at said axial position;

second keyway means between the drive shaft and said at least one glue segment at said hole, said second keyway means being circumferentially adjacent to said first keyway means, and said second keyway means being for alignment of said at least one glue segment relative to the drive shaft during the receipt of the drive shaft within said hole;

said second keyway means includes a radially extending pin extending outwardly from the drive shaft, said at least one glue segment includes a cylindrical surface around said hole, an axial groove in said cylindrical surface, and said pin being for extension into said axial groove to cause the alignment during the receipt of the drive shaft within said hole;

the at least one radially extending surface means includes a ring which is disposed about the drive shaft and the abutting surface means makes contact with the ring;

said at least one glue segment includes an upper glue segment and a lower glue segment, the at least one radially extending surface means associated with said lower glue segment includes a ring disposed around the drive shaft, said abutting surface means of said lower glue segment makes contact with the ring, the at least one radially extending surface means associated with said upper glue segment includes an upper surface portion of said lower glue segment, and said abutting surface means of said upper glue segment makes contact with said upper surface portion of said lower glue segment; and

said abutting surface means of said spacing element of said lower glue segment makes contact with the ring for defining a first of said axial positions of said lower glue segment relative to the ring and said abutting surface means of said spacing element of said second glue segment makes contact with said upper surface portion of said lower glue segment for defining a second of said axial positions relative to said upper surface portion of said lower glue segment.