Machine for placing labeling sleeves on bottles

• US 6,474,390 B1
• Filed: 09/13/1999
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Protection Decoration Conditionnement Europe
• Original Assignee: Protection Decoration Conditionnement Europe
• Inventors: Vandevoorde, Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Purvis, Sue A.
• Application Number:
  US09/395,069
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 156/494, 156/495, 156/496, 156/362, 156/568, 156/556, 156/566, 156/567, 156/DIG.8, 533/99, 535/85, 535/82, 535/89, 535/90
• US Class Current: 156/494
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/065 by placing tubular labels around the container applying preformed tubular sheathings of plastics in general B29C63/18; applying protective covers to closures B67B5/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1744 Means bringing discrete articles into assembled relationship
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1771 Turret or rotary drum-type conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1773 For flexible sheets

Abstract

A labeling machine having an input station receiving the bottles on which a sleeve is to be placed, a station for dispensing sleeves from a sheath and a main turret fitted with units for receiving the bottles and a providing them with a sleeve. Each unit has a slidable tool mounted parallel with the bottle to place the sleeve on the bottle. The main turret is suspended from a tripod supported directly on the ground while the input and output turrets as well as the unreeling station supplying the sheath dispensing the sleeves are supported by the machine frame.

Claims

1. A machine for placing labeling sleeves on bottles, comprising:

an input station having a receiving unit for receiving the bottles on which a sleeve is to be placed;

a sleeve dispensing station fed with a continuous sheath of sleeves, for separating the sleeves;

a main turret fitted with units for receiving the bottles distributed regularly around the periphery of this turret, for receiving the bottles transferred by the input station as well as the sleeves to be placed on the bottles as they are rotated on the main turret;

an output station taking the bottles fitted with their sleeve from the main turret in order to discharge them;

a control system managing operation of the different machine components;

each receiving unit comprising a support receiving a bottle;

a unit with two suction arms to pick up a sleeve from said dispensing station and to open the sleeve by moving the two arms apart, and a slidable tool mounted parallel with the bottle, the displacement of which relative to the bottle is controlled by a roller which bears on an adjustable cam for receiving the sleeve in two stretching devices borne by the two suction arms, taking it by its two sides located in the peripheral direction by means of the two stretching devices which are controlled so as to move the sides apart, and lowering it so as to place it on the bottle, the top of the sleeve being fixed onto the bottle and said slidable tool being released from the bottom of the space between the bottle and the sleeve;

a coupling device for receiving said slidable tool by means of a mechanical hooking link, the control connections of the stretching devices being established simultaneously;

an unreeling station receiving a sheath of sleeves which are printed but not separated, having a cutter with a blade and counter-blade to cut off each sleeve at its junction with a subsequent sleeve; and

said cam controlling the travel of said slidable tool as it is lowered relative to the bottle while the main turret is being rotated and, in a final phase of lowering the sleeve onto the bottle, a relaxation level for the sleeve so as to allow the sleeve to be relaxed, the top thereof being retained on the bottle and the bottom being held taut by the stretching devices, then controlling the opening of said tool to release the bottom edge of the sleeve and finally enabling the release of the tool as it is lowered below the bottom edge of the sleeve place on the bottle.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said stretching devices comprise a front plate and a rounding plate, said front plate being of a shape matching that of a part of the bottle contour;

and

a guide surface controlled in translation by an actuator which bears a clamp and an actuator thereof, said clamp being applied against the front plate to clamp the bottom edge of a sleeve.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 in which said slidable tool is borne by a frame with two stretching devices symmetrically relative to the plane of symmetry of said tool, said frame having a top guide, a bottom guide, as well as jacks of said clamps and the jacks of the stretching devices, these jacks being mounted in series and powered in sequence in order to control a first stretching movement completed by a second stretching movement.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which said frame has two oblong fixing holes with a opening having a larger passage section to enable hooking onto the hooks of the receiving unit of the main turret, as well as fittings which, when the latter is in place, move onto the ends of the pneumatic pipes supplying the fluid to control the jacks of the tool.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said suction arms are made from a hollow prism-design component of rectangular section, terminated at the front by an offset section provided with a suction pad connected to the body by a bellows, these suction arms slidable engaging in recesses of a section matching the receiving unit.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said main turret bearing the receiving units is suspended from a tripod frame with three legs supported on the ground.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said unreeling station dispensing the sleeves has a cutting device having a cutting edge said cutting device with a fixed counter-blade bearing two guide rails receiving a mobile cutter, the cutting edge of which is inclined relative to that of the counter-blade and, in a rest position, it is above that of the counter-blade, the mobile cutter having a guide cam so that it can be guided underneath the counter-blade to create a cutting action of the scissor type by flexing the blade relative to the counter-blade.