Label applicator belt system

• US 9,221,573 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Lorence, James P., Previty, Richard, Green, Alan, Woznic, Frank B., Potter, Craig W., Worm, Harry, Sofie, Walt
• Primary Examiner(s): Gross, Carson
• Application Number:
  US13/575,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 156/84, 156184-187, 156/189, 156DIG 8-DIG 13, 156/DIG.36, 156/DIG.41, 156212-215
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/08 to container bodies B65C3/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/14 the container being positioned for labelling with its centre-line vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/16 by rolling the labels onto cylindrical containers, e.g. bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/163 where the label is of the wrap-around type
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/166 the label being shrunken after application
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/18 to container necks B65C3/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/02 Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/04 having means for rotating the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/30 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/34 Flexible bands
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/17 Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means

Abstract

A label applicator system is described comprising one or more, and preferably two, assemblies of rollers and belts. The assemblies are arranged relative to one another such that at least a portion of the belts of each assembly are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane. The assemblies are arranged and configured such that the lane extends in a zig-zag path, a relatively straight path, and/or an arcuate path. Selection of the lane geometry along with appropriate control of belt velocities enable high rates of applying labels to articles and particularly containers having compound curves.

Claims

1. A method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers, the first and second assemblies arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane having a region extending in at least two different directions, the method comprising:

initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label;

moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane;

introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane, the second location being located downstream of the first location and the region of the lane that extends in at least two different directions, whereby as the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

heating at least one of the first belt and the second belt to a temperature of at least 50°

C.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is different than the velocity of the second belt.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is substantially the same as the velocity of the second belt.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first collection of rollers includes at least one first drive roller and at least two first lane-defining rollers;

and wherein the second collection of rollers includes at least one second drive roller and at least two second lane-defining rollers.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the at least two first lane-defining rollers is disposed between two of the at least two second lane-defining rollers.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the at least two second-lane-defining rollers is disposed between two of the at least two first lane-defining rollers.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first belt includes a substrate layer for contacting rollers and a deformable layer for contacting articles.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the deformable layer comprises a flexible cellular material.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the flexible cellular material is a foamed polymeric material.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the flexible cellular material is a closed cell foam.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two different directions include a first direction and a second direction;

wherein an angular change between the first direction and the second direction is from about 10°

to about 35°

.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the angular change is from about 20°

to about 25°

.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has a compound curved outer surface.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a sphere.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a dome.

5. A method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers, the first and second assemblies arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane extending in an arcuate fashion, the method comprising:

initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label;

moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane;

introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane, the second location being located downstream of the first location, whereby as the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

heating at least one of the first belt and the second belt to a temperature of at least 50°

C.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is different than the velocity of the second belt.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is substantially the same as the velocity of the second belt.

21. The method of claim 5, wherein the first collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.

22. The method of claim 5, wherein the second collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.

23. The method of claim 5, wherein the first collection of rollers includes at least one first drive roller and at least two first lane-defining rollers;

and wherein the second collection of rollers includes at least one second drive roller and at least two second lane-defining rollers.

28. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has a compound curved outer surface.

29. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a sphere.

30. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid.

31. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a dome.

36. The method of claim 5, wherein an arcuate segment of the article receiving lane extends through an arc of 90°

.

37. The method of claim 5, wherein an arcuate segment of the article receiving lane extends through an arc of from about 5°

to about 180°

.

38. The method of claim 5, wherein an arcuate segment of the article receiving lane extends through an arc from about 45°

to about 120°

.

9. A method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers, the first and second assemblies arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane having a zig-zag configuration, the method comprising:

initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label;

moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane;

introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane, the second location being located downstream of the first location, whereby as the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.

32. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has a compound curved outer surface.

33. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a sphere.

34. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid.

35. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a dome.