Label stacking machine and method

• US 9,802,769 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2016
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Imaging Services, Inc. (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Imaging Services, Inc. (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Inventors: Browning, Paul, Bethards, Gene, Aten, Scott, LeFevre, Brian, Cross, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, Linda L
• Application Number:
  US15/132,429
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/20 with tools carried by a rotating drum or similar support B26F1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/384 using rotating drums
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/44 Cutters therefor; Dies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 2001/4481 having special lateral or edge outlines or special surface shapes, e.g. apertures
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 1/0075 by assembling, e.g. by laminating B31D1/0012 - B31D1/0068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 1/021 Making adhesive labels having a multilayered structure, e.g. provided on carrier webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 1/026 Cutting or perforating B31D1/022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 1/027 involving, marking, printing or coding
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/268 Release layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2519/00 Labels, badges
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0046 characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0076 characterised in that the layers are not bonded on the totality of their surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/025 Transfer laminating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1018 using only vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1292 selectively, e.g. in stripes, in patterns B32B37/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0004 Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1858 using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/04 by suction or magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/038 by rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/331 Skewing, correcting skew, i.e. changing slightly orientation of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/51538 : Die-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/192 : Labels carrying webs or liners B65H2701/194
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/0013 : and applying the article or the web by adhesive to a surface B65H35/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/0073 : Details
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 : for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/0255 : laminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/02 : Forms or constructions layered products B32B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/03 : of security seals means for indicating unauthorised opening of container closures B65D, e.g. B65D27/30, B65D55/02; theft deterrent tags E05B73/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/10 : by an adhesive layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 : with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 : Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1075 : of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1761 : Stacked serially
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1768 : Means simultaneously conveying plural articles from a single source and serially presenting them to an assembly station

Abstract

A device for stacking a plurality of partially connected labels into a plurality of partially connected pads of labels comprises a robot arm having at least one vacuum source configured to selectively supply a vacuum force. The device also includes a plate coupled to the robot arm and a flexible pad coupled to the plate and including a plurality of apertures configured to direct the majority of the vacuum force through the flexible pad to a surface of the plurality of partially connected labels.

Claims

1. A device for stacking a sheet of a plurality of partially connected labels into a stack forming a plurality of partially connected pads of labels, the device comprising:

a robot arm having at least one vacuum source configured to selectively supply a vacuum force;

a plate coupled to the robot arm; and

a flexible pad coupled to the plate and including a plurality of apertures configured to direct the majority of the vacuum force through the flexible pad to a surface of the sheet of the plurality of partially connected labels, the flexible pad including a layer of closed cell foam proximate to the robot arm and a layer of open cell foam distal to the robot arm,

wherein the at least one vacuum source is fluidly coupled with two or more of the plurality of apertures.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the apertures are approximately 5 mm in diameter.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the vacuum force is approximately 10 psi.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer of open cell foam is the most distally extending component of the device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are directly formed by the flexible pad and void of any additional structure.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one vacuum source is fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of apertures.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the robot arm is coupled to a plurality of struts configured to position the robot arm.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the robot arm is coupled to two or more struts configured to position the robot arm.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the robot arm is coupled to six struts configured to position the robot arm.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer of closed cell foam has a thickness of approximately ⅜

of an inch.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer of closed cell foam is comprised of a polyurethane foam.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer of open cell foam has a thickness of approximately ⅙

of an inch.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer of open cell foam has a lower density than the layer of closed cell foam.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer of closed cell foam has a thickness greater than a thickness of the layer of open cell foam.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer of closed cell foam has a thickness that is at least twice as great as a thickness of the layer of open cell foam.

16. A device for stacking a sheet of a plurality of partially connected labels into a stack forming a plurality of partially connected pads of labels, the device comprising:

a robot arm having at least one vacuum source configured to selectively supply a vacuum force, the robot arm coupled to a plurality of struts configured to position the robot arm;

a plate coupled to the robot arm; and

a flexible pad coupled to the plate and including a plurality of apertures configured to direct the majority of the vacuum force through the flexible pad to a surface of the sheet of the plurality of partially connected labels, the plurality of apertures being directly formed by the flexible pad and void of any additional structure, the flexible pad including a layer of closed cell foam proximate to the robot arm and a layer of open cell foam distal to the robot arm, the layer of open cell foam having a lower density than the layer of closed cell foam, the layer of closed cell foam having a thickness greater than a thickness of the layer of open cell foam, the layer of open cell foam being the most distally extending component of the device,

wherein the at least one vacuum source is fluidly coupled with two or more of the plurality of apertures.