Label stacking machine and method

• US 9,376,286 B1
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• 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, LeFevre, Brian, Cross, Patrick, Bethards, Gene, Aten, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, Linda L
• Application Number:
  US14/843,337
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method of making a pad of labels comprises: printing display information on a top surface of a substrate; affixing a first layer of lamination material to a bottom surface of the substrate; affixing a second layer of lamination material to the top surface of the substrate, the second layer of lamination material having a release coating applied to a top surface thereof; applying an adhesive strip to a bottom surface of the first layer of lamination material, the adhesive strip being covered by a liner material; cutting the substrate having first and second layers of lamination material affixed into at least one label; removing the liner material to expose the adhesive strip after cutting the substrate into at least one label; and arranging the labels into a pad of labels.

Claims

1. A method of making a pad of labels comprising:

providing a substrate having printed display material on a top surface of the substrate, a first layer of lamination material on a bottom surface of the substrate, a second layer of lamination material having a release coating on the top surface of the substrate, and an adhesive strip on the bottom surface of the substrate, the adhesive strip being covered by a liner material;

cutting the substrate into at least one label;

removing the liner material to expose the adhesive strip after cutting the substrate into at least one label; and

arranging the at least one label into a pad of labels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one label include a sheet of labels, and wherein the cutting step includes cutting through the substrate and the first and second layer of lamination material around an entire outer perimeter of a plurality of partially connected labels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cutting step includes cutting through the substrate along a majority of a boundary between adjacent labels leaving one or more ties to partially connect adjacent labels.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the cutting step includes partially cutting the at least one label proximate the adhesive strip such that the liner material is at least partially intact across the sheet of labels.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

pulling the at least partially intact liner downwardly from the at least one labels and winding the at least partially intact liner onto a spool.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

pulling a trim surrounding the entire outer perimeter of the plurality of partially connected labels upwardly from the plurality of partially connected labels and winding the trim onto a spool.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cutting step is performed using a rotary die.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the rotary die includes a plurality of cutting edges, at least one of the plurality of cutting edges extending radially further from the rotary die than another one of the plurality of cutting edges.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transporting the at least one label to a stacking station using a transfer conveyor having non-stick coated rollers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transporting the at least one label includes using a robot arm having a vacuum pick-head to lift the at least one label and place the at least one label onto the top of the pad of labels.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing, cutting, and arranging steps are controlled with reference to a store'"'"'s planogram, such that the pad of labels is sequenced according to the store'"'"'s planogram.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

printing the display information on the top surface of the substrate;

affixing the first layer of lamination material to the bottom surface of the substrate;

affixing the second layer of lamination material to the top surface of the substrate; and

applying the adhesive strip to the bottom surface of the first layer of lamination material.