Method for aligning a strip of labels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10061292-B2
Application number	US-201414766091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2014
Priority date	Feb 14, 2013
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A method for aligning a strip of labels, which contains a plurality of labels, relative to a cutting device, wherein the strip of labels is cut into labels by the cutting device that are subsequently applied to containers. In a learning mode, the strip of labels is automatically transported by a transport device and the position of the strip of labels relative to the cutting device is detected by a position sensor disposed as a first camera, and, in an aligning mode, an operator can then enter a desired cutting parameter in a machine control unit of an input unit. Information indicated of the desired cutting parameter relative to the strip of labels is then displayed to the operator on a screen, and the machine control unit controls the cutting device on the basis of the desired cutting parameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for aligning a strip of labels having a plurality of labels relative to a cutting device, wherein the strip of labels is cut into labels by the cutting device that are subsequently applied to containers,
in a learning mode,
automatically transporting the strip of labels by a transport device, and
detecting the position of the strip of labels relative to the cutting device by means of a position sensor embodied as a first camera,
evaluating a camera image of the position sensor representing the strip of labels with a first image-processing unit,
automatically detecting an actual cutting parameter for the cutting device providing a suggested cutting position relative to the strip of labels,

and then in an aligning mode,
displaying on a screen the camera image of the position sensor representing the strip of labels,
displaying information indicative of the actual cutting parameter on the screen relative to the strip of labels,
permitting an operator to enter a desired cutting parameter in a machine control unit by means of an input unit,
displaying the desired cutting parameter as a line relative to the camera image representing the strip of labels to the operator on the screen, and
controlling, via the machine control unit, the cutting device on the basis of the desired cutting parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1 , and storing the desired cutting parameter in a database.

3. The method according to claim 1 , and storing the actual cutting parameter in a database.

4. The method according to claim 1 , and, then in a quality assurance mode, detecting the cut strip of labels via a quality assurance unit embodied as a second camera.

5. The method according to claim 4 , and the quality assurance unit automatically detecting a cutting position at the cut strip of labels with the aid of a second image-processing unit and displaying information indicative of the cutting position on the screen relative to the cut strip of labels.

6. The method according to claim 5 , and, then in a correction mode, the machine control unit automatically correcting a deviation of the desired cutting parameter from the cutting position.

7. The method according to claim 5 , and storing the cutting position in a database.

8. A labeling machine for labeling containers, comprising:
a transport device for transporting a strip of labels with a plurality of labels,
a cutting unit for cutting the strip of labels,
a position sensor embodied as a first camera for detecting the position of the strip of labels relative to the cutting unit,
a machine control unit with a screen and an input unit,
the input unit is embodied to at least one of enter or correct a desired cutting parameter,
the screen is embodied to display a camera image of the position sensor representing the strip of labels and the desired cutting parameter as a line relative to the camera image representing the strip of labels, and a cutting position of the cutting unit is controllable by the machine control unit on the basis of the desired cutting parameter,
a quality assurance unit for detecting the cut strip of labels, wherein the quality assurance unit comprises a second camera, and
an image processing unit embodied to evaluate a cutting position from a camera image of the cut strip of labels.

9. The labeling machine according to claim 8 , further comprising a first image-processing unit for evaluating the position of the strip of labels from a camera image of the position sensor, and wherein the image processing unit comprises a second image processing unit.

10. The labeling machine according to claim 9 , wherein the first image-processing unit is embodied to detect transformation-invariant features of the plurality of labels.

11. The labeling machine according to claim 9 , wherein the first image-processing unit is embodied to compare the camera image with a reference image.

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Püschner Armin
• Weiss Markus

Classifications

• B65C9/44

  by special means responsive to marks on labels or articles (feed control in wrapping B65B) · CPC title

• G05B2219/49372

  Optimize toolpath pattern for a given cutting layer, mounting sequence · CPC title

• B65C9/1803 Primary

  the labels being cut from a strip · CPC title

• B65C2009/404

  prior to labelling · CPC title

• G05B19/402 Primary

  characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position (G05B19/19 takes precedence) · CPC title