Label applicator for syringe labeling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399726-B2
Application number	US-201615360635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2016
Priority date	Nov 23, 2016
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A label applicator for application of labels to the body of a syringe. The label applicator may be moved into position relative to a predetermined axis along which syringes of different respective sized may be disposed. In this regard, the label applicator may be operative to apply a label to an array of syringes of different sizes. Moreover, the label applicator may print label information onto the label regarding each individual syringe prior to application of a label to the syringe. This may allow for custom label application to each labeled syringe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A label applicator for application of a label to a syringe, comprising:
a syringe gripper that maintains a syringe in a position along a predetermined axis, wherein the syringe gripper rotates the syringe about the predetermined axis;
a printer that prints information onto a label disposed on a backing material; and
a peeler defining a path along which the label and the backing material is advanced, wherein the peeler separates the label from the backing material to dispose an adhesive portion of the label in engagement with the syringe;
wherein a rate of advancement of the label is based on a speed of rotation of the syringe by the syringe gripper,
wherein the printer and the peeler are mounted on a chassis that is moveable relative to the predetermined axis,
wherein the chassis is linearly moveable in a first direction relative to the predetermined axis, and wherein at least the peeler comprises a displaceable portion for movement relative to the chassis in a second direction different than the first direction,
wherein the displaceable portion comprises a cam follower that engages a cam that defines a prescribed movement of at least the peeler in the second direction for positioning of the adhesive portion of the label in engagement with the syringe upon separation of the label from the backing material,
wherein the syringe gripping apparatus engages different respective syringes of a plurality of diameters, and wherein the cam defines a plurality of positions relative to the linear motion of the chassis corresponding to the plurality of diameters.

2. The label applicator of claim 1 , wherein the prescribed movement comprises advancement of the peeler toward the predetermined axis in the second direction in response to movement of the chassis in the first direction, at least a component of the second direction being perpendicular to the linear motion of the chassis in the first direction.

3. The label applicator of claim 2 , wherein the displaceable portion is pivotal relative to the chassis.

4. The label applicator of claim 1 , wherein the syringe gripping apparatus comprises at least one roller, and wherein the peeler disposes the label in contacting engagement with the syringe relative to the roller such that the label passes between the at least one roller and the syringe after engagement of the adhesive portion of the label with the syringe and upon rotation of the syringe by the syringe gripping apparatus.

5. The label applicator of claim 1 , wherein the label comprises a width perpendicular to a direction of advancement of the label along the path, a length along the direction of advancement of the label along the path, a first side in contacting engagement with the backing material and a second side opposite the first side on which the printer prints the information, and wherein the adhesive portion extends on the first side along a first portion of the length of the label less than the length.

6. The label applicator of claim 5 , wherein the adhesive portion of the label is offset from a leading edge of the label relative to the direction of advancement.

7. The label applicator of claim 6 , wherein the adhesive portion of the label is offset from the leading edge of the label relative to the direction of advancement a distance less than the first portion of the length along which the adhesive portion extends.

8. The label applicator of claim 6 , wherein the label comprises a tacky portion on the first side in an area mutually exclusive of the adhesive portion, wherein the tacky portion is repeatedly detachably engageable with the second side of the label.

9. The label applicator of claim 1 , wherein the backing material comprises a plurality of labels for application to a corresponding plurality of syringes, wherein adjacent labels on the backing are spaced such that a subsequent label is printed after application of a given label to a syringe.

10. The label applicator of claim 9 , wherein the subsequent label is moved into position relative to the printer for printing on the subsequent label by reversing the backing material relative to the path prior to printing.

11. The label applicator of claim 1 , further comprising
a supply roll comprising a plurality of labels disposed on the backing material; and
a take-up roll about which backing material is wound subsequent to separation from the label, wherein the path is defined between the supply roll and the take-up roll; and
wherein the path comprises an inflection point at which the label is separated from the backing material, and wherein at least one roller is disposed for contacting engagement with the backing material to reduce friction between the backing material and the peeler adjacent to the inflection point.

Assignees

• Baxter Corp Englewood

Inventors

• Hutchison Iii James Robert
• Umanskiy Yuriy Konstantinovich

Classifications

• B65C3/12 Primary

  by rolling the labels onto cylindrical containers, e.g. bottles · CPC title

• B65C9/04

  having means for rotating the articles · CPC title

• B65C9/0015

  Preparing the labels or articles, e.g. smoothing, removing air bubbles · CPC title

• B65C9/0006

  Removing backing sheets · CPC title

• B65C3/02

  Affixing labels to elongated objects, e.g. wires, cables, bars, tubes · CPC title