Labelling machine with a controlled brake assembly and method of its operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10507947-B2
Application number	US-201515523112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

A labelling machine comprises a supply spool support for supporting a supply spool comprising label stock; a take-up spool support adapted to take up a portion of the label stock; a motive device configured to propel the label stock along a web path from the supply spool support towards the take up spool support; a first arrangement configured to produce a first signal indicative of a speed at which label stock is removed from the supply spool by the motive device; a controller configured to receive the first signal and output a brake assembly control signal based upon the first signal; and a brake assembly configured to apply a braking force to the supply spool support based upon the brake assembly control signal, the braking force resisting rotation of the supply spool support. The controller is configured to output the brake assembly control signal based upon a target supply spool speed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A labelling machine comprising:
a supply spool support for supporting a supply spool comprising a label stock;
a take-up spool support adapted to take up a portion of the label stock;
a motive device configured to propel the label stock along a web path from the supply spool support towards the take up spool support;
a first arrangement configured to produce a first signal indicative of a speed at which label stock is removed from the supply spool by the motive device;
a controller configured to receive the first signal and output a brake assembly control signal based upon the first signal;
a brake assembly configured to apply a braking force to the supply spool support based upon the brake assembly control signal, the braking force resisting rotation of the supply spool support;
wherein the controller is configured to output the brake assembly control signal based upon a target supply spool speed.

2. A labelling machine according to claim 1 , wherein the labelling machine is configured such that the labelling machine undertakes a labelling operation in which the label stock is propelled along a web path from the supply spool support towards the take up spool support, and wherein the target supply spool speed is set based upon a speed of the label stock along the web path during the labelling operation.

3. A labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein the labelling machine comprises a linear speed sensor configured to output a speed signal indicative of a speed of the label web along the web path, and wherein the controller is configured to determine an average speed of the label stock along the web path during the labelling operation based on the speed signal.

4. A labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein the target supply spool speed is set after the labelling operation.

5. A labelling machine according to claim 3 , wherein the labelling machine is configured such that the labelling operation comprises another portion of the label stock being accelerated by the motive device from rest to a labelling speed, the label stock being conveyed by the motive device at the labelling speed for a first duration of time, the label stock being decelerated from the labelling speed to rest, and the label stock being at rest for a second period of time before a subsequent labelling operation commences.

6. A labelling machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a movable element which defines a portion of a web path between the supply spool and the take-up spool support; and a second arrangement configured to produce a second signal indicative of the position of the movable element and to provide said second signal to the controller.

7. A labelling machine according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an average position of the movable element during a labelling operation based on the second signal, and the controller is configured to modify the target supply spool speed based on a comparison between the average position of the movable element and a target position value indicative of a desired target position of the movable element.

8. A labelling machine according to claim 7 , further comprising a linear displacement sensor configured to output a third signal indicative of a linear displacement of the label stock along the web path.

9. A labelling machine according to claim 8 , wherein the first arrangement comprises the second arrangement and the linear displacement sensor, wherein the first signal comprises a second and third signals and wherein the controller is configured to determine a first measure indicative of a speed at which label stock is removed from the supply spool by the motive device by:
determining a second measure indicative of the speed of linear displacement of the label stock along the label web path based on the third signal,
determining a third measure indicative of a rate of change of a length of the web path based on the second signal, and
adding the second and third measures or subtracting one of the second and third measures from the other of the second and third measures.

10. A labelling machine as claimed according to claim 9 wherein a first operating zone of the movable element is defined by a first range of positions of the movable element.

11. A labelling machine according to 10 , wherein a second operating zone of the movable element is defined by a second range of positions of the movable element, and wherein the controller is configured such that when the second signal is indicative of the movable element being within the second operating zone, the controller modifies the target supply spool speed so that the target supply spool speed is reduced.

12. A labelling machine according to claim 11 wherein the labelling machine is configured such that the controller modifies the target supply spool speed so that the target supply spool speed is substantially equal to a current instantaneous speed of the label stock along the label web path or a live average speed of the label stock along the label web path based on movement of the label stock along the label web path since commencement of a current labelling operation.

Assignees

• Videojet Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Pfeffer Gary

Classifications

• B65C9/42

  Label feed control · CPC title

• B65C9/1865 Primary

  the labels adhering on a backing strip · CPC title