Labelling machine and method for applying labels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518568-B2
Application number	US-201916529288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2019
Priority date	Aug 1, 2018
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a labelling machine (1) for applying labels (2) to receptacles (3) comprising a web (11) having a succession of decorative patterns (15); a cutting unit (12) configured to cut said web (11) so as to obtain individual labels (2); a conveying means (14) configured to advance the individual labels (2); a control unit (17) configured to control a positioning of the web (11) in relation to a reference station (18); a determination device (19) configured to determine and/or detect a relative positioning of the decorative patterns (15) in relation to the reference station (18); and a removal device (20) configured to remove incorrect labels (2) that are determined and/or detected as a function of the relative positioning of the decorative patterns (15) in relation to the reference station (18). Also included is a method for applying labels (2).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A labelling machine ( 1 ) for applying labels ( 2 ) to receptacles ( 3 ) comprising:
a web ( 11 ) of labelling material positioned along a feed path (Q); said web ( 11 ) of labelling material having a succession of decorative patterns ( 15 ), each of which defining the extension of an individual label ( 2 );
a cutting unit ( 12 ) configured to cut said web ( 11 ) of labelling material into individual labels ( 2 ) at a cutting station ( 13 );
a conveying means ( 14 ) configured to advance the individual labels ( 2 ) from the cutting station ( 13 ) to at least one application station ( 5 ), at which the individual labels ( 2 ) are applied to the respective receptacles ( 3 );
a control unit ( 17 ) configured to control the labelling machine ( 1 ) in at least one set-up configuration in which the web ( 11 ) of labelling material is positioned in relation to a reference station ( 18 );
a determination device ( 19 ) configured to determine and/or detect at least in the set-up configuration of said labelling machine ( 1 ), a relative positioning of the decorative patterns ( 15 ) in relation to the reference station ( 18 );
a removal device ( 20 ) configured to remove labels ( 2 ) from the conveying means ( 14 ) at a removal station ( 19 ), at least when said labelling machine ( 1 ) is controlled into the set-up configuration;
wherein said determination device ( 19 ) comprises a processing unit ( 32 ) configured to determine and/or detect the advancement of an incorrect label ( 2 ) by said conveying means ( 14 ), the detection of an incorrect label is detected as a function of the relative positioning of the decorative patterns ( 15 ) in relation to said reference station ( 18 ), the relative positioning of the decorative patterns is obtained as a function of an advancement position of said web ( 11 ) of said labelling material, and the individual label ( 2 ) is marked by the processing unit ( 32 ) as an incorrect label where said individual label has portions of two subsequent decorative patterns ( 15 ) or has a longitudinal length that differs from a predetermined length;
wherein said control unit ( 17 ) is configured to control at least said removal device ( 20 ) so as to remove said incorrect label ( 2 ) from the conveying means ( 14 ); and
wherein the machine further comprises a position sensor configured to determine and/or detect an advancement position of said web ( 11 ) of labelling material.

2. The labelling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said determination device ( 19 ) comprises:
a sensor ( 33 ) configured to generate a detection signal (S d ) indicative of visual characteristics of said decorative patterns ( 15 );
a memory configured to store respective characterisation information associated with said decorative patterns ( 15 ), for a number of different types and/or formats of said decorative patterns ( 15 ); and
a processing unit ( 32 ), operatively coupled with said sensor ( 33 ) and said memory, and configured to receive and process said detection signal (S d ) for determining the relative positioning of said decorative patterns ( 15 );
wherein said processing unit ( 32 ) at least when in use, said labelling machine ( 1 ) is controlled in the set-up configuration, is configured so as to recover from said memory, as a function of a current type and/or format of said decorative patterns ( 15 ), the respective characterisation information, and to determine said relative positioning based on comparison between said characterisation information and information associated with said detection signal (S d ).

3. The labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein said processing unit ( 32 ) is also configured to obtain and store in a database incorporated in said memory said respective characterisation information for each type and/or format of said decorative patterns ( 15 ).

4. The labelling machine according to claim 3 , wherein said processing unit ( 32 ) is configured such to obtain said characterisation information based on the detection signal (S d ) generated by said sensor ( 33 ) in association with a number of reference decorative patterns of said web ( 11 ) of labelling material.

5. The labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein said sensor ( 33 ) is configured to obtain said detection signal (S d ) as a function of variations of contrast and/or colours and/or light intensity in the image of said decorative patterns.

6. The labelling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said removal device ( 20 ) comprises a suction assembly configured to generate a suction force for removing said incorrect label ( 2 ) from said conveying means ( 14 ).

7. The labelling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said conveying means ( 14 ) comprises a conveyor drum ( 31 ) configured to retain the individual labels ( 2 ) during the advancement of the labels ( 2 ) from said cutting station ( 13 ) to at least said application station ( 5 );
wherein said removal device ( 20 ) is arranged adjacent to said conveyor drum ( 31 ) at least at the removal station ( 21 ).

8. A method for applying labels ( 2 ) to receptacles ( 3 ) comprising:
providing a web ( 11 ) of labelling material along an advancement path; said web ( 11 ) of labelling material having a succession of repeated decorative patterns ( 15 );
cutting said web ( 11 ) of labelling material into individual labels ( 2 ) at a cutting station ( 13 );
advancing the individual labels ( 2 ) from the cutting station ( 13 ) to at least one application station ( 5 ) by a conveying means ( 14 ); and
determining and/or detecting a relative positioning of the decorative patterns ( 15 ) in relation to a reference station ( 18 ) by a determination device ( 19 );
wherein an incorrect label ( 2 ) is removed from the conveying means ( 14 ) depending on a relative positioning of the decorative patterns ( 15 ) in relation to the reference station ( 18 );
wherein the method further comprises:
advancing the web ( 11 ) of labelling material along an advancement path; the patterns ( 15 ) comprising a succession of repeated decorative patterns ( 15 ), each of which defining the extension of an individual label ( 2 );
positioning the web ( 11 ) of labelling material ( 2 ) in relation to a reference station ( 18 ) at least during a set-up step;
wherein the positioning step further comprises:
determining and/or detecting a relative positioning of the decorative patterns ( 15 ) in relation to the reference station ( 18 );
determining and/or detecting the advancement of an incorrect label ( 2 ) as a function of the relative positioning of the decorative patterns ( 15 ) in relation to said reference station ( 18 );
removing the incorrect labels ( 2 ) during the step of advancement of the labels ( 2 ) at a removal station ( 21 );
wherein during the step of determining and/or detecting the advancement of an incorrect label, said incorrect label is detected also as a function of the advancement position of said web of labelling material.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the incorrect label is determined and/or detected as a function of the relative positioning of the decorative patterns ( 15 ) in relation to said reference station ( 18 ) if an individual label ( 2 ) has portions of two subsequent decorative patterns ( 15 ) and, if so, said label is marked as an incorrect label.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the relative positioning further comprising:
generating, by a sensor ( 33 ) a detection signal (S d ) indicative of visual characteristics of said decorative patterns ( 15 );
receiving and processing, by a processing unit ( 32 ) operatively coupled to said sensor ( 33 ), said detection signal (S d ) to de

Assignees

• Sidel Participations

Inventors

• Veneziani Nicola
• Vignali Matteo

Classifications

• B65C2009/404

  prior to labelling · CPC title

• B65C9/0065

  Cutting tubular labels from a web · CPC title

• B65H2701/192

  Labels · CPC title

• B65C9/1803

  the labels being cut from a strip · CPC title

• B65C9/40 Primary

  Controls; Safety devices · CPC title