Vacuum drum for a labeling unit, and labeling unit having a vacuum drum of this type

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535413-B2
Application number	US-201917287176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2019
Priority date	Nov 29, 2018
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

A vacuum drum for container labeling includes vacuum holders for holding a label. Each holder has a bistable rotational switch that switches between operating positions as a result of its switch actuator interacting with stationary switches during the drum's rotation. In one operating position, a label receives glue from a glue station. In the other, the holders avoid engagement with the glue station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a drum for a labelling unit of a labelling machine for labeling containers, said drum being a vacuum drum that comprises a drum surface, said drum surface being a circumferential surface, a drum axis, and a vacuum-holder pair that rotates with said drum about said drum, wherein said vacuum-holder pair comprises front and rear holders provided at said surface and offset relative to one another along said rotation direction, said holders being vacuum holders, wherein said front and rear holders hold corresponding front and rear ends of a label as said label is held against said drum's surface, wherein each of said front and rear holders comprises a rotational switch that can be switched between two operating positions said rotational switch being a bistable switch comprising a switch actuator that causes said rotational switch to switch between said operating positions, wherein said rotational switch, after having been switched into an operating position, remains in said operating position, wherein, said rotational switch switches said front and rear vacuum holders between first and second operating positions, wherein said first operating position is a radially-inner position in which said pair is movable without contact past a gluer that is next to said drum, wherein said second operating position is a radially-outer position in which said vacuum holder pair enables said gluer to apply glue to said label, and wherein said switch actuator engages a stationary switch to initiate a switch between said operating positions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said drum further comprises segments arranged around a drum axis, wherein vacuum-holder pair is one of a plurality of vacuum-holder pairs, each of which is one of said segments, wherein said front and rear vacuum holders of each of said vacuum-holder pairs are switchable separately from each other between said operating positions using corresponding rotational switches thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a front pad and a rear pad, said pads being vacuum pads, wherein said front pad is disposed at said front holder, wherein said rear pad is disposed at said rear holder, wherein said front pad is configured to switch between said radially-outer position and said radially-inner position by said front holder's rotational switch, and wherein said rear pad is configured such as to be switched between said outer working position and said inner maintenance position by said rear holder's rotational switch.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rotational switch comprises a U-shaped carrier, wherein said carrier comprises side limbs, a rotatable pivot axis extending between said side limbs along a direction parallel to said drum axis, and at least two rocker levers arranged along said pivot axis, wherein movement of said rocker levers causes said rotational switch to change state.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rotational switch further comprises a punch that is biased by a spring force and that is guided to move axially, wherein said punch has a first end that has a sealed connection with a nozzle body on which a vacuum pad is arranged and a second end that engages a rocker lever.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rotational switch further comprises a pivot axis and rocker levers, wherein said rocker levers are arranged at said pivot axis to pivot between said operating positions, wherein each of said rocker levers comprises first and second switching surfaces, wherein said first switching surface engages said pivot axis in said first operating position, and wherein said second switching surface engages said pivot axis in said second operating position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rotational switch comprises rocker levers and vacuum pads, wherein said rocker levers switch between said first and second operating positions, wherein said first operating position results in said vacuum pad being retained in a working position, and wherein said second working position results in said vacuum pad being retained in a maintenance position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rotational switch comprises a pivot axis, a punch, and rocker levers having switching surfaces, wherein said punch moves in a radial direction relative to said drum, wherein movement of said punch engages said switching surfaces to cause said rotational switch to transition between said operating positions, wherein said stationary switch initiates pivoting of said switch actuator to permit said movement of said punch.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a base, wherein said switch actuators comprise free ends, wherein said free ends for switch actuators of front and rear holders lie in different horizontal planes at different heights above said base.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stationary switch comprises a pivotable lever having a control surface for engaging said actuator to initiate switching of said rotational switch.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stationary switch is one of a plurality of stationary switches, wherein each of said stationary switches comprises a pivotable lever having at least one control surface, and wherein at least one of said pivotable levers comprises two control surfaces.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stationary switch is configured to use a control surface thereof to press said switch actuator radially inward, thereby initiating transition of said rotational switch into said radially-inner position.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rotational switch is a rotational switch of said rear holder, wherein said stationary switch is configured to use a control surface thereof to press said switch actuator of said rotational switch radially inward to initiate transition of said rotational switch into said radially-inner position.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stationary switch is one of at least three stationary switches, among which is a third stationary switch having first and second control surfaces, wherein said third stationary switch is configured to press said actuator radially away from said drum axis to initiate transition of said rotational switches into said radially-outer position.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said switch actuator comprises a bolt.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a labeling machine for labeling containers with a roll-fed label, said labeling machine comprising said drum.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said switch actuator comprises a roller.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said switch actuator comprises a tag.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said switch actuator comprises a sleeve.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said switch actuator comprises a freely-rotating roller.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Niehoff Patrick
• Klöpper Gerhard
• Deckert Lutz
• Schleweis Daniel

Classifications

• Y10T156/1033

  Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina · CPC title

• B65C9/2256

  Applying the liquid on the label · CPC title

• B65C9/1819 Primary

  the suction means being a vacuum drum · CPC title