Machine and method of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368648-A1
Application number	US-201414901811-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2013
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A labelling machine comprises a supply spool support for supporting a spool of label carrying web, a take up spool support adapted to take up a portion of web, and a first motive apparatus for transporting web along a web path between the supply spool support to the take up spool support, and a controller. The controller is configured to provide a control signal to the first motive apparatus, wherein the controller is further configured such that the controller provides a control signal to the first motive apparatus to accelerate the first motive apparatus between a first speed and a second speed by providing a control signal to the first motive apparatus to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a predetermined first intermediate speed intermediate the first and second speeds, then a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a second predetermined intermediate speed intermediate the first intermediate speed and the second speed, and then a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to the second speed.

First claim

1 . A labelling machine comprising:
a supply spool support for supporting a spool of label carrying web, a take up spool support adapted to take up a portion of web, and a first motive apparatus for transporting web along a web path between the supply spool support to the take up spool support, and a controller configured to provide a control signal to the first motive apparatus, wherein the controller is further configured such that the controller provides a control signal to the first motive apparatus to accelerate the first motive apparatus between a first speed and a second speed by providing a control signal to the first motive apparatus to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a predetermined first intermediate speed intermediate the first and second speeds, then a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a second predetermined intermediate speed intermediate the first intermediate speed and the second speed, and then a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to the second speed.

2 . A labelling machine according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to the first intermediate speed for a first time period, the controller is configured to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to the second intermediate speed for a second time period, and the controller is configured to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to the second speed for a third time period.

3 . A labelling machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second predetermined intermediate speeds are defined as a proportion of the second speed.

4 . A labelling machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second intermediate speeds are defined as the first speed plus a proportion of the difference between the first and second speeds.

5 . A labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein the first time period and/or second time period is a predetermined time.

6 . A labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein the labelling machine further includes an encoder configured to produce a sensor signal indicative of the speed of the label web along the web path, and wherein the first time period and/or second time period and/or third time period is ended when the controller receives a sensor signal from the encoder that indicates that the speed of the label web is a respective predetermined speed.

7 . A labelling machine according to claim 6 , wherein the encoder is configured to monitor rotation of a roller which defines a portion of the label web path.

8 . A labelling machine according to claim 7 , wherein the labelling machine includes printer comprising a printhead which is configured to press the label web against a print roller to effect printing, and wherein the encoder is configured to monitor the rotation of the print roller.

9 . A labelling machine according to claim 6 , wherein the respective predetermined speed is defined as a proportion of the second speed.

10 . A labelling machine according to claim 6 , wherein the respective predetermined speed is defined as the first speed plus a proportion of the difference between the first and second speeds.

11 . A labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein the acceleration during the first time period and/or the second time period and/or the third time period is a predetermined acceleration.

12 . A labelling machine according to claim 2 wherein the acceleration during the first time period is determined by the controller based on the first speed and the first intermediate speed.

13 . A method of controlling a labelling machine, the labelling machine comprising a supply spool support, a take up spool support, a first motive apparatus and a controller, the method comprising:
the supply spool support supporting a spool of label carrying web, the take up spool support taking up a portion of the web, the first motive apparatus transporting web along a web path between the supply spool support to the take up spool support, the controller providing a control signal to the first motive apparatus to accelerate the first motive apparatus between a first speed and a second speed by: providing a control signal to the first motive apparatus to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a predetermined first intermediate speed intermediate the first and second speeds, then providing a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a second predetermined intermediate speed intermediate the first intermediate speed and the second speed, and then providing a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to the second speed.

14 .- 41 . (canceled)

42 . A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying processor readable instructions operable to cause a processor to carry out the operations of:
providing a control signal to a first motive apparatus to accelerate the first motive apparatus between a first speed and a second speed by: providing a control signal to the first motive apparatus to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a predetermined first intermediate speed intermediate the first and second speeds, then providing a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to a second predetermined intermediate speed intermediate the first intermediate speed and the second speed, and then providing a control signal to command the first motive apparatus to accelerate to the second speed; wherein the first motive apparatus is configured to transport a web along a web path between a spool support of a labelling machine, supporting a spool of the web, to a take up spool support of a labelling machine, taking up a portion of the web.

43 . A labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein the acceleration during the second time period is determined by the controller based on the first intermediate speed and the second intermediate speed,

44 . A labelling machine according to claim 2 , wherein the acceleration during the second time period is determined by the controller based on the first intermediate speed and the second intermediate speed.

Assignees

• Videojet Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Pfeffer Gary
• Hart Philip
• Ellis Jeremy

Classifications

• B65C9/08

  Label feeding · CPC title

• B65C9/42 Primary

  Label feed control · CPC title