Device and method for detecting the actual position of at least one label transfer element of a labeling machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969519-B2
Application number	US-201013321616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2010
Priority date	Aug 31, 2009
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and an associated method for detecting the actual position (P) of at least one label transfer element ( 2 ) of a labeling machine relative to the peripheral surface ( 3 ′) of a container ( 3 ) to be labeled, such as bottles, cans, cardboard boxes, and the like, comprising at least one sensor unit ( 5, 6 ) and at least one control and evaluation unit ( 7 ) operatively connected to the at least one sensor unit, wherein the at least one container ( 3 ) to be labeled is arranged so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis (DA) in a movement and transport plane (E). Especially advantageously, a three-dimensional detection space is associated with the at least one label transfer element ( 2 ) and the particular container ( 3 ) to be labeled, a coordinate sys tem having three coordinate axes (x, y, z) spanning said three-dimensional detection space, and the at least one sensor unit ( 5, 6 ) being designed to contactlessly detect the actual position (P) of the label transfer element ( 2 ) relative to the peripheral surface ( 3 ′) of the container ( 3 ) in the three-dimensional detection space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a bottle-labeling machine for applying a label to a peripheral surface of a container that is arranged for movement in a transport plane and about an axis of rotation, wherein said bottle labeling machine comprises a labeling machine, wherein said labeling machine comprises a label-transfer element, a sensor system, a position-detection element, and a control-and-evaluation unit, wherein said sensor system comprises a sensor unit, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said label-transfer element, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said position-detection element, wherein said position-detection element is detectable by said sensor unit, wherein said position-detection element is disposed on said label-transfer element, wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is operatively connected to said sensor unit, and wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is configured to detect, based on a detected position of said position-detection element, an actual position of said label-transfer element relative to said peripheral surface of said container in a three-dimensional detection space, wherein said sensor unit comprises an electronic ruler that is configured to detect a position of a label on a container.

2. An apparatus comprising a bottle-labeling machine for applying a label to a peripheral surface of a container that is arranged for movement in a transport plane and about an axis of rotation wherein said bottle labeling machine comprises a labeling machine, wherein said labeling machine comprises a label-transfer element, a sensor system, a position-detection element, and a control-and-evaluation unit, wherein said sensor system comprises a sensor unit, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said label-transfer element, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said position-detection element, wherein said position-detection element is detectable by said sensor unit, wherein said position-detection element is disposed on said label-transfer element, wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is operatively connected to said sensor unit, and wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is configured to detect, based on a detected position of said position-detection element, an actual position of said label-transfer element relative to said peripheral surface of said container in a three-dimensional detection space, wherein said sensor unit comprises an end position/zero position sensor that is configured to be triggered by movement of said label-transfer element along a pre-defined direction past a trigger point.

3. An apparatus comprising a bottle-labeling machine for applying a label to a peripheral surface of a container that is arranged for movement in a transport plane and about an axis of rotation, wherein said bottle labeling machine comprises a labeling machine, wherein said labeling machine comprises a label-transfer element, a sensor system, a position-detection element, and a control-and-evaluation unit, wherein said sensor system comprises a sensor unit, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said label-transfer element, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said position-detection element, wherein said position-detection element is detectable by said sensor unit, wherein said position-detection element is disposed on said label-transfer element, wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is operatively connected to said sensor unit, and wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is configured to detect, based on a detected position of said position-detection element, an actual position of said label-transfer element relative to said peripheral surface of said container in a three-dimensional detection space, wherein first sensor unit comprises an electro-optical sensor, downstream electronic image processing, and a laser pointer fixedly connected to said labeling machine, and wherein said laser pointer is aimed at a target on said label-transfer element.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said position-detection element is directly connected to said label-transfer element.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said sensor unit is configured for contact-free detection of a position of said position-detection element.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is configured to compare a detected reference pattern with a stored pattern, and wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is further configured to determine an actual position of said label-transfer element based at least in part on said comparison.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said first sensor unit comprises an electronic inclination sensor that is disposed to detect an inclination of said label-transfer element relative to an axis thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said label-transfer element is a self-adhesive labeling element, and wherein said self-adhesive labeling element comprises a dispensing edge.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said label-transfer element comprises a hot-glue labeling element, and wherein said hot-glue labeling element comprises a vacuum drum.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said label-transfer element comprises a cold-glue labeling element, wherein said cold-glue labeling element comprises a control system and a gripper cylinder.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a rotary plate apparatus to arrange said container to be labeled in such a way as to be able to rotate about a longitudinal axis of said container.

12. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said position-detection element comprises a body having a body edge.

13. An apparatus comprising a bottle-labeling machine for applying a label to a peripheral surface of a container that is arranged for movement in a transport plane and about an axis of rotation, wherein said bottle labeling machine comprises a labeling machine, wherein said labeling machine comprises a label-transfer element, a sensor system, a position-detection element, and a control-and-evaluation unit, wherein said sensor system comprises a sensor unit, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said label-transfer element, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said position-detection element, wherein said position-detection element is detectable by said sensor unit, wherein said position-detection element is disposed on said label-transfer element, wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is operatively connected to said sensor unit, and wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is configured to detect, based on a detected position of said position-detection element, an actual position of said label-transfer element relative to said peripheral surface of said container in a three-dimensional detection space, wherein said position-detection element comprises a body having a reference pattern surface.

14. An apparatus comprising a bottle-labeling machine for applying a label to a peripheral surface of a container that is arranged for movement in a transport plane and about an axis of rotation, wherein said bottle labeling machine comprises a labeling machine, wherein said labeling machine comprises a label-transfer element, a sensor system, a position-detection element, and a control-and-evaluation unit, wherein said sensor system comprises a sensor unit, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said label-transfer element, wherein said sensor unit is directed toward said position-detection element, wherein said position-detection element is detectable by said sensor unit, wherein said position-detection element is disposed on said label-transfer element, wherein said control-and-evaluation unit is opera

Assignees

• Putzer Frank
• Stenner Holger
• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Putzer Frank
• Stenner Holger

Classifications

• B65C9/40 Primary

  Controls; Safety devices · CPC title