Technical Field

The present invention relates to a labeling device.

Background Art

The labeling device finds a preferred, but not exclusive, application in product packaging machines or lines in order to apply to the packaged product a label containing, e.g., information about the product and/or its packaging.

Usually, the known packaging machines or lines are provided with a conveyor belt for the movement of a product between different areas where special units or assemblies are positioned which are adapted to carry out the packaging operations. At the end of the packaging process, the conveyor belt moves the product to a labeling area where the labeling device is adapted to apply a label to the packaged product.

The labeling assemblies are generally provided with a labeler of known type which dispenses a label from a special port and an applicator device adapted to pick up the label to apply it to the product. The labeler is positioned above the conveyor belt and the applicator device moves the label vertically towards the transiting product.

For this purpose, the applicator device is provided with a horizontal arm, preferably elbow-shaped, mounted on a vertical arm, in a sliding manner e.g. by means of straight guides. In addition, the applicator device comprises an applicator pad connected to the horizontal arm and adapted to pick up the label, e.g. by means of suction.

The applicator device is also provided with a motor that, by means of a belt system, moves the horizontal arm along a direction of application in order to intercept the label, grip it and apply it to the product.

This well-known solution does however feature several problems related to the fact that the adhesive side of the label, during the movement thereof, comes into contact with one edge of the dispensing port, leaving glue on the latter which, with the prolonged use of the labeler, accumulates and hinders the dispensing of new labels. In fact, the presence of glue on the label dispensing port may cause jamming of the labeler, which requires considerable maintenance operations to remove the stuck labels and the glue present on the port. This leads to a substantial slowdown in the production rhythm of the packaging machine, as it is strongly bound by the label application speed.

In addition, the presence of glue may cause labels to wrinkle, resulting in a lot of wasted material.

A further drawback concerns the fact that, in the labelers of known type, the label may only be applied to the product in one direction, thus limiting the possible configurations.

Description of the Invention

Therefore, the main aim of the present invention is to devise a labeling device capable of keeping a constant label application speed so as to ensure high production rate by means of a simple and effective solution.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a labeling device that requires very few maintenance jobs.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a labeling device capable of preventing, during the movement of the label, the latter from coming into contact with the dispensing port.

A further object of the present invention is to devise a labeling device by which a label oriented in different ways can be applied to a product.

The objects set out above are achieved by the present labeling device having the characteristics of claim 1.

The aforementioned objects are achieved by the present labeling system having the characteristics of claim 8.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a labeling device, illustrated by way of an indicative, yet non-limiting example, in the accompanying tables of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a labeling device according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the labeling device in Figure 1 wherein the applicator body is in the first working position,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the labeling device in Figure 1 wherein the applicator body is in the second working position,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the labeling system according to the invention,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the labeling system according to the invention.

Fmbodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to such figures, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a labeling device. Preferably, the labeling device 1 is associated with a packaging machine in order to apply a label to a product.

The term “label” is intended to indicate any adhesive sheet applicable to a packaged product wherein information regarding the product and/or packaging operations is shown. The label can be made with different materials, such as e.g. paper, plastic films.

As shown in Figure 1, the labeling device 1 comprises a labeler 2 provided with a dispensing port 3 for dispensing at least one label 4 provided with at least one adhesive face 4a.

The dispensing port 3 comprises at least one edge 3a, in use, facing the adhesive face 4a.

In general, the labeler 2 is any device or printer of known type configured to dispense one or more labels 4 bearing one or more pieces of information to be associated with the product P.

Conveniently, the labeling device 1 comprises at least one applicator assembly 5 provided with at least one applicator body 6 configured to grip the label 4 and apply it to a product P. For this purpose, the labeling device 1 is provided with movement means 7 of the applicator assembly 5 along a direction of movement ai, along which the applicator body 6 abuts against the label 4 in a pick-up configuration, by gripping it, to apply it to the product P.

Advantageously, the labeling device 1 comprises spacer means 8 configured to move, during the movement of the applicator assembly 5 along the direction of movement ai, the applicator body 6 between at least a first working position, wherein it approaches the dispensing port 3 to grip the label 4, and a second working position, wherein it is moved away from the dispensing port 3, thus preventing the adhesive face 4a from coming into contact with the edge 3a in the pick-up configuration. In detail, the spacer means 8 move the applicator body 6 in a direction of away movement substantially transverse to the direction of movement ai.

Preferably, the direction of movement ai is substantially vertical, the applicator body 6 is arranged at least partly horizontally, and the direction of away movement is substantially horizontal.

In the context of the present disclosure, the terms “upper” and “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “vertical” and “horizontal”, as used with reference to the labeling device 1, shall be understood to refer to the conditions of normal use of the labeling device 1, i.e., those illustrated in Figure 1 wherein it is arranged above the product P to be labeled.

As shown in Figure 2, the applicator assembly 5 comprises at least one supporting body 9. The applicator body 6 is coupled to the supporting body 9 movable with respect to the latter. Thus, during the movement of the applicator assembly 5 along the direction of movement ai, the spacer means 8 may act on the applicator body 6 to move it between the first and the second working positions.

In one or more embodiments, the applicator body 6 is coupled to the supporting body 9 movable in rotation around an axis of rotation a2 substantially parallel to the direction of movement ai. In such versions, the spacer means 8 are configured to rotate the applicator body 6 around the axis of rotation a2 between the first working position and the second working position.

Preferably, the labeler 2 has a substantially boxy shape wherein there are a sidewall 2a and a front face 2b arranged substantially vertically. Preferably, the supporting body 9 is mounted on the sidewall 2a and the dispensing port 3 is arranged on the front face 2b of the labeler 2. In such a case, the applicator body 6 has a substantially “L” shape in which there are a first portion 6a arranged along the sidewall 2a and a second portion 6b arranged along the front face 2b of the labeler 2.

Preferably, the first portion 6a of the applicator body 6 is hinged to the supporting body 9 by means of a pin 10 arranged substantially parallel to the direction of movement ai.

Conveniently, the movement means 7 comprise a straight guide 11 arranged substantially parallel to the direction of movement ai. The applicator assembly 5 is mounted on the straight guide 11 so as to slide along the direction of movement ai. Preferably, the applicator assembly 5 is mounted on the straight guide 11 by means of a suitable skid, not shown in the figures, associated in a sliding manner with the straight guide 11.

The movement means 7 also comprise an actuator 12 connected to the applicator assembly 5 by means of known transmission members in order to move the applicator assembly 5 along the straight guide 11.

Advantageously, the spacer means 8 are provided with at least a first and a second abutment portions 13, 14 mounted on the applicator body 6 and the labeler 2 respectively, substantially along the direction of movement ai. The abutment portions 13, 14 abutting against each other in the pick-up configuration, move the applicator body 6 from the first working position to the second working position.

Conveniently, the second abutment portion 14 is positioned between an upper sliding element 15 and a lower sliding element 16 configured to abut against the first abutment portion 13 when the applicator body 6 is in the first working position and in the second working position, respectively. The sliding elements 15, 16 are substantially flat and arranged in the proximal and distal position respectively, with respect to the labeler 2 in two planes parallel to each other and to the direction of movement ai. The second abutment portion 14 is arranged substantially inclined to connect the sliding elements 15, 16 to each other in order to act as guidance for the first abutment portion 13. In this way, during the movement of the applicator assembly 5 along the direction of movement ai, the second abutment portion 14 acts as guidance for the passage of the first abutment portion 13 from the upper sliding element 15 to the lower sliding element 16, thereby causing the applicator body 6 to rotate.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the sliding elements 15, 16 are arranged along the direction of movement ai downstream and upstream respectively, of the second abutment portion 14 so that, when the first abutment portion 13 abuts against the sliding elements 15, 16, the applicator body 6 is in the first working position and in the second working position, respectively.

Conveniently, the spacer means 8 comprise at least one elastically deformable element 17 positioned between the supporting body 9 and the applicator body 6, the elastically deformable element 17 being unloaded in the first working position, tending to keep the applicator body 6 in the first working position, and being loaded in the second working position, tending to move the applicator body 6 to the first working position. The elastically deformable element 17 allows the abutment portions 13, 14 to be kept in contact with each other at least when the applicator body 6 is in the pick-up configuration. Preferably, the elastically deformable element 17 allows the first abutment portion 13 to be kept in contact with the sliding elements 15, 16 during the movement along the direction of movement ai. Preferably, the elastically deformable element 17 is a spring of the helical type. In one or more versions, the spacer means 8 are arranged on the sidewall of the labeler 2. In particular, the first abutment portion 13 is mounted on the first portion 6a of the applicator body 6 and projects towards the second abutment portion 14, the latter being positioned between the applicator body 6 and the sidewall 2a of the labeler 2.

In summary, the application of a label 4 to a product P is carried out by first arranging the applicator body 6 in the first working position wherein the first abutment portion 13 is arranged in contact with the upper sliding element 15 and the applicator body 6 is positioned above the dispensing port 3. After dispensing the label 4, the movement means 7 moves the applicator assembly 5 along the direction of movement ai to arrange the applicator body 6 in the pick-up configuration of the label 4. When the applicator body 6 is in the pick-up configuration, the first abutment portion 13 abuts against the second abutment portion 14 by moving the applicator body 6 in rotation around the axis of rotation a2 to reach the second working position wherein the first abutment portion 13 is arranged in contact with the lower sliding element 16. At this point, the movement means 7 move the applicator assembly 5 towards the product to apply the label 4.

Conveniently, the applicator body 6 comprises an applicator device 18 configured to grip the label 4 when the applicator body 6 is in the pick-up position. The applicator device 18 is associated movable with the applicator body 6 so that, after gripping the label 4, it can vary the orientation thereof. This allows a label 4 arranged in different orientations to be applied to the packaged product P according to the operator’s preference.

Preferably, the applicator device 18 is associated with the applicator body 6 movable in rotation around an axis of rotation a ₃ substantially parallel to the direction of movement ai.

This solution also makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the label 4 which, as a result of the movement of the spacer means 8, is rotated with respect to the orientation of the label 4 coming out of the dispensing port 3.

Preferably, the applicator device 18 is connected to the second portion 6b of the applicator body 6 and is arranged aligned with the dispensing port 3 along the direction of movement ai. In addition, the applicator device 18 comprises a lower surface 18a intended, in use, to contact the label 4 to grip it.

Conveniently, the applicator assembly 5 comprises actuator means 20 configured to move the applicator device 18 with respect to the applicator body 6. Preferably, the actuator means 20 are mounted on the second portion 6b of the applicator body 6.

In one or more versions, the applicator device 18 is of the suction type. Preferably, the applicator device 18 is of the deformable type to conform to the surface conformation of the product P during the application of the label 4.

The applicator device 18 may also comprise a suction element 19 allowing to grip the label 4 by suction.

Preferably, the suction element 19 is mounted on the second portion 6b of the applicator body 6 and is in fluid- operated communication with the applicator device 18, the latter comprising a hole obtained on the lower surface 18a by means of which the label 4 can be gripped by suction.

One object of the present invention is a labeling system 21 comprising a movement line 22 to move the product P through at least one labeling area. In particular, the movement line 22 comprises at least two opposite sides 22a, 22b. Advantageously, the labeling system 21 comprises at least one labeling device 1 arranged in the labeling area with at least the dispensing port 3 and part of the applicator assembly 5 positioned above the movement line 22. Such an arrangement allows the label 4 to be applied to the product as it slides along the movement line 22.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, conveniently, the labeling system 21 may comprise a plurality of labeling devices 1 arranged along the movement line 22. Thus, multiple labels 4 may be applied in succession to speed up the production rate of the labeling system 21.

In one or more versions, the labeling devices 1 are placed side by side along only one of the sides 22a, 22b of the movement line 22 and/or alternated along both sides 22a, 22b of the movement line 22.

Figure 4 shows a labeling system 21 provided with a pair of labeling devices 1 arranged on either sides of the movement line 22 with the dispensing ports facing the movement line 22.

Figure 5 shows a labeling system 21 having a pair of labeling devices 1 arranged along the same side of the movement line 22 with the dispensing ports facing the movement line 22.

A configuration cannot however be ruled out wherein the labeling devices are oriented by 180° and arranged facing each other. Such a configuration makes it possible to apply several labels 4 to the same product P at the same time, thus speeding up the production rate of the labeling system 21.

It has, in practice, been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects and, in particular, the fact is emphasized that the spacer means make it possible to prevent the adhesive side of the label from coming into contact with the lower edge of the dispensing port during the application operations of the label to the product, allowing in fact to be able to speed up the production rate of the labeling device, while reducing the necessary maintenance operations. In particular, the labeling device according to the invention ensures, by means of a simple and effective solution, a constant label application speed and a high production rate.

In addition, the applicator device as described above allows a label to be applied to a product that is oriented in different ways.