ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A POURABLE PRODUCT"

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a labelling module for applying labels onto containers adapted to contain a pourable product, preferably of the foodstuff type.

STATE OF THE ART

Labelling machines are known used to prepare, transport and apply labels onto containers, for example bottles, small bottles, small jars or the like, made of plastic or glass, adapted to contain, namely destined to be filled with, a pourable product, preferably of the foodstuff type.

A known type of labelling involves the production of tubular labels, known as sleeve labels, produced starting from a web of heat-shrinking film initially wound on one or more reels; these sleeve labels are fitted with a certain clearance on the respective containers and then heated by means of passage in an oven to obtain their heat-shrinking and perfect adhesion to the lateral surfaces of the containers themselves. This type of labelling does not envisage the use of glue and is particularly adapted for containers having a relatively complex surface geometry.

Another type of labelling, known as "PSL", involves the production of adhesive labels initially arranged on a support web from which they are then separated to be glued directly on the respective containers.

In detail, by means of passage of the support web through a deflector plate which forces the web itself to perform a very small angle, the various labels separate from the support web to attach themselves directly onto the containers.

The use of glued labels is particularly widespread, which labels are obtained starting from a web of labelling material initially wound on one or more reels.

In detail, such web is cut into equal size portions onto which the glue is applied. The glue is applied through gluing means, for example rollers, spray systems, injection systems or the like. The labels thus obtained are then transferred and glued onto the outer lateral surface of the respective containers.

Regardless of the type of label used, a labelling machine typically comprises:

- a carousel rotatable about a usually vertical central axis and configured to convey a plurality of containers along a usually horizontal arc-shaped labelling path;

- an inlet station, at which the containers to be labelled are fed to the carousel;

- an outlet station, at which the labelled containers exit the carousel; and - at least one labelling module, arranged peripherally with respect to the carousel and configured to feed a plurality of labels to the carousel itself at an application station, in order to apply these labels onto the respective containers.

Generally, the labelling module comprises:

- one or more storage members, or storage units, typically rotatable rollers around which corresponding reels of labelling material are wound in the form of a continuous web;

- a plurality of unwinding rollers which unwind, in use, the web from the respective reel and support and guide the web unwound from the reel along a feed path;

- a cutting station at which the web is repeatedly cut so as to separate a sequence of labels from the web itself; and

- a label transfer device, configured to receive, retain and advance each previously separated label to feed it to the carousel at the application station.

In particular, in the case of glued labels:

- the labelling module comprises a cutting device, typically including a cutting roller and a knife or blade, and configured to repeatedly cut the web, at the cutting station, to obtain a sequence of single portions of labelling material having the same length and defining the labels; and - the transfer device is defined by a vacuum drum configured to receive the previously cut labels, to retain them by means of suction and, after a rotation by a determined angle about its axis, to release these labels to the application station, so that they are applied onto the respective containers advanced by the carousel.

Furthermore, again in the case of labels that provide for the use of glue, the labelling module comprises at least one gluing roller arranged substantially tangent to the vacuum drum, in a position operatively downstream with respect to the cutting roller, to spread glue on at least the (leading and trailing) ends of each single label.

As is known, the vacuum drum has a substantially cylindrical or toroidal configuration and is mounted, so as to be rotatable about its axis, on a fixed distributor member of the labelling module.

The stationary distributor member has first passages for the air connected to a vacuum source; the vacuum drum is, in turn, provided with second passages for the air, which are configured to communicate with the first passages for the air in determined angular positions of the drum while it rotates about its axis, and which end in a plurality of holes for the vacuum formed through an outer lateral surface of the drum so as to receive the labels.

More precisely, these holes are obtained in a plurality of sliding blocks or pads and intermediate sections which, together, define the outer lateral surface of the vacuum drum .

In detail, the pads are organised in pairs, each pair comprises a front pad and a rear sliding block, the intermediate section being angularly comprised between the latter.

In practice, when a label is retained by the vacuum drum it will typically have the leading end arranged on a front pad, the trailing end arranged on a rear pad and the remaining intermediate part arranged on a section of the outer lateral surface comprised between the two aforementioned pads (namely, the corresponding intermediate section).

In light the above, the vacuum drum can be ideally divided into a plurality of retaining sectors, each of which is angularly delimited by a respective said pair of frontrear pads.

It is furthermore known in the sector to provide a temporary sliding, on the vacuum drum, of the free end flap or portion of the web of labelling material, waiting to be cut, namely the sliding or slipping of the leading end of each label, when the label is still attached to the web.

This sliding is due to the fact that the web and the vacuum drum have different peripheral speeds, in particular the web is slower than the vacuum drum.

This is necessary in order to obtain a pitch of the labels transferred by the vacuum drum which corresponds to the pitch of the containers advanced by the carousel.

In other words, it is necessary to space the labels apart from one another, which are initially attached in succession to one another forming, precisely, the web.

For this purpose, the above-mentioned retaining sectors are spaced, namely spaced apart from one another, by sliding sectors, along which the free end flap of the web waiting to be cut is made to slide for a determined rotation of the vacuum drum, so as to space apart each label from the following label.

Appropriately, the sliding sectors are not provided with holes for the vacuum.

In light of the above, the free end flap of the web delivered to the rotating vacuum drum slides on the latter until it encounters the first available front pad, which retains the label by means of the vacuum.

Although the labelling modules of the type described above are functionally structurally valid, the Applicant has observed how they are susceptible to further improvements.

In particular, the Applicant has seen that the sliding of free end flap of the web of labelling material on the vacuum drum entails some disadvantages, some of which will be briefly mentioned below:

- difficulty in managing the vacuum system, as it is necessary to manage both the retaining of the label on the vacuum drum and the delivery of the label from the cutting roller to the vacuum drum, which is carried out by means of a dedicated air jet from the outer surface of the cutting roller;

- an inaccurate positioning of the label on the vacuum drum after it has been delivered by the cutting roller;

- a complicated management of the kinematics between cutting roller and vacuum drum for causing a temporary stopping of the web in order to obtain the above-mentioned sliding on the vacuum drum;

- complications from a process cleanliness perspective, as the sliding of the labels on the vacuum drum leads, in the long run, to residual accumulations of glue that can compromise the correct feeding of the labels to the containers.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to achieve a labelling module which is of high reliability and limited cost, and allows to overcome at least some of the drawbacks specified above and connected to labelling modules of a known type.

According to the invention, this aim is achieved by a labelling module as claimed in claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, some preferred non-limiting embodiments thereof are described below, purely by way of example and with the aid of the attached drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a labelling module produced according to the present invention;

- Figures 2a, 2b, 2c are schematic top views, on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity, of part of the labelling module of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the labelling module of Figure 1; and

- Figures 4a and 4b are schematic top views, on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity, of part of a labelling module produced in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the attached Figures, 1 designates, on a whole, a labelling module for applying labels 2 onto containers 3 adapted to contain a pourable product, preferably of the foodstuff type, such as, for example, water, wine, milk, fruit juices, carbonated beverages, beer, or the like. In particular, the module 1 is part of a labelling machine (known per se and not illustrated) configured to prepare, transport and apply the labels 2 onto containers 3.

Preferably, the containers 3 are of the known type and are defined by bottles, small bottles, small jars or the like, made of plastic or glass, adapted to contain, namely intended to be filled with, a predetermined amount of pourable product.

In particular, the module 1 is configured to operate with glued labels 2, already described above.

The labels 2 are defined by equal length strips obtained starting from a web 4 of labelling material initially wound on a reel 5.

Each label 2 has a leading end 2a and a trailing end 2b.

The labelling machine essentially comprises:

- a carousel 6 rotatable about a preferably vertical central axis (not shown), and configured to convey a plurality of containers 3 along a preferably horizontal and arc-shaped labelling path P,

- an inlet station (not shown), at which the containers 3 to be labelled are fed to the carousel 6;

- an outlet station (not shown), at which the labelled containers 3 exit the carousel 6; and

- at least one labelling module 1, which is arranged peripherally with respect to the carousel 6 (as is shown schematically in Figure 1) and is configured to feed a plurality of labels 2 to the carousel 6 itself at an application station A, in order to apply these labels 2 onto the respective containers 3.

The labelling module comprises:

- at least one storage member, or storage unit, preferably defined by a rotatable support shaft 7 around which a corresponding reel 5 of web 4 is wound;

- a plurality of unwinding rollers 8 which unwind, in use, the web 4 from the reel 5 and support and guide the web 4 along a feed path Q, thus defining a feeding system;

- a cutting device 10 for repeatedly cutting the web 4 at a cutting station T so as to sequentially separate the free end portion 4a of the web 4 from the web 4 itself and thus obtain a sequence of labels 2;

- a transfer device 11 for transferring the previously obtained labels 2 from the cutting device 10 < the application station A; and

- a gluing device, in particular a gluing roller 30 arranged substantially tangent to the transfer device, in a position operatively downstream of the cutting device 10, and configured to sequentially spread glue onto at least the leading 2a and trailing 2b ends of each single label 2.

Preferably, the cutting device 10 comprises a cutting roller 12 rotatable about a central axis, conveniently parallel to the axis of the carousel 6, and a cutting member, for example, a blade 13 arranged laterally with respect to the cutting roller 12.

The blade 13 is movable with reciprocating motion to and from the cutting roller 12 for repeatedly cutting the web 4, at the cutting station T, for obtaining a sequence of single portions of labelling material having the same length and defining the labels 2.

The cutting roller 12 is configured to support and advance the web 4 on its outer lateral surface 12a, preferably by means of suction.

For this purpose, the cutting roller 12 is provided, at the surface 12a, with holes for the vacuum (not shown). These holes for the vacuum are in fluid communication with a vacuum source (of the known type and not shown).

In practice, the blade 13 cuts the web 4 to cyclically separate the free end portion 4a from the web 4.

The transfer device comprises a vacuum drum 11. The vacuum drum 11 is rotatable about an axis of rotation X, preferably parallel to the axis of the cutting roller 12. The vacuum drum 11 is configured to receive the previously cut labels 2, to retain them by means of suction and, after a rotation by a determined angle around the axis X, to release these labels 2 to the application station A, so that they are applied onto the respective containers 3 advanced by the carousel 6.

In detail, the vacuum drum 11 has a substantially cylindrical or toroidal configurations and is mounted, so as to rotate with respect to the axis X, on a fixed frame (not illustrated) of the module 1, and in particular on a fixed distributor member (not illustrated) of the module 1.

The stationary distributor member has first passages for the air (not illustrated), which are connected to the vacuum source; the vacuum drum 11 is, in turn, provided with second passages for the air (not illustrated), which are configured to communicate with the first passages for the air in determined angular positions of the drum 11 while it rotates about its axis X, and which end in a plurality of holes 14 (Figure 3) for the vacuum. The holes 14 for the vacuum are formed through an outer lateral surface 11a of the drum 11 to receive the labels 2.

The holes 14 can therefore be in fluid communication with the vacuum source to apply the vacuum and thereby retain the labels 2 on the surface 11a.

The drum 11 also comprises at least two sliding blocks or support pads 15a, 15b, conveniently provided with holes 14. Therefore, the drum 11 comprises at least one pair of pads 15a, 15b.

In detail, the drum 11 comprises a plurality of these pairs, according to this preferred embodiment three pairs. Each pair comprises a front pad 15a and a rear pad 15b.

An intermediate section 15c (Figure 3) is angularly interposed between the pads 15a and 15b, for each said pair.

In use, each pair, aided by the relative intermediate section 15c, retains (by means of the vacuum) one label 2 at a time so as to determine its transfer.

In practice, when a label 2 is retained by the drum 11 it will typically have the leading end 2a arranged on a front pad 15a, the trailing end 2b arranged on a rear pad 15b, and the remaining intermediate part arranged on an intermediate section 15c comprised between the two pads.

In light of the above, the drum 11 can be ideally divided into a plurality of retaining sectors 15 (Figure 3), each of which is angularly delimited by a respective said pair of pads 15a, 15b.

In the present case, the drum 11 has three retaining sectors 15.

As specified in the introductory part of the description, it is known to provide a temporary sliding, on the drum 11, of the free end portion 4a of the web 4 waiting to be cut, namely, the sliding of the leading end 2a of each label 2, when the label is still attached to the web 4.

This sliding entails the drawbacks and the problems mentioned above. With the aim of overcoming the drawbacks and problems, the Applicant has observed that a temporary sliding of the free end portion 4a onto the cutting roller 12, rather than onto the drum 11, is preferable.

For this purpose, the module 1 comprises actuator means (not shown) for controlling, cyclically and with a determined frequency correlated to the frequency of cutting the web 4 by the blade 13, a temporary slowing and/or stopping of the web 4 along the feed path Q, so as to cause a temporary cyclic sliding of the free end portion 4a on the outer lateral surface 12a of the cutting roller 12, in a position operatively upstream of the delivery point to the drum 11 and before the cutting of the web 4 itself.

However, the Applicant has noted how the sliding on the cutting roller 12 leads to an excess flapping of the free end portion 4a.

According to an aspect of the present invention, each front pad 15a is extractable, in particular cyclically extractable, radially from the outer lateral surface 11a towards the cutting device 10, or better yet towards the cutting roller 12, to grip the respective leading end 2a and to pick it up from the cutting device 10, namely from the cutting roller 12.

In particular, the leading end 2a of each label 2 coincides, cyclically, with the free end portion 4a of the web 4.

Therefore, each front pad 15a is cyclically extractable radially from the surface 11a towards the cutting roller 12 to grip the free end portion 4a.

More in particular, each front pad 15a is extractable towards the cutting roller 12 to pick up, from the outer lateral surface 12a of the cutting roller 12, the free end portion 4a/the respective leading end 2a, and determine the progressive detachment of the label 2 from the outer lateral surface 12a. More precisely, each front pad 15a grips the leading end 2a of the respective label 2 before the relative cutting by the blade 13 takes place, i.e., when the label is still attached to the web 4.

In this manner, it is possible to state that the front part 15a grips the free end portion 4a, determining the detachment of what will be the label 2.

In accordance with the above, the module 1 comprises a pick-up station R operatively interposed between the cutting roller 12 and the drum 11, and arranged operatively downstream of the cutting station T.

Appropriately, each front pad 15a is extractable at the pick-up station R, namely when this front pad 15a reaches the pick-up station R, by means of rotation of the drum 11 about the axis X, as shown in Figure 2a.

Consequently, the above-mentioned temporary sliding of the free end portion 4a takes place upstream of the pick-up station R.

Thanks to the configuration described above, the flapping of the leading end 2a/free end portion 4a is limited, in particular eliminated.

This allows a greater sliding of the web on the cutting roller 12, and to reduce or avoid the sliding of the web on the drum 11, thus avoiding the problems and the drawbacks exposed above.

For the sake of brevity, in the following reference will be made to a single front pad 15a and to a single rear pad 15b. However, the characteristics described are equally applicable to all the pads 15a, 15b of the drum 11 of the module 1 according to the present invention.

As specified above, and as can be seen in Figure 3, the pads 15a, 15b are provided with holes 14.

Therefore, the front pad 15a is extractable for gripping the leading end 2a by means of vacuum applied through the holes 14.

As can be seen in the attached Figures, the outer lateral surface 11a of the drum 11 is arranged at a non-zero distance from the outer lateral surface 12a of the cutting roller 12.

Conveniently, the front pad 15a is extractable with an extraction stroke at least equal to, in particular equal to, said non-zero distance.

In this manner, the flapping of the leading end 2a/free end portion 4a is completely avoided, since the latter is directly picked up from the surface 12a, without performing any "flying" between the cutting roller 12 and the drum 11.

The leading end 2a/free end portion 4a is therefore picked up directly from the surface 12a of the cutting roller 12 by means of the pad 15a.

The above leads to a more accurate positioning of the label 2 on the drum 11.

Preferably, at least the front pad 15a of each pair is made of a soft elastomeric material, for example rubber.

In this manner, the pad 15a can come into abutment directly in contact against the cutting roller 12 without determining an excessive wear of the parts in contact

It is also possible to completely eliminate the air jet for delivering the label to the drum 11, thus simplifying the management of the vacuums.

Advantageously, also the rear pad 15b (of each pair) is extractable radially from the outer lateral surface 11a towards the cutting roller 12, in particular at the pick-up station R, for gripping the trailing end 2b of the respective label 2 and for picking it up from the surface 12a of the cutting roller 12 (Figure 2c).

In this case, also the rear pad 15b is preferably made of a soft elastomeric material, for example rubber.

In light of the above, the front pad 15a (and the rear pad 15b, in the case where it is also extractable) is movable between:

- an operative position (Figures 2a, 3), in which it is radially extracted from the outer lateral surface 11a of the drum 11, for gripping the leading end 2a/free end portion 4a; and

- a rest position (Figure 2b), in which it is radially retracted in the outer lateral surface 11a, namely where it is flush with the surface 11a.

Appropriately, the module 1 comprises actuator means for controlling the movement of the front pad 15a between the operative position and the rest position.

According to this preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the actuator means comprise:

- a fixed cam 16, carried by the, in particular mounted on the, above-mentioned frame of the module 1; and

- a cam follower 17, carried by the front pad 15a and configured to cooperate with the cam 16 for controlling the movement of the front pad 15a between the operative position and the rest position.

In detail, the cam 16 is mounted centrally within the drum 11 so as to be coaxial to the axis X. Appropriately, the drum 11 has a substantially toroidal shape or ring shape. In greater detail, the cam 16 comprises a main portion 16a and an operative portion 16b, which protrudes radially from the main portion 16a.

The cam followers 17 are arranged in contact with the cam 16.

Each cam follower 17 is stably coupled to the respective front pad 15a.

In use, the drum 11 conveys in rotation the pads 15a (and 15b) about the axis X. During this rotation, each cam follower 17 cooperates in contact with the cam 16, by cyclically cooperating with the operative portion 16b. When this happens, the cam follower 17 is pushed radially towards the outside, determining the movement of the front pad 15a between the operative position and the rest position.

Conveniently, the operative portion 16b extends towards the pick-up station R.

In the event that also the rear pads 15b are extractable, they are also provided with appropriate cam followers 17.

Thanks to this configuration of the actuator means, it is possible to control the movement of each front pad 15a between the operative and rest positions by means of a simple system, that does not provide for the use of complicated components, and is easy to maintain.

In an alternative embodiment not illustrated, the actuator means comprise a pneumatic or electric or piezoelectric actuator. In this manner, the control of the pads 15a is more precise and the wear is reduced, since the use of the cam followers 17 which continuously slide on the cam 16 is avoided.

Figures 4a and 4b show a particularly advantageous alternative embodiment of the actuator means.

In particular, according to this embodiment, the actuator means comprise a first magnetic element 18 carried by the front pad 15a, and a second magnetic element 19 carried by the cutting roller 12. The second magnetic element 19 is arranged at the outer lateral surface 12a of the latter.

In particular, the first magnetic element 18 is defined by a first magnet 18 incorporated in the pad 15a, and the second magnetic element 19 defines part of the surface 12a.

According to the invention, the first magnetic element 18 is configured to cyclically face, by means of the coordinated rotation of the drum 11 and of the cutting roller 12, the second magnetic element 19, to magnetically interact with the latter and thereby control the movement of the front pad 15a between the operative position and the rest position.

In detail, the second magnetic element 19 comprises, in operative succession:

- a second magnet 20 with magnetic polarity opposite to the magnetic polarity of the first magnet 18, for attracting the front pad 15a and controlling its movement from the rest position to the operative position; and

- a third magnet 22, operatively arranged upstream of the second magnet 20, and having magnetic polarity equal to the magnetic polarity of the first magnet 18, for repelling the front pad 15a and controlling its movement from the operative position to the rest position.

This configuration of the actuator means allows to control each front pad 15a by means of a clean system, which is particularly advantageous in the case of packaging pourable products of the foodstuff type. Furthermore, the maintenance interventions can be further reduced or, however, have a reduced impact on the overall costs, given the simplicity of the components involved.

Conveniently, the second magnetic element 19 further comprises a fourth safety magnet 21. The fourth magnet 21 is operatively arranged downstream of the second magnet 20 and has magnetic polarity equal to the magnetic polarity of the first magnet 18, for repelling the front pad 15a possibly extracted from the outer lateral surface 11a of the drum 11.

In this manner, if for any reason the front pad 15a is already extracted from the drum 11, it is made to re-enter before its nominal extraction, to avoid an early gripping of the web 4, which would lead to errors in the positioning, transfer, gluing and application of the relative label 2, and/or to avoid an undesired collision with the cutting roller 12.

Appropriately, the first magnet 18 and the third magnet 21 are arranged so as to cyclically face one another with poles of equal sign (for example, south-to-south). In the same manner, the first magnet 18 and the fourth 22 are arranged so as to cyclically face one another with poles of equal sign (for example, south-to-south). On the other hand, the first magnet 18 and the second magnet 20 arranged so as to cyclically face one another with poles of the opposite sign (for example, south-to-north). The above is schematically shown in Figures 4a and 4b.

The operation of the labelling module 1 according to the present invention will be described below, with particular reference to an initial condition in which the free end portion 4a of the web 4, advanced by the rollers 8, has almost reached the pick-up station R, and wherein a front pad 15a, advanced by the drum 11, has almost reached the pick-up station R, in a rest position.

In this condition, the end portion 4a has already performed the sliding on the cutting roller 12.

As soon as the pad 15a reaches the pick-up station R, the actuator means control its extraction to the operative position. In the meantime, the end portion 4a reaches the pickup station R.

At this point, the pad 15a comes into abutment against the surface 12a and grips, by means of suction through the holes 14, the free end portion 4a/leading end 2a.

Then, the actuator means control the movement of the pad 15a again towards the rest position, determining the pick-up of the label 2 still attached to the web 4.

Therefore, the blade 13 cuts the web 4, determining the separation of the label 2 from the web 4 itself.

The mutual rotation (in opposite directions) of the drum 11 and of the cutting roller 12 causes the progressive detachment of the label 2 from the cutting roller 12 itself, until the label 2 is entirely retained by the respective sector 15.

Lastly, the label 2 is transferred from the drum 11 to the application station A and applied onto a relative container 3.

The operation is cyclically repeated for each label 2 and for each pair of pads 15a, 15b.

From an examination of the characteristics of the labelling module 1 produced according to the present invention, the advantages that it allows to obtain are evident.

In particular, thanks to the fact that the front pads 15a are extractable to pick up the label 2 directly from the cutting roller 12, it is possible to avoid an uncontrolled flapping of the free end portion 4a/leading end 2a during passage of the latter from the cutting roller 12 to the drum 11.

Consequently, it is possible that implementing the sliding of the web 4 on the cutting roller 12, which, once the above-mentioned flapping is limited or eliminated, is more advantageous than the sliding on the drum 11. In fact:

- the management of the vacuums is simplified, as it is no longer necessary to provide an air jet to deliver the label from the cutting roller 12 to the drum 11;

- the positioning of the leading end 2a, and therefore of the label 2, on the drum 11 is improved;

- a complicated management of the kinematics between cutting roller 12 and drum 11 is no longer necessary for determining the temporary stopping of the web 4 in order to obtain the sliding on the drum 11, as this sliding is carried out upstream of the pick-up station R and, therefore, does not involve a dedicated control of the drum 11;

- the cleanliness of the process is generally improved, as any residual glue on the drum 11 does not affect the sliding of the web 4 and does not cause dangerous accumulations of glue.

It is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the module 1 described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope defined by the claims.