Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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~ACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENTION
This application is a division of Canadian Patent Application No.
262,410 filed September 30, 1976.
This invention relates to improvements in label strips and label ap-
plying machinery.
All previous and presently known machinery for applying pressure
sensitive labels to an article use the same kind of carrier web for the labels,
and the same kind of label removing msthod.
The conventional carrier web consists of a series of labels with a
viscous (pressure sensitive) adhesive applied to a carrier strip of paper which
has been coated on the label supporting side with a release agent. The labels
are spaced along the strip, and the unneeded waste (or matrix) from which the
labels have been die cut is always removed during manufacture.
The labels are removed sequentially by pulling the carrier strip
around a relatively sharp edge ~mder tension. The label, because of its stiff-
ness, releases from the carrier web and continues in a straight line over the
edge rather than bend sharply and follow the carrier web.
This established method has a nwnber of drawbacks:
1) The need to remove all the waste or matrix from between and around
labels during manufacture, because its presence tends to hold labels in place
during peeling.
This waste removal requirement makes the labels cost much more,
because it limits the printing and die cutting speed severely and because a
great deal of costly extra material has to be added around each label to make
the ladderlike waste strip strong enough to remove by pulling it free after die
cutting on a printing press.
2) The label peeling process used in all previous labelling machines
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requires pulling the web under high tension over a relatively sharp edge.
Tiny cuts or nicks caused by the die cutting and slitting weaken ~che web and
it frequently breaks~ especially at high speed.
3) Small invisible interruptions in the release coating are common.
Through them the label adhesive is able to adhere strongly to the unprotected
carrier web. IVhen this occasionally occurs at the leading edge of a label,
it will not peel but will follow the carrier strip around even a sharp edge.
The same can happen when the adhesive is cold, or too old.
4) The need for great stiffness in the label material prevents the
use of many desired materials such as plastics, or very thin labels, or very
soft and pliant labels.
5) During the peeling process, labels are being projected beyond
the peeling edge and are essentially unsupported, except occasionally on one
side (opposite the adhesive). They are easily disturbed and deflected by small
irregularities, tramp particles of adhesive, air currents, or static electri-
city.
6) The means of actually applying the labels varies, including a
blast of air (inaccurate at any distance and does not apply labels firmly), a
roller (inaccurate), and a plunger (too rigid and destructive on moving pro-
ducts).
7) Automatic labelling machinery is very costly, partly because ofsophisticated electronic label sensing and web control systems within the
labeller.
It should be appreciated therefore that a label carrying arrangement
and apparatus for applying labels therefrom to goods, which permits the use of
very thin and soft labels as well as stiffer labels, which permits the use of
lower cost label strips, and which permits label application at higher speeds
and with greater reliability than presently known systems would be most de-
sirable.
SU~1~RY OF T~IE INVENTION
According to the present invention~ there is provided a label
carrying arrangement adapted for use in an appara.tus for automatically
sequentially applying labels to objects, said arrangement comprising:
an elongated label strip including first and second parallel carrier
strip portions;
a plurality of index marks carried by said elongated label strip
and spaced therealong;
- a multiplicity of labels carried by said elongated label strip and
spaced therealong, each o-f said labels bridging said first and second carrier
strip portions and being adhered thereto by a releasable adhesive, each of
said labels being uniformly positioned with respect to one of said index
marks.
The label strip may be separated along a separation line into at
least a pair of carrier web portions and a rnatrix of the same composition as
said labels may lie on said label strip and substantially surround the labels.
In such an embodiment, the matrix of label material from which the
label was cut is left on the label strip and is separated -from the labels at
the same ~ime as the labels are separated from the label strip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments
of the present invention and embodiments of the invention -forming the subject
matter of the Parent Application:
Fi.gure l is a partial perspective view of a labelling system;
Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l, showing details
of a label carrying arrangement thereof;
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Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 3A is a view taken on the line 3A-3A o Figure l;
Figure 4 is a more complete perspective view of the labelling system
of Figure l;
Figure 5 is a partially sectional plan view of the system of Figure
4;
Figure 6 is a partial perspective view of the apparatus of Figure
4~ showing some of the de~ails of the plunger carrying apparatus thereof and
is found on the same sheet as Figure 4;
: 10 Figure 7 is a partially sectional side view of the system of
Figure 4 and shows other details thereof;
Figure 8 is a view taken on the line S-8 of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a front elevation view of the system of Figure 4;
Figure 10 is a view taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 5 and is found
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on the same sheet as Figure 5;
Figure 11 is a view taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 5, and is found
on the same sheet as Figure 5;
Figure 12 is a sectional front view showing the bellows of the ap-
paratus of Figure 9, and is found on the same sheet as Figure 9;
Figure 13 is a bottom view of the bellows of Figure 12, and is found
on the same sheet as Figures 5 and 12;
Figure 14 is a perspective view of the label roll of the system of
Figure 4, and is found on the same sheet as Figures 1, 2, 3, and 3A;
Figure 15 is a front elevation view of a fan-folded label arrangement
and is found on the same sheet as Figures 1, 2, 3, 3~ and 14;
Figure 16 is a partial perspective view of another label strip, which
includes a matrix surrounding the labels;
Figure 17 is a perspective view of a step stripper apparatus,
: Figure 17A is a perspective view of another step stripper apparatus;
Figure 18 is a partial perspective top view of another label strip;
Figure 19 is a partial perspective bottom view of a label strip of
:~ Figure 18;
Figure 20 is a view taken on the line 20-20 of Figure 18;
Figure 21 is a partial plan view of a further label strip;
Figure 22 is a partial plan view of a further label strip and strip-
per system;
Figure 23 is a view taken on the line 23-23 of Figure 22;
Figure 24 is a partial plan view of another labelling system;
Fi.gure 25 is a view taken on the line 25-25 of Figure 24; and
Figures 26 and 27 are respectively cross-sectional views of a pre-
ferred bellows shape illustrating it at three stages of operat:ion, and are
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found on the same sheet as Figures 16 throllgh 20.
DESCRIPTION OF T}]E PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figures 1 - 3 illustrate details of a label carrying arrangement 10,
according to Parent Application 262,410~ which includes an elongated backing
web or carrier strip 12 and a multiplicity of labels 14 spaced along the length
of the carrier strip~ Each of the labels 14 has a front face 14a with a dec-
orative design or other marking printed thereon, and a rear face 14b with
contact adhesive thereon. The carrier strip has a front face 12a with release
coating, such as silicone, which facilitates stripping of the label adhesive
from the carrier strip. The carrier strip 12 includes a separation line 16
extending along its length at a middle portion thereof, to divide the carrier
strip into two carrier strip portions 18, 20 that support different portions
of the label 14.
Apparatus shown in Figure 1 for stripping the labels 14 from the
carrier strip 12 includes a label stripper or separator in the form of a plate
22 having a substantially V-shaped edge region or notch 24 which forms a pair
of separator e~ges 26, 28. The carrier strip with the labels thereon initial-
ly moves along an upper face 30 of the label separator towards the V-shaped
edge portion or region 24, with the separation line 16 aligned with the bottom
of the V. Each of the carrier strip portions 18, 20 extends around a different
one of the separator edges 26, 28, so that the carrier strip is pulled apart
thereat. The strip portion 18 which extends around the separator edge 26,
moves along ~he lmderside or lower face 32 of the plate, extends around an
auxiliary guide edge 34, and then extends along the upper facc 30 of the sepa-
rator plate. The other carrier strip portion 20 extends in a corresponding
manner, around the separator edge 28, around another auxiliary guide edge 36,
and then along the upper face of the separator plate. It can be seen tha~ as
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each label 14 moves into the V-shaped notch 24, the -two carrier strip portions
18, 20 are directed downwardly and apart from each other, so that the label
tends to continue to move in the direction of arrow 38. The label cannot
follow the two halves of the carrier strip through the notch. As shown in
Figure 3A, the radius of curvature R of each edge, such as 28, need not be
sharp. Instead, the radius R is greater than the thickness T of the carrier
strip, which minimizes the possibility of tearing the carrier strip. If de-
sired, the separator edges need not be stationary but may be rollers of
suitable diameter.
In order to advance the label carrying arrangement 10, it is neces-
sary only to pull the two carrier strip portions 18, 20 along the paths of the
arrows 40, 42. The labels 14 on the carrier strip 12 will then move beyond
the V-shaped edge region 24 and become separated from the carrier strip. Of
course, in order to apply the labels to articles indicated at A, it is neces-
~ ary to provide a means for reliably moving the freed labels against the arti-
; cles. A labelling machine, to be described below, provides a plunger which
engages the labels and reliably applies them to the goods.
Figures 4 - 9 illustrate details of a labelling machine 50 which
moves the label strip 10 to apply the labels 14 thereon against articles A.
The labelling machine 50 includes a frame 52 with an upstanding center wall
54, a label guiding and moving apparatus 56 on the first side of the upstand-
ing wall 54, and drive and control apparatus 58 on the other side of the up-
standing wall. The label guiding and moving apparatus 56 includes a supply
reel 60 rotatably mounted on the frame and carrying a roll of the label s~rip
10. The label is guided from the reel 60 around a guide roll 62 and past a
spring strip 63, around a feed roll 64, and along the upper side of the sepa-
rator plate 22 towards the V-shaped edge region 24 thereof. The two carrier
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strip portions 18, 20 which have been separated at the V-shaped edge region
24, are pulled along their respective paths by a pair of tensioning rollers
66, 68. After passing through the tensioning rollers 66, 68, the two carrier
strip portions 18, 20 may be directed into a bin for later disposal.
A plunger apparatus 70 comprising one embodiment of the present
invention is disposed near the V-shaped groove 24 of the separator plate and
serves to engage each label before, during, and after its separation from the
carrier strip, and to carry that label against an article A, so that the ad-
hesive-bearing face of the label is pressed against the article. The articles
are carried on a conveyor apparatus C past the labelling machine, and movement
of the plunger 70 is timed so that a label is applied to each article passing
thereby. As illustrated in Figure 7, the plunger apparatus 70 includes a
plunger or bellows supporting plate 72 and a bellows 74 with an inner portion
76 fixed to the plunger supporting plate and an outer end face 78. A flexible
hose 80 extends from a pressure control 82 to a tubular coupling 84 which opens
to the inside of the bellows 74. The pressure control 82 can supply a low
pressure which is less than atmospheric, or vacuum~ through the tube 80 to the
bellows 74 to contract the bellows from the relaxed position shown at 7~ to a
contracted position wherein its end face is at 78a. Alternatively~ pressure
control82 can supply pressured air through the hose 80 to the bellows 74 to
expand the bellows to the configuration indicated at 74b wherein the end face
has been thrust out to the position 78b. When a label lies against the end
face 78 and air pressure is applied to the bellows, its end face 78 pushes the
label against an article.
The bellows support plate 72 can move substantially longitudinally
as indicated by arrows 86. Thus, the plate 72 can move the bellows 74, in its
contracted position~ rearwardly to the position indicated at 74c wherein the
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face of the bellows at 78c lies over the next label to be separated from the
backing strip. Thereafter, the bellows support plate moves down so the bellows
engages a label, and the support plate advances the bellows 7~ in synchronism
with advancement of the label strip 10 so that the bellows face 78 moves with
the label while the label is being completely separated from its carrier strip.
The bellows is then extended towards the position 78b to press the label
against an article that is to be labelled.
In order to securely hold a label against the bellows face 78 prior
to applying the label to an article, and to then reject the label from the
bellows face as the bellows withdraws from the article, the bellows face 78
is provided with slits that form a hole 90, as shown in Figure 8. The hole
permits a low rate of air movement through the face into the bellows, when a
; vacuum has been applied through the tube 80 to the bellows. A vacuum is ap-
plied to the bellows to hold it in a contracted state while it is first pres-
sed against a label at the position 7~c in Figure 7. The vacuum continues to
be applied while the bellows moves with the label as the label separates from
carrier strip and passes off the V-shaped edge of the separator plate 22. The
vacuum not only keeps the bellows contracted, but also serves to hold the
label firmly against the face of the bellows. When the bellows lies opposite
the article to be labelled, pressured gas such as air is suddenly applied to
the bellows. The pressured air causes ~he bellows to ex?and towards the con-
figuration 74b to press against the article.
For the application of thin flexible labels, and where precise loca-
tion of the label on the article is not important, the hole 90 is formed so
that some air leaks out. The pressur~d air tends to reject the label from the
face 78 of the bellows, but it does not matter if the label flies off the bel-
lows even as it is moving towards the article if the distance to the article
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is not great. The pressured air rejection of the label helps in preventing
the label from sticking to the bellows as the bellows contracts and draws away
from the article. The bellows normally begins to withdraw from the article as
the pressure therein is reduced but is still at a substantial level, inasmuch
as the completely unpressured bellows tends to assume a configuration wherein
its face is at 78 when pressure in the bellows reaches the atmospheric value.
Figure 12 illustrates the shape of the bellows 74 in its relaxed
state. The bellows is molded of elastomeric material, with a recess 81 in the
bellows face, and with three slits cut into the recessed portion to form the
hole 90. The recess forms three flaps 83 which can readily bend inwardly but
not outwardly. Accordingly, when a vacuum is applied to the bellows, air can
pass into the bellows through the hole 90. However, when pressured air is
applied inside the bellows, the flaps 83 tend to press against one another to
close the hole and minimize the escape of air from the bellows. The flaps 83
~; therefore form a check valve which couples the face of the bellows to the in-
side thereof, to allow air flow substantially only in a direction into the
bellows.
When the bellows contracts, the inside of the bellows end contacts
a substa~tially rigid internal member 85 that limits the contraction of the
bellows. The internal member 85 has a guide surface 85g which engages a
correspondingly shaped surface 78g o~ the bellows end to not only limit the
longitudinal contraction of the bellows end, but also to laterally position it.
As a result, the bellows begins each expansion from the same lateral position
and orientation. This results in the bellows tending to extend along the same
path each time, to provide greater accuracy in the positioning of the labels
on the articles. When the bellows is contracted, its end face lies at the
plane 87, while when fully extended without an article in the way the bellows
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can expand to the plane 89. Normally, an article is positioned about three
quarters of the distance from the plane 87 to the plane 89. In examining
causes for erratic directionsof bellows expansion, it has been found that one
cause is that the folds of the bellows may tend to stick to one another when
compressed during the application of vacuum in the bellows. Nhen the bellows
begins expanding, locations which tended to stick together, tend to resist
extension and the bellows tends to curve as it expands. It has been found
- that the application of release powder such as is used in plastic injection
molding, eliminates the sticking problem, the powder being applied to both the
inside and outside of the bellows fold. It has been found that the release
powder remains in place during long continuous use of the bellows.
As illustrated in Figures 5 and 9, the apparatus for advancing the
label carrying arrangement includes a motor 91 which is coupled through a belt
92 to a pulley 94. The pulley shaft 96 is coupled through a single cycle
clutch 98 to a drive shaft 100. The single cycle clutch 98 merely permits
operation of the machine one cycle at a time, ~he drive shaft 100 rotating on-
ly one revolution each time a pin 102 is pulled out and released, but the shaft
100 rotating continuously if the pin 102 is retained in a pulled-out condition.
The drive shaft 100 rotates a crank 103 that drives a rack or slide 104 back
and forth. The slide 104 has gear teeth engaged with a gear 106 that is
` coupled through an overrunning clutch 107 to a sprocket wheel 108, so that the
sprocket wheel 108 turns in only one direction. This sprocket wheel 108 is
coupled by a timing belt 110 to another sprocket wheel 112 which drives another
single cycle clutch 113. The single cycle clutch drives a toothed wheel 121
and a feed shaft llfi. The feed roll 64, which pulls the label strip 10 off
the supply reel, is fixed to and driven by the feed shaft 114. The single cycle
clutch is enabled to turn the feed shaft when a pin 117 on the slide 104 hits
a pawl 11~ to pivot the pawl out o:E engagement with the toothed wheel 121 on
the feed shaft, which releases the single cycle clutch for turning the feed
shaft 114. Thus, the feed roll 64 cannot turn until a predetermined time in
each cycle. The feed roll can then rotate just enough to advance the label
strip 10 by a distance S equal to the center-to-center distance of the labels
along the strip. The slide 1049 at that time, will have moved pin 117 out of
engagement with the pawl 119, which stops further rotation of the wheel 121
and feed shaft 114.
The two tensioning rollers 66, 68 which pull the carrier strip por-
tions, are fixed to the same feed shaft 114 to which the feed roll 64 is fixed.
Therefore, as the feed roll 64 feeds the label strip 10 towards the V-shaped
notch 24 where the labels are separated from the carrier strip, the tensioning
rolls 66, 68 turn in unison to pull the carrier strip portions 18, 20 to there-
by pull the label strip over the edges of the no~ch 24. In order to assure
tension in the carrier strip portions 18, 20, the two tensioning rollers 66,
68 are constructed with a diameter E slightly larger than the diameter of the
feed roll 64, resulting in the surfaces of the tensioning rolls 66, 68 turning
slightly faster than the surface of the feed rolls 64. ~he tension rolls 66,
68 are in the form of rubber tires that permit slippage of the carrier s~rip
portions 18, 20 thereon, so that the strip portions are pulled to maintain
tension but are not pulled so hard as to tear them. As shown in Figure 119
backing rolls 120 are provided to press the carrier strip portions such as 18
against a corresponding tensioning roller 66. Also, a stripper blade 121 is
provided that extends into a groove of the tensioning roller to insure sepa-
ration of the carrier strip portions from roller 66. An alternative arrange-
ment would be to put sprockets on the tensioning rollers engaging slits 226
and omit them Oll feed roller 64.
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At a first time in each cycle of operation, the bellows 74 descends
against a label and begins moving forwardly with the label. In order for the
labelling machine to operate properly, it is necessary that at that time the
label strip be positioned so that there is a label at the position 14p shown
in Pigure 5, which is the position at which the face of the bellows descends
against the label. In order to accurately control the positions of the labels,
the feed roll 64 is provided with sprockets 122 for engaging the label strip.
As shown in Figures 5 and 10, the sprockets 122 are spaced about the feed
roll by the distance S between the labels, and are designed to fit into the
separation line 16 between the carrier strip portions and into the space or
gap 15 between the labels. Thus~ a label carrying arrangement or label strip
forms its own sprockat holes at gaps 15 and the feed roll 64 is formed with
sprockets that engage the sprocket holes of the label strip to control the
pOSitions of the labels in the machine. It may be noted that these sprocket
holes at the gaps 15 between adjacent labels, arise automatically in the pro-
duction of the label carrying arrangement, and it is not necessary to form
` special sprocket holes along edges of the backing strip to enable control of
label position in the machine. Additional sprocket holes can be provided,
however, to avoid contact of labels with sprockets.
As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the plunger apparatus 70 is moved back
and forth by a tow bar 1~0 which has an inner end fixed to the slide 104 and
an outer end fixed to the bellows-supporting plate 72. Although the primary
motion of the bellows-supporting plate 72 is back and forth in the direction
of arrows 86, it is also necessary to raise the forward end of the plate 72
which holds the bellows 74 during rearward motion of the bellows. This is to
prevent the bellows from rubbing on the label strip during such rearward motion.The support plate 72 is guided by a pair of rearward tabs 132 which can move
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back and forth in guide slots 134 formed in guide ways 144 on the machine
frame, while the front of the plate has a pair of tabs 136 which can move
along either of two guide slots 138, 140 that are separated by a divider 147.
When the support plate 72 moves slightly forward, in the direction o~ arrow F,
from the position shown in Figure 6, each of its forward tabs 136 which has
been moving along the lower slot 138, becomes free to move up towards the
level of upper slot 140. A forward spring 142 disposed along each of the
guide ways 144, urges each tab 136 to move up, so that when the slide 72 moves
rearwardly its tabs 136 slide at a higher level. As a result, the contracted
bellows of the plunger apparatus 70 can move rearwardly to a position over a
next label ~14p in Figure 5) to be applied, without rubbing against the label
strip. As the forward tabs 136 approach their rearward position, they pass
rearward of the divider 147 that separates the upper and lower slots, and
also pass under a rearward spring 14~ that urges the tabs 136 downwardly. The
tow bar 130 which moves the support plates 72 back and forth, has a series of
slots cut into it, to provide increased flexibility, to permit the front por-
tion of the support plate to move up and down a small distance as it moves back
and forth.
The use of apparatus to move the label a distance beyond the sepa-
rator edges before thrusting the label towards an article, avoids "hinging" ofthe label. Hinging is the phenomenon of the rear end of the label tending to
stick to the separation edge or carrier strip, and therefore to tend to resit
movement against an article to be labelled.
As described above, the application of vacuum and pressured air to
the bellows through the hose 80 is controlled by the pressure control 82. As
illustrated in Figure 9, the pressure control 82 includes an air pressure in-
let 150 through which pressured air is constantly applied, a vacuum inlet 152
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to which a vacuum is constantly applied, and an outlet 154 which is coupled to
the hose 80. A valve member 156 can move up and down to alternately couple
the outlet 154 to either the air inlet 150 or the vacuum inlet 152. A rod
158 fixed to the valve member 156, is moved up and down by a cam 160 that is
fixed to the drive shaft 100. The canl 160 is configured so that a vacuum is
applied ~o the pressure control outlet 154 during the time when the bellows
engages a label and moves with the label to a position opposite the article to
be labelled. The cam is configured to then operate the valve member 156 so
that pressured air is applied to the bellows to extend it briefly, near the
end of its forward travel after which the vacuum is again applied to the pres-
sure control outlet.
The angle A (Figure 5) of the V-shaped slot 24 is shown as being on
the order of 90 for the labelling machine of Figures 1 - 9. If the labels
14 are spaced close to one another along the length of the carrier strip, then
at the beginning of each cycle, the next label to be applied 14p, will be
positioned with a considerable area 14r of its leading edge portion unsupported
by the plate 22 or by any part of the carrier strip. Such exposure at the
area 14r arises because the label strip 10 must have been advanced at the end
of the previous cycle so that the previous label 14t was advanced clear of the
carrier strip. The existence of an unsupported label region 14r is disadvan-
tageous where very thin and flexible labels, such as one mil thick polyethylene
labels, are utilized, because such labels are subject to fluttering or other
disturbances due to the vacuum and air pressures applied in their vicinity,
prior to the bellows face 78 making contact with the label. The existence of
an unsupported label region 14r, ~shown in Figure 5~ can be avoided by in-
creasing the angle A of the V-shaped slot to a greater angle, such as from 90
to an angle B of 135, as shown for the stripper 264 of Figures 24 and 25.
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This can allow a previous label 14e to have been moved clear of the guide plate
166 while the next label 14f has little or no region which is unsupported.
By making the stripper 264 of a single piece of material and by maintaining
its edges in the same plane, the strip portions do not slip sideways along the
auxiliary edges. It may be noted that in a typical label strip, as with cir-
cular labels, the gap between adjacent labels is approximately 1/8 of an inch,
and a large angle of at least 110 is required to avoid any unsupported label
region at the next label to be applied while permitting the previous label to
advance clear of the support plate.
The above described separation technique permits the utilization of
a low cost label carrying arrangement or label strip according to another
aspect of the present invention, an embodiment of which is shown at 190 in
Figure 16. The label strip 190 is identical with label strip 10 of Figure 1,
except that it includes a scrim or matrix 192 surrounding the labels 14b and
of the same material as the labels 14b. rhe matrix 192 is die cut to form
separation lines 194 around each label and separation slits 196 which lie
between the labels and over the separa~ion lines 16b of the carrier strip 12b.
In a typical prior art process for the production of the labels 14b, the labels
are die cut from a strip of label material, with the cutting lines separating
the strip of label material in~o label areas forming the labels 14b and a
matrix area forming the matrix 192. Heretofore, the matrix area 192 had to
be removed from around the labels 14b prior to pac~aging and selling the la-
bels, because of the way labels were separated from the carrier web, i.e.,
bending the web around a sharp curve; arolmd which the label would not follow.
If the matrix material is left in place, because of the presence of fine bridg-
ing filaments of paper or adhesive between label and matrix material, which are
still present despite die cutting, the label will not consistently separate or
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peel away from the carrying web. By utilizing the label strip 190 with the
matrix 192 left on the carrier strip, the cost of the labels can be reduced
since the cost of matrix removal is eliminated and matrices can be made thin-
ner and of thinner paper stock, as can labels.
The matrix 192, which is divided into two portions by -the separation
slits 196, is pulled apart by the separation apparatus of the present invention,
with each half of the matrix such as 192a, 192b moving with the carrier strip
portion under it around the edges of the separation plate.
The labelling strip can be provided in different forms. As illus-
trated in Figure 1~, the label strip 12 can be provided as a roll 200 of many
turns with a cardboard tube 202 at the center that fits onto a shaft of the
labelling machine. Figure 15 illustrates a fan-folded arrangement 204 of the
labelling strip 12J which is used for producing computer printed labels. The
apparatus for moving ~she carrier strip portions in different directions to
separate them from one another and from the labels also can have a variety of
forms. In the apparatus of Figure 1, the separation edges which form a V-
shaped notch, are nonaligned because the axes of the edges extend at an angle
of less than 180 from one another, but with the axes of the edges substantial-
ly intersecting one another at the bottom o the V. In Figure 17, a separation
device 210 is illustrated which includes a pair of separation edges 212, 21
with their axes 212a~ 21~a also nonaligned, but with the axes of the edges
extending parallel to one another but spaced from one another along the path
of the labels l~h. This apparatus performs better than prior art separators
which utilize just one edge around which a carrier strip is pulled, because in
the present device only hal of the carrier strip must be separated from the
label at each separation edge. It may be noted that more than two separate
carrier strip portions and a corresponding number of edge mea~s can be provided,
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as in the separator 216 of Figure 17A.
The moving of the labels in a positive manner towards the separation
edges as by the feed roll 64 ~Figure 4), and in synchronism with pulling of
the carrier strip portions by the tensioning rolls 66, 68, is important in
minimizing the tension which must be applied to the carrier strip portions.
By reducing the tension in the carrier strip portions required to pull them
around the edges, the machine minimizes the possibility of tearing the carrier
strip portions. The reduction in required tension is due to the "capstan
effect", which is the phenomenon that a rope wrapped about a capstan cannot be
easily pulled if there is even a slight tension in the other end of the rope,
but can be easily pulled if the other end of the rope is fed towards the caps-
tan. The feed roll 64 serves to positively feed the label strip towards the
separation edges in synchronism with the tensioning means pulling the carrier
strip portions, so that the carrier strip is maintained under tension, but the
machine operates properly with only a relatively small tension.
In the apparatus of Figure 4, the positive feeding of the label strip
is accomplished by the roll 64 which has the thin sprockets 122 that project
through the separation line of the carrier strip and into the gap between ad-
jacent labels. The thin sprockets could damage the labels if more than a small
force is applied to the label strip. To avoid this, other sprocket holes can
be formed in the label strip. Figures 18 - 20 illustrate a label strip 220
which includes a carrier strip 222, labels 14j J and a matrix 224 of label mate-
rial, wherein both the carrier strip 22 and matrix 224 have cuts in them for
receiving sprockets. Cuts 228 in the matrix and cuts 226 in the carrier which
lie under the cut regions of the matrix, form weakened regions which can be
easily penetrated by sprockets such as that indicated at 230. The cuts 226,
228 can be formed without producing confetti-like waste whic}l would have to
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be removed from ~he cutting machine. Figure 21 illustrates still another
label strip 240, which includes a matrix 242 over a carrier strip, and with
tabs 244 cut in the carrier strip and overlying tabs 246 cut in the matrix,
for receiving sprockets. It is also possible to form cuts or holes only in
the carrier strip, but near the edge of the carrier strip, so that sprockets
can pass through the carrier strip and merely pressing the edges of the matrix
away from the carrier strip. All these cuts can also be in the label area if
necessary.
Figures 22 and 23 illustrate a portion of a label applying apparatus
which can utilize a label strip 250 which is initially supplied with a carrier
strip 252 that does not have a separation line therein, but which still utilizes
-the feature of separating the carrier strip from the label by pulling different
portions of the carrier strip along different paths. In the apparatus of
Figures 22 and 23, this is accomplished by utili~ing a slitter 254 which slits
the carrier strip to permit two portions 256~ 258 of the carrier strip to be
pulled in different directions. The slitter 254 is a thin disc rotatably
mounted on a shaft 260 and located at the bottom of the notch 262 of the sepa-
rator plate 264. The top of the slitter disc 254 can be located approximately
even with the upper surface of the plate 264, although it could be located
slightly above or below it. The slitter also can be located a distance up-
path from the bottom of the V-notch 262, to slit the carrier strip a distance
prior to its reaching the V-notch.
Figure 26 and Figure 27 are cross sectional vie~ of a preferred bel-
lows shape. Figure 26 actually is a split view with the left half showing the
bellows 270 when its interior is at atmospheric pressure. It will be seen that
the bellows may have the form of the frustum of a cone or a pyramid. The right
side of Figure 26 shows the bellows 270 when fully retractedl as happens when
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a vacuum is established in its interior. Figure 27 shows the bellows 27() when
fully extended and applying a label to an object 272.
The reason the form shown is preferred is because, upon retraction of
the bellows as in Figure 26, there is no sticking together of the folds. This
occurs with the usual cylindrical or square shaped bellows. Upon expansion
thereafter the bellows may not extend fully or extend with the base at an angle,
thus defeating label application. Furthermore, because of the frustum of a
cone shape, the bellows, when extended against an object, as shown in Figure
26, wraps itself partially around the object, insuring proper label placement.
Thus, there has been disclosed a new label carrying arrangement or
label strip, and a separation apparatus for separating the labels from the
carrier strip, to permit the highly reliable separation of labels from the
strip while permitting the use of a wide variety of labels including very thin
and flexible labels.
By utilizing the disclosed system, the label carrying web can be
made far less expensive to manufacture (as much as 30%). Labels can now be
made of material of extreme thinness and flexibility (.001" soft polyethylene,
for example). The peeling process is 100% positive. The label must separate
when the carrier web passes through the V-sh~aped notch. Furthermore, the
process of peeling does not require any appreciable tension of the web.
The label is held by the application plunger before, during and
after the peeling process, so that, in one sense, the label does not have to
be transferred to any place after peeling, because it is already in that place.
The preferred apparatus for label application is a pneumatically-
actuated bellows which holds the label firmly by vacuum until extended by a
blast of low pressure air. It can apply labels over a wide range of product
height variation, is extremely fast (about 2.6 milliseconds), is con:Eormable
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to product shapes, and can easily label products going by at high speed (2~"
per second) without damage.
Another advantageous characteristic of the new labelling system is
the elimination of any electronic label sensing or electromechanical web drives,
which must be sophisticated for high speeds and therefore expensive and in-
clined to failure. The elimination of such label sensing and web drive systems
is possible due to the use of various slits in the label carrying wcb, which
are employed somewhat like sprocket holes, by the machine, to con~rol the ad-
vance and location of the labels within the machine. They are available at no
cost because of their special design which is only suited Eor the kind of die
cutting used to make pressure sensitive labels.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described
and illustrated herein, it is recogni~ed that modifications and variations may
readily occur to ~hose skilled in the art and consequently it is intended that
the claims be interpreted ~o cover such modifications and equivalents.
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