초록 ▼

A computer controlled labeling apparatus having a label applying mechanism for applying labels to containers. The labeling apparatus has a motor for driving a container transport and a sensor for providing transport status information to a controlling computer. The apparatus contains at least one la

A computer controlled labeling apparatus having a label applying mechanism for applying labels to containers. The labeling apparatus has a motor for driving a container transport and a sensor for providing transport status information to a controlling computer. The apparatus contains at least one labeling station. Each labeling station also has a motor and a sensor, the motor drives the labeling station and the sensor provides labeling station status information to the controlling computer. The computer is programmed to process status information in conjunction with prestored information relating to the characteristics of the labeling apparatus, containers, and desired labeling and generate suitable control signals for labeling apparatus operation. Computer control for the application of stretch type label material from a continuous web of material is described. The computer controlled application of liquid material, such as a settable viscous adhesive to label material during application of the label to form a tactiley sensible indica, such as braille markings is also provided.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] In a computer controlled labeling system having a computer; article transport means, including a turret plate and a chuck for holding an article having an arbitrary peripheral surface shape and a surface peripheral dimension which presents a zone of maximum diameter and o

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] In a computer controlled labeling system having a computer; article transport means, including a turret plate and a chuck for holding an article having an arbitrary peripheral surface shape and a surface peripheral dimension which presents a zone of maximum diameter and one or more adjacent areas of lesser diameter, and means for sensing the angular position, rotational direction, and speed of said turret plate and of said chuck, for transporting said article to be labeled along a fixed article transport path defined by said article transport means; and means for applying stretch labels to said articles including a cutter for cutting an elastic segment of sheet material from a roll of material, and a rotatable vacuum drum for holding said segment of sheet; a method of applying a stretch label to a predetermined location on the surface of said article comprising:providing an elastic segment of sheet material having a leading end, and a trailing end, and having an unstretched length between said leading and trailing ends which is less than the length of the surface of said article to be covered by said segment;stretching the segment to increase the distance between the leading and trailing ends so that the length of said stretched segment is greater than or equal to the length of the surface of said article to be covered by said segment, the distance between said leading and trailing ends of the portions of the segment overlying the lesser diameter areas will decrease upon allowing said stretched segment to relax back toward said unstretched length so that said stretched segment when allowed to relax back toward said unstretched length is substantially prevented from returning to said unstretched length by a peripheral dimension of said article which is greater than said unstretched length, and upon being allowed to relax back toward said unstretched condition said label adhering closely and tightly to such area or areas and the portion of said zone of maximum diameter remains in a stretched condition;applying said segment while so stretched to the article to overlie said zone of maximum diameter and said adjacent area or areas, by adhering the leading end of the stretched segment to the article by applying adhesive to said leading end, wrapping the segment while still in stretched condition around said article so as to overlie said zone and said adjacent area or areas, said adhesive substantially securing said leading edge to said article before said segment is released from said vacuum drum, and securing the trailing end of the stretched segment to said leading end or to the article by applying adhesive to adhere said trailing end or said region underlying said trailing end before said stretched segment is allowed to relax to conform to said article; andcontrolling said stretching and said applying of said segment by:selecting a commanded angular orientation numerical value, a commanded rotational direction numerical value, and a commanded rotational speed numerical value for each of said rotatable vacuum drum, said turret plate, and said chuck, and a commanded cutter position numerical value, which values in combination define spatial and temporal relationships between and among said vacuum drum, said turret plate, said chuck, and said cutter which provide for application of said label on said article at said predetermined location; and mathematically characterizing spatial and temporal relationships between said numerical values and spatial characteristics of said article and said label including: at least one circumferential dimension of said article, a linear dimension along the label direction corresponding to said article circumferential dimension for said label to be applied, and a location on said article where said label is to be applied;transporting said article along said path;sensing the speed of said transport means;computing, in said computer, a commanded angular orientation numerical value, a commanded rotational direction numerical value, and a commanded rotational speed numerical value for each of, said rotatable vacuum drum, said turret plate, and said chuck, and a commanded cutter position numerical value, said numerical values in combination defining time and spatial relationships between said drum, turret plate, chuck, and cutter to provide for application of said label on said article at said predetermined location;generating, in said computer, a control signal corresponding to each of said commanded numerical values in response to said computed numerical values; andapplying said control signals to said means for transporting, and to said means for applying stretch labels so that said label is stretched a predetermined amount when applied to said article and at said predetermined location on said article; andsaid stretching being sufficient that, when the applied stretching force is relinquished by relaxation of said material substantially back to said unstretched length, the portion or portions of the segment overlying said adjacent area or areas will upon relaxing adhere closely and tightly to such area or areas or closely enough that the segment can then be heat shrunk onto such area or areas.