Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor – Work-secured and/or work-guided
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-19
2001-06-05
Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor
Work-secured and/or work-guided
C156S556000, C156S580000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240990
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for centralised application of a label with a hole in it to a compact disk or the like, having a base which has a bearing plate with a central hole for placement of the label.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such an apparatus, which is known from WO 96/05057, has a base in the form of a piece of tube on which an annular bearing plate is placed at the end. This bearing plate has a central hole whose diameter corresponds substantially to the inner region of a compact disk, which is not written to. On the other hand, the hole diameter is larger than the central aperture in the disk. A likewise annular label is aligned on the bearing surface for fitting to a compact disk, in such a manner that this label ends at the outer edge of the bearing surface, and the hole in the compact disk and the hole in the label match as far as possible. The disk is now placed onto a conical centralising stud, for which reason this centralising stud provides an annular shoulder, from which a peg projects, passing through the central aperture in the disk. The arrangement can then be held on this peg. At the other end, the centralising stud is formed to be conical. Its cone tip is inserted into the hole in the bearing plate, and the stud is then intended to centralise itself during lowering.
In the case of this apparatus, accurate alignment of the label (which may be, for example, self-adhesive) on the bearing plate has first of all been found to be a problem. The centralising is also often unsatisfactory since it is very easy for the compact disk to which the label is to be applied to be tilted.
Against this technical background, the object is to optimize an apparatus of an type under discussion in respect of its handling and, furthermore, also to ensure exact positioning even during the labeling process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This technical problem is solved by employment of a central pin which is connected to the base passes through the central hole, projects beyond the bearing surface and can be lowered, against the force of a spring, in a guide which is fixed to the base, at right angles to the plane defined by the outer edge of the bearing surface. As a result of such an arrangement, a range of advantages are achieved in use. First of all, an integrated apparatus is provided in which, for example, the centralising pin cannot become displaced or offset in any other way. However, the critical factor is the design of the pin which is connected to the base and projects beyond the bearing surface. This considerably simplifies the positioning on the bearing surface of a label with a hole in it. This is because the pin, which passes through the label hole, allows the label to be applied such that it is centralised very exactly. The compact disk to be labeled is then placed on the pin and is lowered towards the bearing surface. This is possible since the pin can be lowered at right angles to the plane defined by the outer edge of the bearing surface, to a considerable extent under the plane, in a guide which is fixed to the base. In consequence, the compact disk which has been placed on the pin is also lowered at right angles to the bearing surface, and its broad side which is to be labeled comes into contact with that side of the label which is, for example, self-adhesive, when the plane and the bearing surface coincide with one another. However, it is preferred in this case for the bearing surface to be set back with respect to the plane in the direction in which the pin is lowered, from the outer edge towards the central hole. Since such an angling or set-back is only a few degrees, the flexibility of the compact disk means that it can easily match itself to such a basin-shaped formation on the top of the base, during labeling. Thanks to the guidance, the compact disk and/or the pin can move only within the tolerance range. If the diameter of the hole in the label corresponds substantially to that of the pin, the pin is formed, for ease of handling, to taper conically and/or to taper in a stepped manner, projecting beyond the bearing surface. By this reduction in cross section, a likewise advantageous placement of the label is also achieved. Furthermore, such a pin can also easily be passed through the central aperture in the compact disk and the compact disk is thus also centralised. However, it is preferable for the pin to provide an annular shoulder for this purpose towards its free end, on which the compact disk can be placed, and to have a cylindrical shank which passes through the central aperture in the compact disk with an accurate fit. This results on the one hand in the CD being centralised exactly on the pin and, on the other hand, in the plane which is defined by the outer edge of the bearing surface and/or the bearing surface itself with the label placed on it, and its adhesive surface, as well as the flat side of the compact disk which is to be labeled, being exactly parallel. A casing wall which is formed to be concentric with the pin is provided as the guide which is fixed to the base. This is envisaged as being, in particular, a rotationally symmetrical arrangement. The casing wall can be formed by a hole in the base, but, in order to save material, a hollow cylinder is preferably fitted on the underside of the bearing plate, the internal diameter of the hollow cylinder being aligned with the central hole. In this case, it is furthermore possible to provide for the casing wall to be longitudinally grooved in the lowering direction inside the base and underneath the bearing surface, and for guide projections of the pin to be guidingly retained in the grooves. In this way, guidance is provided in which the pin can move only in the axial direction. Twisting is excluded. At the same time, such a guide can be easily produced. It is preferred that the base is provided as one piece, in the form of a tube with a bearing surface, which is closed at the end, and with walls which enclose the central hole under the bearing surface in the manner of circular segments, the walls leaving between them, in the lowering direction, slots for guide projections. Such a base may also be provided, for example, easily as an injection-moulded part, being composed, for example, of an ABS plastics. In the provision of such a guide, it is furthermore preferred for the casing wall and the walls to guidingly surround the pin. By this measure, the already described guide projections come to act as stops. The stop for the guide pins in the not-in-use position, that is to say when the pin projects free of the bearing surface, is provided against the wall of the bearing surface on the inside of the base. If, as is preferred, the casing wall is formed to guide the pin by surrounding it in an annular manner, a stop can be formed by the pin and the cross sectional area bounded by the casing wall having corresponding increases in cross section underneath the bearing plate. Annular shoulders are defined by the increases in cross section which, making contact with one another, determine the projection of the pin beyond the bearing surface. Correspondingly formed stops can likewise be provided to limit the lowering depth of the pin, so that the pin still projects slightly beyond the bearing surface in its maximum lowered position, so that the label is guided by the pin as before but, on the other hand, adhesion of the label is reliably ensured. A stop and, in particular, a connection of the pin to the base which is secure against release are preferably provided, according to the invention, by means of a plate which closes the slots and grooves at the free ends of the casing wall and walls, and/or by seating the free end of the casing wall on the plate. The connection between plate and casing wall and walls can be produced, for example, by a positive lock and/or by gluing. It is preferred for the plate to be releasably connected to the casing wall and/or walls. A releasable connection, such as a latching connection or a clamping seat, has advantages particularly if it
Crispino Richard
Purvis Sue A.
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
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