Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor – With work feeding or handling means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-01
2001-04-24
Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor
With work feeding or handling means
C156S558000, C156S566000, C156SDIG002, C198S626600, C198S836100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220330
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conveying systems are often employed to convey articles through a series of sequential working stations. In certain conveyor systems, a number of different articles are separately stacked in a series of individual dispensers mounted along a moving conveyor. Through operation of a computer program, individual articles are selectively dispensed onto the moving conveyor, and the articles are then conveyed to a location where they can be stacked and packaged for shipment to the customer.
Typically, the articles are generally rectangular and include a pair of relatively wide flat face surfaces and an outer peripheral edge defined by relatively narrow individual side surfaces. The articles are fed by the dispensers onto the conveyor such that one of the face surfaces contacts the conveyor. Downstream from the dispensers, the individual articles are reoriented onto one of their side surfaces and are conveyed through the remaining portion of the conveying system while resting on the side surface. In many conveying systems, a labeling station is positioned downstream from the dispensers such that labels can be applied to the articles before the articles are assembled into stacks. Typically, the labeling station includes at least one labeling unit that applies a label to the article without actually contacting the article.
In past labeling stations included in conveying systems of this type, the article is supported on a conveyor belt as it passes through the labeling station. A pair of stationary guide members are spaced above the conveyor belt to prevent the article from tipping back onto its face surface as the article is conveyed through the labeling station. Typically, these guide members are spaced a predetermined distance greater than the maximum width of the articles being handled by the system, such that articles of different sizes are able to travel through the labeling station.
Since the article is not positively supported as a label is applied, problems exist in using the labeling station to apply labels to articles having different sizes. For example, a VCR tape is much wider than a compact disc container, such that the position of the article with respect to the labeling unit may vary depending on the type of article. This creates difficulties in controlling label application to provide consistent label placement and positive engagement of the label with the surface of article. Therefore, a need exists to provide a labeling station that increases control of the interface between the article and the label applicator as the article passes through the labeling station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for supporting and applying labels to individual articles as the articles are moved in a single-file fashion along a primary conveyor assembly. The plurality of articles, such as video cassette containers, compact disc containers, audio cassette containers, or the like are conveyed in an upright, singulated fashion on a primary conveyor belt which transports the articles through a labeling station. A biasing assembly contained in the labeling station contacts each of the individual articles and forces the article into contact with a stationary guide assembly. The biasing assembly is operated at substantially the same speed as the primary conveyor assembly, such that the article is continuously pressed against the stationary guide assembly as the article moves through the labeling station. A plurality of labeling units are positioned to apply a label to each article as the article is supported against the stationary guide assembly by the biasing assembly. The stationary guide assembly defines an article engagement with the article engagement surface spaced a predetermined distance from each of the labeling units, and the biasing assembly maintains each article in engagement surface as the articles are transported past the labeling units. In this manner, each of the plurality of articles is supported in an identical position relative to the labeling unit.
The biasing assembly of the invention includes a biasing belt that is operated at the same speed as, or at a faster speed than, the primary conveyor belt. The biasing belt is entrained between an upstream roller and a downstream roller and rotates thereabout. The biasing belt includes a continuous backing belt and a plurality of loops extending from the backing belt. The plurality of loops are formed from a continuous strip of material. The continuous strip of material is fixed to the backing belt at a plurality of trough portions each located between adjacent loops. In this manner, the continuous strip of material forms the loops that extend from the backing belt.
The primary conveyor belt supports each of the articles on its side, and moves the articles through the labeling station. The biasing belt is positioned above the primary conveyor belt such that the loops of the biasing belt are spaced slightly inward from the article engagement surface of the stationary guide assembly. Preferably, the distance between the plurality of loops and the article engagement surface is less than the thickness of the thinnest article being handled by the system.
As the biasing belt contacts one of the articles, the individual loops in contact with the article flex inward to deform the original shape of the loop. The flexible loops exert a relatively soft lateral force on the article to press the article toward the article engagement surface of the stationary guide assembly.
The stationary guide assembly preferably includes an upper guide rail and a lower guide rail which are positioned adjacent to the lateral edge of the primary conveyor belt. The upper and lower guide rails are positioned above the primary conveyor belt, and each guide rail defines an article engagement surface generally aligned with the lateral edge of the primary conveyor belt. The flexible loops of the biasing belt exert a force on a second face surface of the article to force a first face surface of the article into contact with the article engagement surfaces of the upper and lower guide rails. Since the biasing belt and the primary conveyor belt are operated at substantially the same speed, the individual loops of the primary conveyor belt continuously force the article into contact with the article engagement surfaces of the upper and lower guide rails as the articles are transported past the labeling units.
As each article passes through the labeling station, the article is continuously pressed against the upper and lower guide rails by the biasing belt. When the article is pressed against the article engagement surfaces of the upper and lower guide rails, the first face surface of the article is always positioned a known distance from the label application of each labeling unit contained within the labeling station, regardless of the thickness of the article. In this manner, the labeling units can accurately and consistently apply a label to each article as it passes through the labeling station.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism for applying labels to articles being moved in a single-file fashion along a primary conveyor assembly. It is an additional object of the invention to provide a biasing assembly to exert a force to hold each individual article moving along the primary conveyor assembly in contact with a stationary guide assembly. It is another object of the invention to provide a biasing assembly that positions the article in a known relationship to a labeling unit contained in the labeling station. It is a further object of the invention to provide a biasing belt in the biasing assembly that flexes laterally upon engagement with an article to exert an outward force to hold the article in contact with the stationary guide assembly. It is a further object of the invention to provide a biasing assembly that operates at substantially the same speed as the primary conveyor assembly such that the biasing assembly supports the article as the article moves throug
Andrus Sceales Starke & Sawall LLP
Crispino Richard
Dorner Mfg. Corp.
Purvis Sue A.
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