Package making – With cover-adjunct application or formation – Adjunct comprising nonencircling strip – e.g. – stamp – label...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-04-24
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Package making
With cover-adjunct application or formation
Adjunct comprising nonencircling strip, e.g., stamp, label...
C053S157000, C053S176000, C053S587000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219992
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method in connection with wrapping of a piece. The invention relates also to a device in connection with a wrapping apparatus. Furthermore, the invention relates to a manipulating apparatus for manipulating one or more labels in connection with wrapping of a piece.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known that pieces, such as cylindrical paper rolls, are wrapped by using wrapping apparatuses, known as such, which perform the wrapping by means of a wrapping film, preferably a transparent stretch film. One known wrapping apparatus is presented in patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,610. These wrapping apparatuses normally use a thin plastic film which is guided around the piece while the piece is rotated around its central line. When the wrapping film which is narrower than the piece is fed around the piece in the longitudinal direction of the piece, i.e. in the direction of the central line, it is also known to transfer the wrapping apparatus in the direction of the central line to wrap the whole envelope surface of the piece with several layers of the wrapping film. At the final stage of the wrapping, the film is cut and the end of the film can be welded on to other films by hot sealing. As to the techniques involved in cutting, sealing and feeding of the film, reference is made e.g. to patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,109. During the wrapping, the wrapping film is also stretched in a controlled way, as presented e.g. in patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,263 which is referred to in this respect.
After the wrapping, the pieces are also normally supplemented with a sheet-like label which comprises e.g. information about the material of the piece, identification codes, addresses, production data, text, figures, instructions, warnings, etc. In a known way, the label, or alternatively several labels, are attached on the outer surface of the outermost wrapping film layer on the wrapped piece, e.g. by manually pasting. Also, there are different known apparatuses which automatically add the required adhesive, such as hot-setting adhesive, on one surface of the label and transfer the label e.g. by pressing with feeding rolls onto the surface of a stationary piece. In the case of larger pieces, such as rolls of newsprint or magazine printing paper, the labels can be placed in position by a robot or a manipulator equipped with a gripping device operating on the suction principle. Furthermore, it is possible that the label is attached to the surface of the stopped piece before starting the wrapping.
However, a considerable drawback in the prior art presented above is the fact that the act of securing the adherence of the label during the different steps of transportation and manipulation of the piece sets considerable demands on e.g. the properties and endurance of the adhesive under various exposure conditions, the technical way of adhesion as well as the accuracy of the fixing. Moreover, varying ambient conditions can directly affect the label adhered onto the outer surface of the wrapped piece, involving the risk that the information may disappear at least partly if the label is not e.g. coated. A label placed onto the surface of the piece before the wrapping is difficult to read e.g. by a machine under several layers of wrapping film, particularly if the bar code of the label must be interpreted reliably, if the wrapping film is coloured, or if creases are formed on several film layers on the label.
Due to the facts presented above, pasting and fixing apparatuses of prior art for fixing a label become complex and expensive. Also, the materials for durable labels of special make may require distinct fixing methods specific to them. However, the piece itself or the wrapping film layers must not be damaged in connection with the fixing.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of the present invention to present a considerable improvement to the prior art to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to present a very simple and effective method as well as an apparatus applying the method for providing a piece with one or more labels. It is an essential principle in the invention that the label is attached to the piece during the process of wrapping the piece and that the label is placed in between wrapping films.
By using the invention, several considerable advantages are achieved. By means of the invention, it is possible to avoid particularly the use of noxious adhesive or fixing substances, and thereby also the need to handle them is reduced. Also the need for separate devices intended for pasting is reduced. By totally eliminating pasting, also any damage caused by these substances to the wrapping film or to the piece itself is avoided.
When the label is placed underneath layers of wrapping film, the label itself is also effectively protected. Thus, the label used can also be of ordinary paper or paperboard, wherein the printing out of the identification data on the label is facilitated as well, because e.g. printers for printing on paper are generally available. Another considerable advantage of the invention is that it is equally easy to control the number of forming wrapping film layers under which the label is placed. This is done for example by feeding the label onto the film, or alternatively to the point of contact of the film and the piece, after a desired delay after starting the wrapping. By a timed control, a desired number of labels can be placed onto the piece, if the manipulating device in the apparatus is arranged suitable for manipulating and simultaneously storing several separate labels.
The invention can be implemented by simple equipment, which increases the reliability of the apparatus and reduces maintenance and down-time costs or time delays caused by these. In particular, when the label is placed onto the film, carried between two films or fed to the point of contact of two films, it is possible to use devices which are not arranged to be moved separately or to be precisely positioned by the piece to be wrapped. In an advantageous embodiment of the manipulating means of the apparatus according to the invention, the effect of gravity is utilized in a simple way to transfer the label in the vertical direction and to drop the label onto the wrapping film. The wrapping film is used to convey the label to the piece, and in this connection, also the suction effect of the moving film is effectively utilized, as will be described hereinbelow.
If the manipulating device according to the invention, and preferably also printing equipment, are arranged to be movable separately e.g. in a carriage on slide bars, it is possible to use very simple methods to serve various wrapping apparatuses to add labels onto different pieces. Another considerable advantage of the invention is that the apparatus can be connected to already existing wrapping apparatuses by very simple changes which are primarily made in the operation of their control devices. The work stages become more effective when the label is adjoined to the piece during the wrapping, wherein a separate labelling step before or after wrapping can be preferably totally eliminated.
The manipulating device is particularly suitable for such wrapping apparatuses in which the film is supplied as a continuous web moving in its longitudinal direction around the piece to be wrapped. Furthermore, a particular advantage is that the placement of the label underneath the film layers is possible without special devices requiring precise placement. The position of the label in the roll is controlled primarily indirectly by timing of the control system and not directly by placing. The manipulating means, particularly its closing means, operate actively under the control and preferably independently, wherein the means can be easily supplemented in old apparatuses as well without considerable changes in the structure. Preferably, the manipulating means operate by gravity, but if the means are equipped with rolls or sets of rolls controlled by the control s
Mäki-Rahkola Hannu
Maki-Rahkola Jari
Connolly Bove & Lodge & Hutz LLP
Gerrity Stephen F.
Pesmel Oy
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