Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Direct application of fluid pressure differential to... – Labeling or embossing indicia
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-06
2001-07-24
Davis, Robert (Department: 1722)
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Direct application of fluid pressure differential to...
Labeling or embossing indicia
C425S126100, C425S503000, C425S522000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264876
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art discloses many types of methods and apparatus for accomplishing in-mold labeling of plastic bottles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,483, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an in-mold labeling insertion apparatus and method according to which there is provided a carriage carrying at least one label holder. The carriage is moved in unison with the mold along a parallel path with the face of the open mold section. The carriage has a label inserting beam extending forwardly therefrom and a label holder operable to (1) receive a label from a label magazine and (2) release the label on the wall of the recess of one of the mold sections upon advancement of the carriage and insertion of the beam and label holder thereon between said open mold sections. Other methods and apparatus for in-mold labeling are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,639,206; 4,355,967; 4,479,770 and 4,479,771.
In the blow molding of plastic bottles, it is desirable to utilize blow molds having plurality of molding cavities so that a plurality of bottles are molded in each molding cycle of a set of blow molds. The blow molds utilize first and second sections which open and close. Recesses are formed in the mating faces of each of the mold sections. When the mold sections are closed, the recesses cooperate to define cavities in which the bottles are blown.
Heretofore there has not been widespread use of in-mold labeling for bottles having a cylindrical body portion, particularly in those situations where it is desired that substantially the entire circumference of the bottle be encircled by labels from the mating mold sections. In order to affix labels which substantially encircle the entire circumference of a cylindrical portion of a bottle, each mold section should have inserted in its mold recess a label having a length equal to the circumferential wall portion of such mold recess. Since two mold sections are normally utilized in blow molding a plastic bottle, the circumferential length of the cylindrical portion of a recess of each mold section will be equal to one-half of the circumference of the cylindrical portion of the bottle being formed. Accordingly, the length of a label to be inserted in each mold section recess will be equal to or substantially equal to one-half of such bottle cylindrical portion circumference.
As mentioned previously, it is frequently desirable to utilize blow molds having a plurality of molding cavities aligned with one another, with a single tubular parison being blown in each such molding cavity simultaneously with other parisons being blown in their respective cavities while the mold sections are closed therearound. Depending upon the size of the bottles being blown and the type of machine, there may be 2, 4, 6 or even 8 aligned bottles being blown simultaneously. In order to minimize the space occupied by the blow molding machine, it is desirable that each of the cavities be positioned as close to the adjacent cavities as feasible. Such close positioning of the cavities will also minimize the amount of metal required to be utilized in the molds and related equipment and minimize the amount of energy required (1) to move the mold sections between open and closed positions and, (2) depending upon the type of blow molding machine, to move the mold sections laterally or rotationally from a position beneath an extrusion die orifice for receiving a plurality of tubular parisons to a position at which air is introduced therein to expand the parisons in their respective mold cavities. However, the closeness of the positioning of adjacent mold cavities results in the distance between adjacent mold cavities being significantly less than the length of a label having a length equal to one-half the circumference of the cylindrical portion of bottle being molded. It should be noted that the labels are substantially flat or planar when they are removed from a label magazine by a label transfer mechanism which transfers the labels from the label magazine to the mold recesses. As a result of the length of such labels, when flat, being greater than the distance between adjacent mold cavities, it is necessary that the labels being carried by adjacent transfer mechanisms have overlapping edges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Under the present invention, a placer arm assembly has a plurality of vacuum label holding heads positioned to simultaneously engaged and withdraw a plurality of labels from adjacent lanes of a label dispensing magazine and transfer such labels to and position such labels in adjacent recesses of a mold section having a plurality of recesses. The recesses in which the labels are positioned include a wall portion for receiving the label, which recess defines one-half of a cylinder and cooperates with a corresponding recess of a mating mold section to define a bottle having a cylindrical wall portion. The center-to-center spacing between adjacent recesses of the mold section is less than one-half the circumference of the cylinder. If the label to be inserted in each recess is intended to extend the full semi-circular portion of the recess, then the lengths of the labels will be greater than the center-to-center distance between adjacent mold recesses.
Under the present invention, labels are dispensed from a label dispensing magazine having a plurality of lanes for dispensing labels, with the number of lanes preferably being equal to the number of recesses and equal to the number of sets of vacuum label holding heads. The center-to-center spacing between adjacent lanes of labels is at least equal to and preferably greater than the length of the labels. Accordingly, for labels having a length equal to or substantially equal to the circumferential portion of the cylinder defined by the recess (i.e. one-half of the circumference of the cylinder), the center-to-center distance between adjacent lanes will be greater than the center-to-center distance between adjacent mold recesses. According to the present invention, adjacent sets of vacuum holding heads are spaced apart a first distance which is, preferably, substantially equal to the center-to-center distance between adjacent lanes of labels so that such sets of vacuum label holding heads may simultaneously engage and withdraw the end label from each of such lanes. A placer arm assembly supporting the sets of vacuum label holding heads then rotates to carry the label retained on each set of heads to a position at which the sets of vacuum label holding heads may insert a label into each of the recesses of the appropriate mold section. During the interval between engaging the end labels from each of the lanes and inserting them in such recesses, the adjacent sets of vacuum label holding heads and the placer arms supporting them are moved toward one another such that the center-to-center spacing between adjacent sets of vacuum label holding heads is substantially equal to the spacing between adjacent mold recesses. Such movement of adjacent sets of vacuum label holding heads toward one another is preferably done while the placer arm assembly is moving such sets of vacuum label holding heads from a position to engage the end label from each of the lanes to a position to insert the labels in the respective mold recesses. Such movement of the sets of adjacent vacuum label holding heads toward one another causes the edges of the labels retained on adjacent vacuum label holding heads to become overlapped with one another.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4479770 (1984-10-01), Slat et al.
patent: 4479771 (1984-10-01), Slat et al.
patent: 4501548 (1985-02-01), Jahnel
patent: 4585408 (1986-04-01), Darr
patent: 4595449 (1986-06-01), Nowicki
patent: 4616992 (1986-10-01), Oles
patent: 4636166 (1987-01-01), Franks et al.
patent: 4639206 (1987-01-01), Darr
patent: 4639207 (1987-01-01), Slat et al.
patent: 4721451 (1988-01-01), Darr
patent: 4737099 (1988-04-01), Kaminski
patent: 4815955 (1989-03-01), Krall
patent: 4834641 (1989-05-01), Keyser
patent: 4854848 (1989-08-01), Krall et al.
patent: 4909723 (1990-03-01),
Davis Robert
Emch, Schaffer, Schaub & Porcello & Co., L.P.A.
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