Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-29
2003-03-11
Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S240000, C156S542000, C156S541000, C156S540000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06531018
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for decorating containers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Containers of this type may be made of paper, plastic, glass or metal, and are mainly used in the beverage, food and cosmetic industry. Such containers are decorated by using transfer processes and corresponding devices.
Typically, containers have a cylindrical shape. Various methods and devices for decorating cylindrical containers are known. An exemplary method and an apparatus for a thermal transfer process is disclosed in DE 195 09 984 C1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,689). Herein, the containers move on a transport path while rotating, and decors move past a transfer location on a carrier conveyor, where the decors are transferred to the containers through application of pressure and heat. The transport path and the carrier conveyor move in opposite directions. The circumferential velocity of the containers corresponds to the velocity of the carrier conveyor, while the necessary transfer heat is produced by heating the carrier conveyor.
Unlike other known processes, the containers used with this process have a particularly high circumferential velocity which is determined by the opposing moving directions of the carrier conveyor and the transport path. This provides a continuous transfer at a high velocity and with excellent quality, because the spacing of the containers on the transport path and the spacing of the decors on the carrier conveyor can be independent of each other. In addition, the corresponding apparatus is much simpler because different movements do not have to be matched with each other.
However, the method and the apparatus disclosed in the reference are not suitable for decorating containers having a non-cylindrical shape. However, the industry uses more and more frequently containers, in particular PET bottles, having a particular shape in order to give the product a distinguishing characteristics. Until now, such containers could only be labeled or printed using discontinuously operating machines, which is an inefficient process that has been rejected by the industry in applications where large production quantities are required.
It is therefore an object to develop a process and an apparatus for continuously decorating cylindrical as well as non-cylindrical containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is solved by a method for decorating containers, wherein the containers (
1
) are moved on a transport path (
5
) and the decors are moved with a constant velocity on a carrier conveyor (
10
) in the opposite direction and tangentially at a transfer location (
11
), where the decors are transferred sequentially to the containers (
1
) by applying pressure and heat, and are subsequently subjected to a thermal treatment, wherein the ratio of the spacing of the containers (
1
) to the velocity of the transport path (
5
) is the same as of the ratio of the spacing of the decors to the velocity of the carrier conveyor (
10
) and wherein the containers (
1
) are accelerated in the region of the transfer location (
11
) to a circumferential velocity which corresponds to the velocity of the carrier conveyor (
10
), characterized in that
before the transport location (
11
), the containers (
1
) are decollated to have a uniform spacing and are rotated and then stopped and secured in a predefined position based on a marking (
30
) on the container (
1
),
the secured containers (
1
) are accelerated at the transfer location (
11
) to the required circumferential velocity, and
a contact line between the carrier conveyor (
10
) and the rotating container (
1
) is established by a freely rotating transfer roll (
26
,
31
) of a pressure head (
6
,
6
′) which moves with and is returned with the transport travel of the container (
1
) and can also be moved transversely to the transport path (
5
), wherein the contact line is maintained over a predetermined path of travel of the container (
1
) and by a device for decorating containers, comprising a transport path (
5
) for containers (
1
) having a uniform spacing and a carrier conveyor (
10
) for decorations having a uniform spacing, with the transport path (
5
) and the carrier conveyor (
10
) contacting each other with opposite rotation directions at a transfer location (
11
), wherein a pressure head (
6
) for applying a pressure to the transport path (
10
) towards the container (
1
) is arranged at the transfer location (
11
) and the transport path (
5
) includes a thermal post-treatment device (
7
) located after the transfer location (
11
) and the carrier conveyor (
10
) includes a heating device located before the transfer location (
11
), characterized in that
the transport path (
5
) comprises a rotatable receiving device (
22
), which secures the position, and a positioning device (
13
), wherein the positioning device (
13
) is provided with a rotary drive and a position detent (
16
) which matches a marking (
30
) on the container (
1
) and interrupts the rotation of the container (
1
), and
each receiving device (
22
) is designed so it can be driven together with the container (
1
) at the transfer location (
11
) in the direction on the carrier conveyor (
10
), and the pressure head (
6
) is provided with a pressure-biased movable transfer roller (
26
,
31
), wherein
the transfer roller (
26
,
31
) is constructed so as to be able to rotate and travel with the container (
1
), and to move transversely to the transport travel of the containers (
1
).
Various preferred features of the present method are as follows:
the rotation for orienting and securing the container (
1
) is provided by a separate drive and is stopped at a predetermined position;
a cylindrical portion of the freely rotating container (
1
) rolls on a stationary friction element (
15
) over a predetermined rotation angle;
the containers (
1
) are oriented and secured on a feed star arranged before the carousel (
4
) and that the secured containers (
1
) are conveyed to the rotatable receiving devices (
22
) of the carousel (
4
), where the secured containers (
1
) are again secured in their respective position;
the containers (
1
) are secured on the carousel (
4
) by a friction force and each receiving device (
22
) is driven by the carrier conveyor (
10
) against the friction force in the region of the transfer location (
11
);
the receiving devices (
22
) are supported by a separate drive unit and that each receiving device (
22
) is rotated by this drive unit in the region of the transfer location (
11
);
the transfer roller (
26
,
31
) is returned to its initial position by a linear motion after a label has been applied to a container (
1
);
the transfer roller (
26
,
31
), after application of a label to a container (
1
), is returned to its initial position by a rotating motion about a pivot located outside the carousel
4
;
to compensate for the different circumferential velocity of the container (
1
), the rotation of the container (
1
) or the transport motion of the carrier conveyor (
10
) has a non-uniform velocity which matches the circumferential contour of the container; and
to compensate for a different circumferential velocity of the container (
1
), the decors on the carrier conveyor (
10
) have a distortion which is matched to the circumferential contour of the container (
1
).
Various preferred features of the device according to the invention are as follows:
a drivable feed star (
2
) is located before the carousel (
4
), wherein the positioning device (
13
) is arranged on the feed star (
2
) and the receiving device (
22
) is arranged on the carousel (
4
), and that both are functionally connected at a transfer location;
the rotational drive of the positioning device (
13
) comprises a receiving pocket (
14
) in the star (
12
) of the feed star (
2
) and a stationary friction element (
15
), both being dimensioned and arranged so as to match a cylindrical portion of the container (
1
);
the positioning device (
13
) comprises
Crispino Richard
Heineken Technical Services B.V.
Koch, III George R.
Young & Thompson
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