Automatic device for conveying water transfer labels adhering to a hygroscopic paper backing strip

Abstract

 The finding relates to an automatic device (1) for conveying water transfer labels (4) and realised on a hygroscopic paper support backing (3), in order to print by means of a transudation process on ceramic products in general, the identification bar code. Such automatic device is characterised in that the detaching of the film containing the printing that forms the label (4), from the paper support backing (3) and its transfer onto the product (P) to be labelled, is performed by means that activate an operation that uses an air suction condition combined with a mutual rotation movement between the paper support backing and the detaching device (8).

Description

[0001] The present finding relates to an automatism for conveying water transfer labels realised on a hygroscopic paper support backing and their manual or automatic positioning on the surface of the object to be labelled.

[0002] As is well known, on ceramic products in general, such as sanitary appliances for example, the identification bar code is applied to the surface of the product by means of a label of the so-called "water transfer" type, on which the bar code is printed, and which is applied on the ceramic product before it is sent for firing.

[0003] Because of the high temperature reached during the firing step, the film that forms the base of the label, evaporates while the ink printed bar code image in the film, is then printed by means of the transudation process which the ceramic product undergoes when subjected to very high temperature, in an indelible manner on the surface of the ceramic product itself.

[0004] The use of the hygroscopic paper, because of its chemical-physical properties, has a dual function: that of adhere and retaining the film that forms during the realisation of the labels themselves, and that of permitting rapid detachment of the abovementioned label from the paper support backing for application on the product to be marked, by simply maintaining all elements in water for a few seconds.

[0005] For further details on such label type, please refer to Patent Document N° VI2000A00047, by the same Applicant, wherein a plant for production of water transfer labels and realised on a hygroscopic paper support backing is described and claimed.

[0006] In current state of the art, label detaching from the paper support backing is performed manually, taking each label singly and applying it to each single product to be labelled, again by hand: this method obviously presents operating problems that are easy to imagine, due to the considerable time required and the considerable difficulty experienced by the Operator in removing the film from the paper support backing and for its application on the ceramic product surface.

[0007] Naturally this type of method cannot be combined with highly automatic forming equipment present in current bathroom ceramic product industries.

[0008] The object of the present finding is to realise an automatism for detaching single labels from the paper support backing and to apply them on the surface of the products to be labelled, all in an automatic manner, leaving the operator to exclusively perform the operations of loading the machine with the label strip reels and unloading the paper backing scrap.

[0009] Said object is achieved by means of an automatism characterised in that the detaching of the film, printed with the marking that forms the label, from the paper support backing and its transfer to the product to be labelled is performed by means of an operation using air suction.

[0010] Specifically, the air suction action first raises the edge of the film and then detaches it completely from the paper support backing.

[0011] Again still using the air suction action, at the same time as the gradual detaching from the paper support backing, the film continuously anchors itself to the device that generates such suction action, and once the film is completely detached, the device deposits the film on the surface of the product to be labelled.

[0012] The characteristics of the finding are made clearer through the description of a possible embodiment, provided by way of a non-limiting example, with the help of the appended drawing tables wherein:

• Figures 1 and 2 (Table I) represent two views, one plan view and the other elevation view, of the automatism according to the finding, in rest position;
• Figures 3 and 4 (Table II) represent two views, one plan view and the other elevation view, of the automatism according to the finding, in operating position;
• Figures from 5 to 8 (Table III) represent the various successive work stages of the automatism according to the finding;
• Figure 9 (Table IV) represents an overall view of the automatism according to the finding.

[0013] As can be seen in the figures, the automatism according to the finding indicated throughout by the numeral 1, comprises a conveyor belt 2, of the closed ring type, that conveys the hygroscopic paper tape 3, on which are applied the labels 4 to be transferred, which unrolls from a reel 5 located upstream of the machine, and it is collected as paper scrap in a container 6 located downstream of the machine itself.

[0014] The conveyor belt 2 is composed of a rubber-coated fabric-faced strip, combined with a layer of spongy material having a thickness of approximately 2-3 mm, glued to the total strip surface. The spongy layer is maintained in a very wet state by means of conveyor belt 2 immersion in a water container for this purpose, positioned at the base of the equipment, or by means of water spray nozzles S, positioned externally to said belt in a manner so that the hygroscopic paper tape 3 laid on and conveyed by the belt, and soaked in water, results as sufficiently wet, therefore facilitating the operation of detaching the labels 4 from the tape itself.

[0015] The device, indicated throughout by the numeral 7 is positioned at the head of the conveyor belt 2, to detach the labels 4 from the tape 3, and is substantially composed of a hollow roller 8, having on its side surface a perforated portion 9, and a suction unit 10, that creates a suction inside above-said roller, the whole assembly being mounted on a plate 11, which slides on the guides 12.

[0016] During the operating stage, as can be seen in particular in figures 5 to 7, the roller 8 is positioned aligned with the front transmission cylinder 13 of the conveyor belt 2, and brought on a tangent against the curved front surface of the conveyor belt itself, so that said roller, which rotates in a counter direction, raises and detaches the label 4 from its paper support backing 3.

[0017] Using this constructive solution, it is therefore possible to bring the perforated surface 9 of roller 8 into contact with the surface of the labels 4, and thus, because of the suction present inside the roller, a "suction cup effect" is generated on the mutual contact zones, to realise two positive actions: it causes the detaching of the label 4 from the support tape 3, and at the same time, engages the label which it is detached gradually from the backing tape so that it adheres to the perforated wall during the partial angular rotation of the roller, that corresponds to approximately a half turn.

[0018] This creates the advantage that by equipping the unit that supports roller B with an anthropomorphic motion "K", either manual or robotised, it becomes possible to transfer the single label 4 directly from the paper tape 3, to the surface of the product "P" to be labelled.

[0019] This operation is made even more simple because of the fact that the adherence of the label on the surface itself is ensured, not only by a film of a fixing product sprayed automatically onto the positioning zone for the label, but also by means of the layer of glue that remains attached to the base of the label itself, thus increasing the total adherence action.

[0020] Functionally, the operating stages of the machine according to the finding are:

• forward travel of the conveyor belt 2 and therefore forward travel of the hygroscopic paper tape 3 until it reaches the exact position wherein the label 4 is in perfect contact with the detaching device 7.

[0021] As can be seen in the figures, the label 4 is positioned so that its lower edge coincides with the tangential line, and said position is detected by a sensor 20 which slides on the guides 21, which "reads" the reference mark 22, located at the edge of the bar code or the edge of the label, in order to arrest the forward travel of the belt itself (See figures 1-2 and 5).

• the approach of the detaching device 7, to bring the perforated portion 9 of the roller in to contact with the surface of the label 4 (See figures 3 and 4).

[0022] As can be seen from the figures, the perforated portion 9 is positioned so that its lower edge coincides with the tangential line and is positioned in contact with the lower edge of the label 4 (See figure 6).

• the activation of the suction action inside roller 8 so that through the holes in the perforated portion 9, a "suction cup effect" is created to gradually detach the label 4 from the paper tape 3 and retain it against the wall of the aforesaid perforated portion at the same time as the rotation of roller 8 (See figure 7).
• Reverse run of the detaching device 7 to move the label 4 away from the paper tape 3 zone (see figure 8).
• The antropomorphous movement "K" of the detaching device 7 to transfer the label 4 onto the product "P" to be labelled (see figure 9).

[0023] Obviously the practical realisation of the automatism according to the finding can assume different configurations in relation to the mechanical organs employed and known to the state of the art, while remaining within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. AUTOMATISM FOR CONVEYING WATER TRANSFER LABELS AND REALISED ON A HYGROSCOPIC PAPER SUPPORT BACKING used to print, by means of the transudation process, the identification bar code on ceramic products in general.
Said automatism being characterised in that
The detaching of the film containing the marking which constitutes the label, from the paper support backing and its transfer onto the product to be labelled, are performed by means which activate an operation that uses an air suction condition combined with a mutual rotation motion between the paper support backing and the detaching device.

2. AUTOMATISM according to claim 1 characterised in that the suction action is realised to first raise the edge of the film from the paper support backing, followed by the complete detaching of the film from the support backing itself by means of the angular rotation of the detaching device.

3. AUTOMATISM according to claim 2 characterised in that while the suction action simultaneously performs the gradual detaching from the paper support backing, the film is anchored in a continuous manner on the device that generates said suction, and which after the detaching of the label, positions and applies it on the surface of the product to be labelled.

4. AUTOMATISM according to claim 3 characterised in that the transfer of the label from the detaching zone to the product to be labelled (P) is performed in an automatic manner by means of a robotised anthropomorphous motion (K).

5. AUTOMATISM according to one or more of the previous claims characterised in that it comprises a conveyor belt (2) of the closed ring type and composed of a rubber-coated fabric-faced strip combined with a layer of spongy material, glued along its complete surface, wherein said spongy material is maintained in a very wet condition by means of immersion or by means of water spray nozzles (S), said belt conveying on its surface a hygroscopic paper tape (3) on which are applied the labels (4) to be transferred, said tape being unwound from a reel (5) and being collected in the form of paper scrap in a container (6).

6. AUTOMATISM according to claim 5 characterised in that at the head of the conveyor belt (2) is positioned the device (7) for detaching the labels (4) from the tape (3), said device comprising a hollow roller (8) having perforated portion (9) on its side surface, and a suction unit (10) that creates the suction inside said roller, the complete assembly (7) being mounted on a plate (11) sliding on the guides (12).

7. AUTOMATISM according to claim 6 characterised in that the roller (8) is positioned in alignment with the front transmission cylinder (13) of the conveyor belt (2) and brought in a tangential position into contact with the curved front surface of the belt itself, so that said roller, being able to perform an angular rotating movement, detaches the label (4).

8. AUTOMATISM according to claim 7 characterised in that in the mutual zone of contact between the perforated surface (9) of the roller (8) and the surface of the label (4), by means of the suction present inside the roller, a "suction cup" effect is generated, thus causing the detaching of the label (4) from the wet support backing tape (3), and at the same time engaging the label that is gradually detached from the tape so that it remains adherent to the perforated portion of said roller, which completes a rotating movement for approximately a half-turn.

9. AUTOMATISM according to one or more of the previous claims characterised in that to ensure the exact position of the label (4) so that its lower edge coincides with the tangential line in contact with the perforated portion (9) of roller (8), a reading being performed by a sensor (20) which slides on guides (21) and which reads the reference mark (22) present on the edge of the bar code or the edge of the label itself, in order to arrest the forward travel of the conveyor belt (2).

10. AUTOMATISM according to one or more of the previous claims characterised in that it operates according to the following steps:

- forward travel of the wet conveyor belt (2) and the hygroscopic paper tape (3) until the label (4) reaches the exact position in contact with the detaching device (7);

- approach of the detaching device (7) in order to bring the perforated portion (9) of the roller in contact with the film of the label(4);

- activation of the suction action inside the roller (8) so that through the holes in the perforated portion (9) a suction effect is created to gradually detach the label (4) from the paper tape (3) and to retain it against the wall of said perforated portion, while simultaneously rotating the roller itself so that with the angular rotation of the abovementioned roller, the overall surface of the label (4) is brought into contact with the perforated surface (9) thus remaining adherent to the latter;

- reverse movement of the detaching device (7) to move the label (4) away from the paper backing tape (3) zone;

- anthropomorphous movement of the detaching device (7) to transfer the label (4) onto the product to be labelled.

Drawing