Installation For Producing Folded Labels

Description

This application claims priority of PCT application PCT/CH2005/000418 having a priority date of Aug. 27, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The innovation relates to an installation for producing folded labels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An installation for producing folded labels of the type mentioned in the introduction is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,235 B. The installation contains a dispenser for a strip of labels, and this is followed by a folding station for forming at least one fold in the label strip. The folding station is followed by a fixing station for fixing the fold, and a fixing station is followed by a buffer station for the folded label, the buffer station leading into a cutting station which serves for cutting off individual folded labels from the label strip. The disadvantage with this installation is that a single conveying arrangement in the form of a conveying belt is provided for the folding station and the fixing station, and this conveying arrangement, on the one hand, draws off the label strip from the dispenser and, on the other hand, moves the folded label strip continuously in a linear manner through the fixing station. As a result of the continuous movement of the folded strip in the fixing station, it is only possible to have a limited pressing force, in order to ensure that the strip can also be transported further. This involves the risk of the folded strip being fixed to an insufficient extent. This has a particularly disadvantageous effect in the case of label strips of fluctuating thickness, as is the case with highly patterned label strips in which floating pattern threads form pronounced locations of discontinuity which results in label thickness changing constantly. It is also disadvantageous that the conveying belt cannot react to the changes in length of the label strip which are defined by the thermal influences, and this likewise has an adverse effect on precise thermofixing of the folded strip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the innovation is to improve an installation for producing folded labels. Significant advantages are achieved by a first conveying arrangement being provided between the dispenser and the folding station and a second conveying arrangement being provided downstream of the fixing station, it being possible for these conveying arrangements to be operated intermittently by means of the control unit. The intermittent movement makes it possible to bring the folded label strip to a standstill in the fixing station, as a result of which the fixing station may be equipped with a raiseable and lowerable pressing ram which, with the label strip at a standstill, can subject the folded label strip to a pressure of any desired magnitude. This ensures optimum fixing of the folded label strip even in the case of a label strip of fluctuating thickness. The two conveying arrangements also allow the conveying speeds of the conveying arrangements to be adjusted optimally in relation to one another, so that it is possible to compensate for changes in length during the fixing operation by corresponding adaptation of the conveying speed, in particular of the second conveying arrangement. The label strip thus runs through the folding and fixing stations with optimum tensioning at all times, as a result of which the fixing operation, and thus the quality of the folded label strips, can be significantly improved. A particularly advantageous configuration is that it is possible to regulate the second conveying arrangement relative to the first conveying arrangement, so that it can compensate for a positive change in length of the label strip during treatment, for example, by means of increasing its conveying action.

The cutting arrangement is equipped with a third conveying arrangement, which can be driven, and brought to a standstill, in accordance with the length of the label which is to be cut off. An advantageous configuration of the conveying arrangement is that it is formed by a pair of rollers, of which at least one roller can be driven. Pairs of rollers allow the label strip to be conveyed in a reliable manner without slipping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Exemplary embodiments of the innovation will be described in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the drawing, in which the single FIGURE shows the diagram of an installation for producing folded labels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The single FIGURE shows an installation for producing folded labels 2. It contains a dispenser 4 in the form of a supply roll of the strip 6 of labels which is to be folded. The strip, and thus the labels, may consist of a wide variety of different materials. A material which can be melted, for example polyester, is preferred. The label strip may be a straightforward strip of flat material, but it is preferably a woven label strip. The labels contain a wide variety of different information, for example pictures, numbers, text and the like, which may be printed on or preferably interwoven. The label strip 6 is drawn off from the supply roll by means of a first conveying arrangement 8 made up of a pair of rollers 10a, 10b of which one roller can be driven. A second conveying arrangement 12, which is likewise formed from a pair of rollers 10a, 10b, draws the label strip 6, in the first instance, through a folding station 14, in which the label strip 6 has at least one fold formed in it. This folding can take place, for example, along the center line of the strip. However, foldings along the periphery regions and further folding variants are also possible, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,235 B. The folded label strip is then conveyed, by means of the second conveying arrangement 12, through the fixing station 16, which in this case is formed, for example, from the non-obligatory preheating means 18 and from the pressing-action thermofixing arrangement 20 which follows. The thermofixing arrangement 20 contains a heated base plate 22 via which a likewise heated pressing ram 24 can be pressed by means of a lifting arrangement 26 against the folded label strip 6 located on the base plate 22.

The second conveying arrangement 12 is followed by a buffer station 28, which forms a strip supply 30, in order for a sufficient strip supply to be available in the following cutting station 32, which likewise operates intermittently. The cutting station contains a third conveying arrangement 33 which is made up of a pair of rollers 10a, 10b and conveys the label strip to a cutting arrangement 34, which operates, for example, on the basis of the ultrasonic principle. The cutting arrangement 34 then servers individual labels 2 from the label strip 6, and these labels are collected, for example, in a stacking arrangement 36. A, for example, optically operating sensor 38 serves for determining the length of a label 2, in order for the label strip 6 to be presented to the cutting arrangement 34, by means of the third conveying arrangement 33, in the length which is necessary for a label 2.

The installation contains a control unit 40 which controls the individual components of the installation. Thus, the control unit 40 is connected to the first conveying means 8, for example, via the control line 42. A control line 44 serves for controlling the preheating means 18.

Analogously, a control line 46 serves for controlling the heating means of the thermofixing arrangement 20. A control line 48 connects the control unit 40 to the lifting arrangement 26 in order to bring the pressing ram 24 into abutment against the folded label strip 6 with the correct timing and the desired pressing force. A further control line 50 connects the control unit 40 to the second conveying arrangement 12, not just to drive the latter with the same timing as the first conveying arrangement 8, but, if need be, to cause the second conveying arrangement to operate with increased conveying action in order to compensate for changes in tensioning of the label strip 6 during the treatment. The third conveying arrangement 33 is connected to the control unit 40 via the control line 52 and receives its drive pulses via the sensor 38, which is coupled to the control unit 40 via the control line 54. As soon as the sensor 38 establishes, for example by way of a mark arranged on the label strip 6, that the advancement length for a label 2 has been achieved, the third conveying arrangement is brought to a standstill, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the operation of the cutting arrangement 34 is initiated via the control line 56, in order to sever the corresponding label 2 from the label strip 6.

List of Designations

2 Label

4 Dispenser

6 Label strip

8 First conveying arrangement

10a Roller

10b Roller

12 Second conveying arrangement

14 Folding station

16 Fixing station

18 Preheating means

20 Thermofixing arrangement

22 Base plates

24 Pressing ram

26 Lifting arrangement

28 Buffer station

30 Strip supply

32 Cutting station

33 Third conveying means

34 Cutting arrangement

36 Stacking arrangement

38 Sensor

40 Control unit

42 Control line for 8

44 Control line for 18

46 Control line for 20

48 Control line for 26

50 Control line for 12

52 Control line for 40

54 Control line for 38

56 Control line for 34