Label Rejection Station

Abstract

The present invention relates to a label rejection station (1), in which labels (E) are conveyed by a support belt (N) along a forward path (P). The rejection station (1) comprises: - a deflecting element (2) which is arranged along the forward path (P) and is movable between an inactive position (I) and an active position (O), wherein the deflecting element contacts the support belt (N) at its first surface (F), so as to deflect the forward path (P); and - a comparison element (3) which is arranged along the forward path (P) downstream of the deflecting element (2) and comprises: an abutment surface (30) which is configured to at least partially receive thereon the second surface (S) of the support belt (N) opposite to the first surface (F); and - a separating edge (31) which is configured to separate the label (E) from the support belt (N) when the deflecting element (2) moves into its active position (O).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a station for rejecting labels that can be used in a labeling machine. Background Art

[0002] For example, labeling machines in the pharmaceutical industry are used to apply relevant self - adhesive labels containing information printed thereon (identification code / barcode of the article, inclusions, and / or its expiration date, etc.) to various types of articles (e.g., containers such as vials or bottles).

[0003] Labeling machines generally successively include: a station for supplying labels, where the labels to be applied to the articles are supported by a belt and supplied along an advancing path; a control station and a label rejection station, where the compliance of the labels is respectively checked and any non - compliant labels are discarded. Finally, a station for applying labels is provided at the end of the advancing path, where the labels are applied to the corresponding articles.

[0004] In the label control station, as stated, the compliance of the label itself - and in particular its printing - is checked: in fact, it may happen that the printed information fades, is partially or completely missing. For this purpose, the control station includes a control system that is generally of the optical type.

[0005] In the case of label compliance, the label advances along the advancing path until it reaches the application station, where the label is applied to the corresponding article. On the other hand, if the control system detects non - compliance of the label, the label must be discarded to prevent the label from being incorrectly applied to the merchandise.

[0006] For this purpose, the label rejection station includes deflecting and separating elements that are arranged along the advancing path and are activated to deflect the support belt of the label at the label to be rejected. The deflection angle of the belt of the label must be large enough to ensure that the label separates from the belt itself, or rather, the label lifts relative to the belt. Therefore, the deflecting and separating elements generally act in a direction perpendicular to the advancing path of the belt to deflect its path.

[0007] The rejection station further includes a roller for collecting the rejected labels, which is arranged to intercept the labels lifted from the support belt by the deflecting and separating elements, thus attaching the label itself to the collecting roller itself.

[0008] However, the known solutions described above have drawbacks.

[0009] In fact, the deviation of the path of the support belt useful for ensuring the separation of non-compliant labels from the support belt involves a reduction in the tension of the support belt itself that is carried along a path that is significantly longer than the path taken in the case of compliant labels. This loss of tension (even if partial) often results in the non-optimal and inaccurate application of compliant labels to the corresponding articles, which can lead to the rejection of the articles themselves. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0011] This object is achieved by providing a label rejection station according to the appended claims.

[0012] Advantageously, the label rejection station according to the present invention allows for the rejection of non-compliant labels while still ensuring the optimal application of compliant labels to the corresponding articles. In other words, the proposed solution ensures that the support belt remains tensioned even in the case of the rejection of one or more labels. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] The specific embodiments of the present invention and additional advantages will become apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0014] - Figure 1 schematically illustrates a label rejection station according to the present invention in a first operating configuration;

[0015] - Figure 2 schematically illustrates a label rejection station according to the present invention in a second operating configuration;

[0016] - Figure 3 is Figure 2 an enlarged view of a portion of. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0017] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , reference numeral 1 indicates a label rejection station according to the present invention.

[0018] As previously detailed, the label E is of the self-adhesive type and can be applied to any type of article, for example, containers in the pharmaceutical industry. The label E can include some printing containing different types of information (identification code / barcode of the article, inclusions and / or relative expiration date, logo / image, etc.).

[0019] The label E is carried by a support belt N along a forward path P (generally indicated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 ). Referring to the drawings, the label E is only schematically shown along a portion of the support belt N.

[0020] The forward path P extends from the supply zone Z, where the label E to be applied to the article is fed by the support belt N to a label application zone (not shown), in which the label E is applied to the respective article (also not shown). A rejection station 1 is arranged between the supply zone Z and the label application area.

[0021] The support belt N moves along the supply direction D and includes two opposite surfaces, a first surface F and a second surface S, where the label E is applied to the first surface F of the support belt N.

[0022] The label rejection station according to the present invention includes a deflecting element 2, which is arranged along the forward path P and is movable between an inactive position I ( Figure 1 ) and an active position O ( Figure 2 and Figure 3 ), where the deflecting element contacts the support belt N at the first surface F of the support belt N, thereby deflecting the forward path P of the support belt N.

[0023] In particular, the rejection station 1 includes a contrast element 3 arranged along the forward path P downstream of the deflecting element 2. The contrast element 3 in turn includes: an adjacent surface 30, which is designed to partially receive thereon the second surface S (opposite to the first surface F) of the support belt N located in front of the support belt N; and a separating edge 31 (indicated in Figure 3 ), which is designed to separate the label E from the support belt N (in particular, from the first surface F of the support belt N) when the deflecting element 2 moves to the relative active position O (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 ).

[0024] Advantageously, compared with known solutions (i.e., in the case of deviation of the forward path P), in the case of rejection of the label E, the label rejection station 1 proposed with respect to the present invention significantly reduces the loss of tension of the support belt N. This results from the fact that, contrary to known techniques, the deflecting element 2 and the contrast element 3 consist of two different elements that cooperate when needed to allow the separation of the label E to be discarded. In particular, the deflecting element 2 and the contrast element 3 operate at two opposite surfaces F, S of the support belt N. This aspect advantageously translates into the fact that, as will become clearer below, a minimum deviation of the support belt N (by means of the deflecting element 2) is required until the separation of the label E to be discarded from the support belt N itself (i.e., the lifting of the label E) occurs. Thereby, it follows that, compared with the case where there is no need to discard the label E, even in the case of rejection of the label E, the tension of the support belt N remains substantially unchanged, thus ensuring that the label E is correctly applied to the relevant article.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the contrast element 3 is arranged in a fixed manner along the forward path P. In other words, the contrast element 3 is neither movable relative to the support belt N nor relative to the deflecting element 2 (both when the latter is in the relative inoperative position I and when the latter is in the relative operative position O). This aspect ensures a particular structural and functional simplicity, since the only movable element is the deflecting element 2. However, the contrast element 3 also contributes to separating the label E from the support belt N.

[0026] As already stated, the adjacent surface 30 of the contrast element 3 partially receives the support belt N resting in the portion of the forward path P downstream of the deflecting element 2, in particular both when the latter is in the relative inoperative position I and when the latter is in the relative operative position O.

[0027] According to the illustrated preferred embodiment, the adjacent surface 30 of the contrast element 3 has an arcuate shape development (i.e., the adjacent surface 30 defines a curved profile). This aspect avoids an unwanted separation of the label E when the deflecting element 2 is in its inoperative position I.

[0028] According to the illustrated preferred embodiment, the separating edge 31 of the contrast element 3 includes a corner 31 formed between two adjacent sides 32, 33 of the contrast element 3, where the two sides 32, 33 of the contrast element 3 form an acute angle U therebetween. The separating edge 31 preferably consists of this corner 31 of the contrast element 3. Preferably, one of the two sides 32, 33 of the contrast element 3 includes the aforementioned adjacent surface 30 (see Figure 3 ).

[0029] According to a preferred embodiment, the contrast element 3 has a hemispherical or semi-elliptical cross-section.

[0030] According to the illustrated preferred embodiment, the deflecting element 2 has a main longitudinal development axis H and is movable by swinging about a swinging axis K passing through its development axis (see Figure 3 ). Preferably, the deflecting element 2 is rod-shaped.

[0031] Preferably, the swinging axis K of the deflecting element 2 is perpendicular to the longitudinal development axis H of the deflecting element 2. More specifically, the swinging axis K is preferably perpendicular to the laying plane of the deflecting element 2 (not indicated in the drawings).

[0032] According to the preferred embodiment illustrated, the longitudinal development axis H of the deflecting element 2 is arranged to be partially parallel to the forward path P (i.e., the longitudinal development axis H is parallel to the section of the forward path P). Even more preferably, referring again to the drawings, when the support belt N is arranged in the relatively ineffective position I and when the support belt N is arranged in the relatively effective position O, the deflecting element 2 partially supports the support belt N. Advantageously, this aspect further reduces the deviation necessary to separate the label E from the support belt N, i.e., the swing angle of the deflecting element 2 about its swing axis K.

[0033] Referring to the drawings, the deflecting element 2 carries at least one roller 20 at one of its ends to facilitate the sliding of the support belt N thereon. Referring to the drawings, the deflecting element 2 carries two rollers 20, one roller at each of the opposite ends of the deflecting element 2.

[0034] Preferably, the swing angle of the deflecting element 2 (between the ineffective position I and the effective position O) is between 25º and 45º. Particularly reducing this angle thus allows a lower tension loss of the support belt N compared to the known art. Even more preferably, the angle is included between 30º and 40º. This value range allows an even lower tension loss than the known solutions. Referring to the drawings, the deviation angle is 33º. This value is the best compromise between the need to deviate the forward path P of the support belt N to obtain the correct separation of the label E from the support belt N itself and the need to minimize the tension of the support belt N after such a deviation.

[0035] The rejection station 1 preferably further includes a collection belt 4 for the rejected labels E, which extends along the collection path R of the labels E (generally indicated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 ), and the collection path R is arranged to be adjacent to the forward path P of the support belt N at least at the comparison element 3. The collection belt 4 is designed to receive the labels E separated from the support belt N after the deflecting element 2 has moved into its effective position O.

[0036] According to the preferred embodiment illustrated, the collection belt 4 is at least partially wound around a collection roller 41, and when the deflecting element 2 moves into the relatively effective position O, the collection roller 41 can be activated to rotate about its own axis to move the collection belt 4. Preferably, when the deflecting element 2 moves into the relatively effective position O, the collection roller 41 can be activated to rotate so that the collection belt 4 moves at the same forward speed as the support belt N, in order to allow the best transfer of the label E from the support belt N to the collection belt 4 (i.e., separating the label E to be discarded from the support belt N and the label "automatically" adhering to the collection belt 4). On the opposite sides of the collection roller, there are unwinding rollers 42, when the collection belt 4 is wound onto the collection roller 41 (see Figure 1 and Figure 2) When it is time, the unwinding roller rotates in a rotational direction opposite to the rotational direction of the collecting roller 41 so as to unwind the collecting belt 4. Between the unwinding roller 42 and the collecting roller 41, there is a series of return rollers 43 which define the collecting path R.

[0037] Preferably, both when the deflecting element is in the relatively ineffective position I and when the deflecting element 2 is in the relatively effective position O, the return rollers 43 keep the collecting belt 4 adjacent to the supporting belt N. This aspect ensures that the labels E to be discarded are easily transferred from the supporting belt N to the collecting belt 4.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, the collecting belt 4 is tangent to the supporting belt N at least at the adjacent surface 30 of the contrast element 3, near the separating edge 31 or at the separating edge 31. This aspect ensures that the rejected labels E adhere even more correctly to the collecting belt 4.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment, the rejection station 1 according to the present invention further includes a sensor 5 which is arranged upstream of the deflecting element 2 (and upstream of the contrast element 3) along the advancing path P of the supporting belt N and is arranged to detect possible non - conformities of the labels E on the supporting belt N and to send corresponding signals. The sensor 5 is preferably arranged to face the first surface F of the supporting belt N.

[0040] The rejection station 1 further includes a control unit 6 (schematically illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 ), and the control unit 6 is arranged to receive signals from the sensor 5 and thus control the deflecting element 2 such that the deflecting element moves to the relatively effective position O.

[0041] The non - conformity of the label E can be related to, for example, the printing of the label E: it may - in fact - be faded, less visible, partially or completely missing.

[0042] According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit 6 is also configured to command the collecting roller 41 to rotate so as to move the collecting belt 4 when a signal has been received.

[0043] Preferably, the sensor 5 is a sensor 5 of the optical type (camera, video camera, photocell or others).

[0044] Now the operation of the label rejection station 1 according to the present invention will be briefly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] The labels E are fed at the supply area Z along the advancing path P carried by the supporting belt N and first reach the sensor 5 for checking the conformity of the labels E. If the labels E are all compliant (i.e., they do not have irregularities or printing errors), then they pass through the rejection station 1, where the deflecting element 2 remains in the relatively ineffective position I ( Figure 1) and on its upper part receives the first surface F of the support belt N. The support belt N passing through the rejection station 1 then (with its second surface S) partially rests on the adjacent surface 30 of the comparison element 3, where the labels E remain on the support belt N itself (i.e., they do not separate). The support belt N with the labels E is transported towards an application area (not shown), where the labels E will be applied to the corresponding articles. In this case, the collecting belt 4 and the collecting roller 41 remain stationary.

[0046] On the other hand, if the sensor 5 detects a non-compliant label E during the advancement of the support belt N, the sensor sends a corresponding signal to the control unit 6. This activates the deflecting element 2 to move to the second position when the label E to be discarded is located at the separating edge 31 of the comparison element 3. Also, in this case, the deflecting element 2 receives the part of the support belt N resting thereon. At the same time, the control unit 6 also activates the collecting roller 41 so that the collecting belt 4 moves at the same speed as the support belt N to receive and remove the label E separated from the support belt N.

[0047] The invention also relates to a labeling machine M (partially visible in Figure 1 and Figure 2 ): a supply area Z of the labels E, where the labels E are supported and supplied by the support belt N; and an area (not shown) for applying the labels E to the corresponding articles. The labeling machine M also includes a rejection station 1 for the labels E according to any of the embodiments described above, which is located between the supply area Z and the label application area.

[0048] The labeling machine M is preferably a labeling machine M in the pharmaceutical industry.

Claims

1. A label rejection station (1), in which a label (E) is conveyed by a support belt (N) along an advancement path (P), the rejection station (1) comprising: - A deflecting element (2) having a longitudinal development axis (H) that is at least partially parallel to the advancement path (P) and being movable between an inactive position (I) and an active position (O), wherein the deflecting element contacts the support belt (N) at its first surface (F) so as to deflect the advancement path (P); Characterized in that the label rejection station comprises: - A comparison element (3), which is separate and distinct from the deflecting element and is arranged along the advancement path (P) downstream of the deflecting element (2), and which then comprises: an abutment surface (30) configured to at least partially receive, during the advancement of the support belt, a second surface (S) of the support belt (N) that is opposite to the first surface (F); and a separating edge (31) configured to separate the label (E) from the support belt (N) when the deflecting element (2) moves into its active position (O), - wherein the label is conveyed by the support belt on the first surface of the support belt.

2. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 1, wherein The comparison element (3) is not movable along the advancement path (P).

3. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The abutment surface (30) of the comparison element (3) has an arcuate shape development.

4. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The separating edge (31) of the comparison element (3) comprises a corner (31) provided between two side surfaces (32, 33) of the comparison element (3), and the two side surfaces (32, 33) of the comparison element define an acute angle (U) therebetween.

5. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The deflecting element (2) is able to swing between the inactive position (I) and the active position (O) about a swing axis (K) passing through its longitudinal development axis (H).

6. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 5, wherein, When the deflecting element (2) is in its inactive position (I) and when the deflecting element (2) is in its active position (O), the deflecting element (2) at least partially receives the support belt (N).

7. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The swing angle of the deflecting element (2) is between 25° and 45°.

8. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 7, wherein, The swing angle is between 30° and 40°.

9. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 8, wherein, The swing angle is 33°.

10. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a collection belt (4) for the rejected label (E), the collection belt developing along a collection path (R) of the label (E), the collection path being adjacent to the advancement path (P) of the support belt (N) at least at the comparison element (3); the collection belt (4) being configured to receive the label (E) separated from the support belt (N) after the deflecting element (2) has moved into its active position (O).

11. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 10, wherein, The collection belt (4) is at least partially wound around a collection roller (41), and the collection roller can be activated to rotate so that, when the deflecting element (2) moves into its active position (O), the collection belt (4) moves at the same speed as the support belt (N).

12. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 11, comprising: At least one sensor (5), which is arranged upstream of the deflecting element (2) along the advancing path (P), is configured to detect non-conformities of the labels (E) located on the support belt (N) and to send a corresponding signal; and a control unit (6), which is configured to receive the signal from the sensor (5) and to command the deflecting element (2) to move into its active position (O).

13. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 12, wherein, The control unit (6) is further configured to command the collecting roller (41) to rotate in order to move the collecting belt (4) when the signal has been received.

14. The label rejection station (1) according to claim 12, wherein, The sensor (5) is an optical sensor (5).

15. A labeling machine (M), comprising: - a label supply area (Z), in which the labels (E) are carried by a support belt (N); - an application area for applying the labels (E) to corresponding articles; and - a label rejection station (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, which is arranged between the label supply area (Z) and the label attachment area.

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