Pallet carousel and labeling unit as well as methods for labeling containers

Abstract

Pallet carousel (2) for a labeling unit (1), with pallets (3) distributed around it and pivotable in / against their direction of rotation (2b) for receiving labels (5) and for their direct transfer to containers (7), in particular bottles, characterized by individually controllable motor drives, in particular immersion coil drives (12), with which the pallets (3) can be extended / retracted linearly transversely to their pivot axes (4b).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a pallet carousel for a labeling unit according to the preamble of claim 1, a labeling unit equipped therewith, and a method for labeling containers according to the preamble of claim 9.

[0002] As is known, for example, from DE 197 58 799 B4, labels can be picked up from pallets that have been previously glued on a glue roller and circulated on a pallet carousel, and transferred to a gripper cylinder. The gripper elements of this cylinder can be adapted relatively flexibly to different container diameters for transferring the labels and / or be segmented accordingly in the vertical direction for labeling the body and neck areas of bottles.

[0003] As is known, for example, from DE 10 2015 212 136 A1 and DE 10 2016 207 824 A1, labels can instead be removed from a label magazine by suction from pallets that can be rotated and swiveled in / against the direction of rotation. They can then be transported through the working area of ​​a glue gun for the application of cold glue and finally transferred directly from the pallets to the containers to be labeled. This allows for relatively flexible adaptation of the glue patterns on the labels to container and label formats and enables the use of more compact labeling units.

[0004] A disadvantage of this system is that the radial removal position of the pallets on the pallet carousel is determined by the arrangement of the associated label magazine, and the labels must be transferred to the containers in the same radial position. Consequently, the operation of such labeling units is inflexible with regard to labeling different container diameters, whether for different container formats or for simultaneously labeling the body and neck areas of bottles, which naturally differ in diameter.

[0005] Even the elastic support pads for the labels on the pallets can only mitigate this problem for small differences in diameter. In particular, simultaneous labeling of the torso area and the tapered neck area is not possible even with this aid.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for improved devices and methods that allow for more flexible labeling of different container diameters and / or simultaneous labeling of the body and neck areas of bottles.

[0007] The stated problem is solved with a pallet carousel according to claim 1. Accordingly, this carousel is suitable for a labeling unit and comprises pallets distributed around the carousel and pivotable in / against their direction of rotation for picking up labels and transferring them directly to containers. According to the invention, the pallet carousel includes individually controllable immersion spool drives or other motor drives with which the pallets can be extended / retracted linearly transversely to their pivot axes.

[0008] In principle, different movements of the pallets "perpendicular" to their pivot axes are conceivable. For example, they could be extended / retracted linearly in a radial direction or otherwise orthogonally (e.g., parallel to the radial direction) to the respective pivot axis.

[0009] Similarly, the pallets could be extended linearly upwards or downwards in radial planes at an angle relative to the pivot axes and retracted in the opposite direction. The motor drives would then be tilted accordingly relative to the pivot axes. This would have the advantage that the vertical position of the pallets between the removal and transfer positions could be changed. For example, the vertical distance between pallets stacked in pairs could then be adjusted. This is particularly useful if body and neck labels on the container are to be positioned at a vertical distance from each other that is smaller than the vertical distance between the removal points of the body and neck labels on the corresponding label magazines.

[0010] Voice coil actuators are also known as voice-coil actuators. A voice coil actuator essentially comprises two drive components: a cylindrical coil on a rotor, which can be connected to a voltage source, and a similarly cylindrical magnet, particularly a permanent magnet, on the stator or housing of the actuator. The coil can move either axially outside the permanent magnet or axially inside it. In either case, the driving force and direction of the rotor are directly dependent on the magnitude and direction of the drive current flowing through the coil. As is well known, the extension and retraction of the rotor relative to the stator is based on the resulting Lorentz force.

[0011] Instead of moving-coil drives, other linear motors or tubular motors are also conceivable, provided that the pallets can be individually extended and retracted linearly. While such drives have a larger moving mass than moving-coil drives, they are still suitable, especially for relatively low pallet positioning speeds.

[0012] The containers are preferably bottles, especially those with body areas and neck areas that need to be labelled.

[0013] By extending and retracting the pallets linearly along their pivot axes, different radial positions can be used for transferring labels to the containers than for removing labels from a label magazine. Furthermore, different radial transfer positions are possible with pallets arranged in pairs, provided at least one of these pallets can be extended and retracted linearly along its pivot axis. This also allows for different radial transfer positions for the body and neck areas of the containers / bottles, enabling simultaneous labeling of both. Additionally, format-specific adjustments to radial transfer positions are possible solely through programmed control of the moving-coil drives, without any mechanical modifications.

[0014] Moving coil actuators are essentially free of hysteresis and wear and have high repeatability and positioning accuracy, which depends essentially only on the accuracy of an associated displacement measuring system or similar control.

[0015] The moving coil drives are preferably designed for drive forces of at least 75 N.

[0016] Preferably, the pallets are designed for suction label pickup, and at least one line / channel for supplying the pallets with vacuum and / or compressed air runs centrally within the drive components present on the moving-coil drives. The drive components consist essentially of coils and permanent magnets with optionally associated support structures, such as coil formers.

[0017] The coils and magnets are essentially designed as hollow cylinders and arranged coaxially. These hollow cylinders form a ring-shaped drive cross-section that surrounds the cables / channels supplying the pallets. This allows for a particularly space-saving arrangement of the cables / channels, resulting in a comparatively compact and lightweight linear drive for the pallets. This minimizes the drive force required for extending and retracting the pallets and maximizes the extension / retraction speed.

[0018] Preferably, the line / channel for length adjustment during the extension / retraction of the moving-coil drives is telescopically constructed. The line / channel is then, for example, made up of at least two telescoping segments, such as coaxial pipe sections. The telescopic design largely avoids axial forces during the extension / retraction of the pallets and forces acting transversely to them. In principle, however, the line could also include at least one flexible section, for example, in the form of a hose with suitable flexibility.

[0019] Preferably, the pallet carousel comprises incremental linear encoders for individually monitoring the extension / retraction positions of the pallets. These encoders include measuring tapes, particularly those with a permanent magnetic scale, that extend / retract together with the pallets, as well as radially stationary scanning heads for scanning the measuring tapes. The measuring tapes can, for example, be affixed to the rotors of the moving-coil drives. Such measuring tapes are comparatively compact and lightweight. Furthermore, the scanning heads, which are active in contrast, can then be arranged on the radially stationary part of the moving-coil drives with respect to the pivot axes, making them easier to supply and read.

[0020] Preferably, the pallets are attached to the runners of the motor drives by means of tilting joints, allowing them to be tilted vertically. This enables the pallets to be tilted around the horizontal axes of the tilting joints in order to adjust their orientation for transfer to inclined container contours.

[0021] Preferably, a further pallet is arranged below each of the pallets, which can be extended / retracted linearly transversely to its pivot axis, particularly by means of a separate moving-coil drive. Alternatively, the lower pallet can be arranged at a constant distance from the pivot axis, i.e., radially stationary. Stacked pallets then preferably share a common pivot shaft / axis.

[0022] With such a paired arrangement of pallets, the upper pallet can be flexibly used to transfer labels to containers of different diameters, and especially to the neck areas. The lower pallet is then suitable for transferring the labels to the body areas of the containers.

[0023] Preferably, the pallet carousel further comprises a programmable control system for moving the pallet inwards in a first machine angle range of the pallet carousel to remove the labels from a label magazine, and for moving the pallets outwards in a second machine angle range of the pallet carousel for the immediate transfer of the labels to containers. The pallets are then preferably always moved to a uniform radial removal position for all labels to be processed, which essentially depends on the position of at least one associated label magazine. For the transfer of the labels to the containers, different radial transfer positions of the pallets can then be used, depending on the container diameter and / or the neck or body area to be labeled.

[0024] Preferably, the pallet carousel is part of a labeling unit, and in particular a labeling machine for containers. The labeling unit or labeling machine then comprises the pallet carousel according to at least one of the embodiments described above and, arranged in the periphery of the pallet carousel, at least one label magazine for supplying the labels and a glue syringe for applying cold glue to the labels picked up from the pallets. The label magazine is preferably arranged directly adjacent to the first machine angle section of the pallet carousel. The glue syringe is then arranged downstream of the label magazine between the first and second machine angle sections of the pallet carousel. The labels can rotate in a uniform radial position both during label removal and during the application of the cold glue.

[0025] Thus, the immersion coil drives only need to be extended once per labeling process or revolution of the pallet carousel, namely before the labels are transferred to the containers, and only need to be retracted once, namely before reaching the label magazine.

[0026] The stated problem is also solved by a method for labeling containers, and in particular bottles, according to claim 9. Accordingly, the labels are taken from a label magazine by suction from circulating and pivoting pallets and, after application of cold glue, are transferred directly to the containers / bottles. According to the invention, the pallets are extended linearly into a radial transfer position before the labels are transferred and retracted again before the labels are removed, by means of individually assigned motor drives, which are in particular immersion coil drives. Alternatively, the pallets are extended linearly into a radial removal position before and / or during the removal of the labels and retracted again before the labels are transferred.

[0027] The radial transfer position is then only temporarily used for transferring the labels to the containers. The radial transfer position can be flexibly adjusted via programming to the container diameters to be labeled on the respective pallet, whether to adapt to a specific container format or to target the neck or body area of ​​bottles.

[0028] Alternatively, the pallets are fully extended during label removal, and during label transfer, the pallets are retracted into the transfer position, especially the lower pallet in the case of pallets arranged in pairs.

[0029] The described extension and retraction movements are, in principle, also possible with other linear motors or tubular motors, depending on the required positioning speed.

[0030] Preferably, the pallets are extended and retracted radially with respect to their pivot axes / shafts. This means that the pivot shafts and their associated drives are attached to the pallet carousel in a radially stationary position in a generally known manner. The moving-coil drives therefore only need to move the mass of their runners, the pallets, and the labels. This enables fast and precise positioning of the pallets using the moving-coil drives with comparatively low drive forces and currents.

[0031] Preferably, the pallets are moved into a radial removal position for label removal within a first machine angle range of 30 to 60°, particularly 40 to 50°, and / or extended into the more outward radial transfer position within a second machine angle range of 30 to 60°, particularly 40 to 50°. The remaining machine angle ranges are then available for label removal, cold glue application, and transfer of the labels to the containers. This enables comparatively high machine throughput with comparatively high accuracy and reliability in label removal, gluing, and transfer.

[0032] Preferably, cold glue is sprayed onto the labels between the first and second machine angle ranges, particularly while maintaining the radial removal position. This allows for comparatively flexible gluing with different glue patterns and minimizes the positioning movements required by the moving-coil drives.

[0033] Preferably, the pallets perform a radial stroke of 1 to 30 mm, and particularly 1 to 20 mm, with respect to their pivot axis between label removal and transfer. This allows most diameter differences occurring in commercially available bottles, particularly between neck and body sections.

[0034] Preferably, the radial transfer position is adapted to the specific container type by programmed control. This allows for reliable and reproducible format changes with minimal equipment requirements.

[0035] Preferably, for the simultaneous labeling of the body and neck areas of the containers / bottles, pallets are used in pairs, circulating one above the other. The upper pallets are extended further to transfer the labels to the neck areas than the lower pallets to transfer them to the body areas. This allows the labeling of the body and neck areas to be carried out simultaneously and yet optimized independently. The circulating pallets are then preferably moved to a common radial removal position in the area of ​​the associated label magazines.

[0036] Preferably, an electrical drive current flowing through the moving coil drives is adjusted based on monitoring the extension / retraction position of the respective assigned pallet for the transfer of the labels in such a way that the resulting drive force of the moving coil drive compensates for a centrifugal force caused by the circulating pallet at the radial transfer position.

[0037] This enables precise and reproducible radial positioning of the pallets during label transfer. The same principle applies to approaching the removal position, whereby monitoring the entry / exit position allows for the compensation of additional forces acting on the pallet by adjusting the drive current accordingly. For example, this can compensate for the pressure force caused by the pallets being immersed in a stack of labels during removal. Similarly, centrifugal forces generated when the pallets are pivoted to remove the labels can be compensated for.

[0038] A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a schematic top view of a labeling unit; Fig. 2. A top view of a pallet with drive in the retracted position; Fig. 3. A top view of a pallet with drive in an extended position; Fig. 4 the course of a driving force of the voice coil drive; and Fig. 5 a side view of a two-story pallet carousel.

[0039] As the Fig. As can be seen schematically in Figure 1, the labeling unit 1 comprises a pallet carousel 2 that rotates continuously about a pivot axis 2a, with several pallets 3 distributed around its circumference. Each pallet 3 can be pivoted on pivot shafts 4 in or against the direction of rotation 2b of the pallet carousel 2 in a manner known in principle. The pivot shafts 4 are preferably driven individually, for example by means of servo motors (not shown).

[0040] A special feature of the pallet carousel 2 is that the pallets 3 can be individually extended and retracted in a radial direction 4a with respect to the respective pivot shaft 4. This results in temporarily different partial circles 3a, 3b for the pallets 3 circulating on the pallet carousel 2. The individual pallets 3 can thus be continuously moved back and forth between a first partial circle 3a for removing labels 5 from a label magazine 6 and a second partial circle 3b for transferring the labels 5 to container 7.

[0041] The labels 5 are removed from the pallets 3 from the label magazine 6 using swivel movements known in principle, transported through the working area of ​​a glue syringe 8 for the application of cold glue 9 to the labels 5 and transferred to the containers 7, which circulate on a container table 10 (indicated as a partial circle) of a labeling machine 11 in a manner known in principle and take over the labels 5 by rotating around themselves.

[0042] Furthermore, different container diameters are shown schematically, exemplified by a neck area 7a and body area 7b of the containers 7, which are in particular bottles.

[0043] As the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. (Reference symbols for identical components are shown in only one of the comparisons for clarity.) Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 inserted), the pallets 3 are adjustable in the radial direction 4a by means of individually controllable moving coil drives 12 with respect to the pivot shafts 4 and their pivot axes.

[0044] The voice coil drives 12 are attached on the stator side to pallet carriers 13 which are non-rotatably connected to the associated pivot shafts 4 and can thus be pivoted about pivot axes 4b. The pallets 3, in turn, are attached to runners 14 of the voice coil drives 12. In this way, the pallets 3 can be individually extended and retracted in the radial direction 4a on the pallet carousel 2.

[0045] The pallet carrier 13, for example, serves as a housing for the moving-coil drive 12. The runner 14 preferably serves as a housing for at least one line / channel 15 for supplying the pallets 3 with vacuum and / or compressed air. Preferably, telescopic lines / channels 15 are provided, the length of which automatically adjusts to the respective extension / retraction position of the associated pallet 3, see [reference]. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

[0046] The lines / channels 15 are designed, for example, as coaxial tubes. Flexible hoses or similar components would also be conceivable. Furthermore, channels of a type known in principle are provided in the pivot shafts 4 for supplying the pallets 3 with vacuum and / or compressed air.

[0047] The moving-coil drive 12 comprises, in a manner known in principle, a coil (moving coil) 12a and a magnet 12b, preferably a permanent magnet. In the example shown, the coil 12a is arranged in a hollow cylindrical shape outside the essentially also hollow cylindrical magnet 12b. In principle, however, the coil 12a could be arranged in the opposite way, inside the magnet 12b. The configuration shown enables particularly precise guidance of the rotor 14 in the axial direction 4a and a particularly compact design, while simultaneously providing a comparatively high driving force for the moving-coil drive 12.

[0048] The pallet 3 preferably comprises a porous and elastic suction surface 16. This is, for example, a sponge / cushion with a plurality of channels formed therein for applying a vacuum and / or compressed air to the label 5 which is in contact with the suction surface 16.

[0049] The Fig. Figure 2 shows the pallet 3 and the runner 14 in a fully retracted position, which is, for example, a removal position 17 for removing the labels 5 from the label magazine 6.

[0050] The Fig. Figure 3, on the other hand, shows a transfer position 18 specified by programming for the transfer of the labels 5 to the containers 7 with the pallet 3 extended accordingly.

[0051] Withdrawal position 17 corresponds, for example, to the one in the Fig. The indicated partial circle 3a, the transfer position 18 for example to the larger partial circle 3b. Between the retracted removal position 17 and the extended transfer position 18, the runner 14 performs a stroke 19.

[0052] The maximum stroke 19 possible with the moving coil drive 12 is, for example, 15 to 25 mm, preferably 20 to 30 mm. This allows diameter differences between most commercially available container formats and between the body areas 7b and neck areas 7a of the individual container formats to be covered.

[0053] For example, the labeling machine 11 could then be designed such that the radial removal position 17 and the radial transfer position 18 are identical for the largest container diameter to be labeled. For smaller container diameters, for example at neck areas 7a, the pallets 3 are then selectively extended to a radial transfer position 18 assigned by programming via a moving coil drive 12 for the transfer of the labels 5 to the containers 7 and according to the container diameter to be labeled.

[0054] The stroke 19 and the current extension / retraction position of the pallet 3 and the runner 14 are preferably monitored by means of a displacement measuring system 20. This is only shown schematically and preferably comprises a measuring tape 20a attached to the runner 14, which, for example, includes a permanent magnetic scale, and a scanning head 20b for the measuring tape 20a attached to the pallet carrier 13. The scanning head 20b is preferably arranged stationary in the radial direction 4a, while the measuring tape 20a preferably moves radially 4a with the runner 14 and the pallet 3.

[0055] A servo converter 21 is also schematically indicated, with which the moving coil drive 12 can be controlled on the basis of the measuring signal supplied by the scanning head 20b in such a way that a predetermined radial transfer position 18 and / or a possibly predetermined radial removal position 17 is maintained even under different centrifugal forces and / or pressure forces acting on the moving coil drive 12.

[0056] The immersion coil drives 12 can be centrally controlled by a programmable control unit 22 of the pallet carousel 2, the labeling unit 1 and / or the labeling machine 11.

[0057] Alternatively, pallets 3 could be fully extended during label removal and, conversely, retracted into a suitable transfer position during label transfer, which is particularly useful for the pallets in the Fig. 5 exemplary pallets 3, 33 arranged in pairs on top of each other can be advantageous for the lower pallet 33.

[0058] Instead of the moving-coil drives 12, other linear motors or tubular motors could also be used, depending on the required positioning speed for the runners 14 or pallets 3, 33. However, the moving-coil drives 12 are particularly suitable for labeling at the processing speeds typical in filling plants due to their low mass and corresponding moments of inertia.

[0059] An example of the driving force FA in Newtons applied by the moving coil drive 12 during one complete revolution of a pallet 3 is shown in the Fig. Figure 4 schematically illustrates the machine angle α as a function of the machine angle. A first machine angle range 23 for moving the pallet 3 from the radial transfer position 18 to the radial removal position 17 is shown. A second machine angle range 24 for moving the pallet 3 from the radial removal position 17 to the transfer position 18 is also shown.

[0060] In between lies a third machine angle range 25, in which the pallets perform 3 pivoting movements to remove the labels 5 at a machine angle 26 (indicated by a single point for clarity). A machine angle 27 is also indicated, at which the cold glue 9 is sprayed onto the labels 5.

[0061] In the example shown, the first and second machine angle ranges 23, 24 each encompass a partial range of 45° of the total available machine angle α of 360°. A first machine angle range 23 is advantageous for inserting the pallets 3 from 30° to 75°, and especially from 40° to 50°, and / or a second machine angle range 24 for exiting the pallets 3 from 30° to 75°, and especially from 40° to 50°.

[0062] How to get out of the Fig. The drive force FA of the voice coil drive 12, which can close, is essentially compensated by centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of the respective pallet 3 and / or its pivoting. Accordingly, a comparatively small drive force FA is required when initially accelerating the pallet 3 during extension, while a correspondingly increased drive force FA is required when decelerating this movement. The opposite applies to retracting the pallet 3.

[0063] Furthermore, it can be seen that pivoting movements generate additional centrifugal forces which must be compensated by the moving-coil drive 12 in order to maintain the radial removal position 17 before / after the removal of the labels 5. Additional fluctuations in the drive force FA occur during the removal of the labels 5 as a result of the immersion of the pallet 3 into the provided stack of labels, whereby the forces occurring in this process can be limited by a mechanical stop.

[0064] In the Fig. Figure 4 shows exemplary drive forces FA as they can occur at a pallet 3 rotational speed for a machine output of 50,000 containers per hour. Depending on the rotational speed of the pallets 3 and the centrifugal forces generated by them, the drive forces FA to be applied by the immersion coil drives 12 change in the individual phases of the labeling process, i.e., during one revolution of a pallet 3 on the pallet carousel 2. Here, in the Fig. 4 also shows that the application of the cold glue 9 to the labels 5 is non-contact, so that the driving force FA to be applied by the moving coil drive 12 does not change.

[0065] The moving coil drive 12 enables comparatively fast extension and retraction of the pallets 3 with high positioning accuracy. In the Fig. 4. The transfer of the labels 5 to the containers 7 takes place, for example, within a machine angle range of 30° (α between 345° and 15°). This means that the radially outer transfer position 18 is only temporarily maintained for a comparatively small proportion of the total machine angle α.

[0066] In this process, the containers 9 can be continuously rotated around the container table 10 in a known manner and positioned with respect to their rotational position.

[0067] The moving coil drives 12 can be flexibly controlled by the programmable control unit 22. For this purpose, radial extraction positions 17 and radial transfer positions 18 can be assigned to different containers 7 and differently dimensioned neck areas 7a and / or body areas 7b of the containers 7.

[0068] Preferably, the pallet carousel 2 is multi-tiered and in particular two-tiered, with pallets 3, 33 arranged in pairs one above the other and pivotable together about pivot axes 4b for the selective labeling of neck areas 7a and body areas 7b of the containers 7. This is in the Fig. 5 schematically represented.

[0069] Accordingly, the previously described pallets 3 and immersion coil drives 12 are arranged in the upper level, preferably assigned to neck areas 7a of the containers 7 and are extended to the radial transfer position 18 for the transfer of the glued labels 5.

[0070] Preferably, the pallets 3 are additionally attached to the runners 14 of the immersion coil drives 12 by means of tilting joints 3c, allowing them to be tilted vertically. This enables the pallets 3 to be tilted about the horizontal axes of the tilting joints 3c. This optimizes the transfer of the previously glued labels 5 to sloping container contours, for example, to the neck and / or shoulder areas of the containers 7.

[0071] The pallets 33 arranged on the lower level bear appropriately adhesive labels 35 and are extended to a radial transfer position 38, i.e., a shorter distance, for the transfer of these labels to body areas 7b of the containers 7, for example by means of corresponding moving-coil drives 12. For the removal of the labels 5, 35, the pallets 3, 33 are preferably retracted to an identical radial removal position 17.

[0072] For the transfer of labels 5, 35 to the neck areas 7a and body areas 7b of the containers 7, the pallets 3, 33 can thus be temporarily moved to different radial transfer positions 18, 38. The transfer positions 18, 38 can then be adapted particularly flexibly to the container diameters in the neck area 7a and body area 7 to be labeled.

[0073] However, it is also conceivable that the lower pallets 33 for the fuselage sections 7b are arranged in a stationary position with respect to the pivot shafts 4 in the radial direction 4a, i.e., they do not have an associated voice coil drive. The radial transfer position 38 of the lower pallets 33 would then be identical to the radial removal position 17.

[0074] To a limited extent, however, fuselage areas 7b could be labelled with different diameters, provided that the elastic intake surface 16 is thick and elastic enough to compensate for such differences.

[0075] Particularly in the case of a two-story version of the pallet carousel 2, a configuration would also be conceivable in which the removal position 17 is located radially further out than the transfer position 38. In this case, the lower pallet 33 would be temporarily moved into the transfer position for the transfer. The upper pallet 3 could then also be stationary in radial direction 4a.

[0076] In the Fig.Figure 5 also schematically indicates, by means of double arrows 4c, 4d, that the pallets 3 and / or 33 could be extended linearly upwards or downwards in radial planes with respect to the pivot shafts 4 or their pivot axes and retracted in the opposite direction. The immersion spool drives 12 and / or pallet carriers 13 would then be arranged tilted accordingly with respect to the pivot shafts 4 (not shown). This would allow the vertical position of the pallets 3, 33 between the removal position 17 and the transfer position 18 to be changed. For example, the vertical distance between pallets 3, 33 arranged in pairs one above the other can then be specifically adjusted to a target vertical distance between body labels and neck labels on the containers 7, in particular also to a target vertical distance that is smaller than the vertical distance between the removal points of the body labels and neck labels on the associated label magazines 6.

[0077] A two-tiered version of the pallet carousel 2 is particularly advantageous with regard to flexibility and the simultaneous labeling of the neck areas 7a and body areas 7b of the containers 7. However, the described immersion spool drive 12 can also be advantageously used for single-tiered or otherwise arranged pallets 3 on a pallet carousel 2 to flexibly adapt radial transfer positions to different container formats. Due to the high positioning accuracy and speed of the immersion spool drives 12, this does not require any reduction in machine performance compared to labeling units with pallets stationary in the radial direction 4a.

Claims

[1] Pallet carousel (2) for a labeling unit (1), with pallets (3) distributed around it and pivotable in / against its direction of rotation (2b) for receiving labels (5) and transferring them directly to containers (7), in particular bottles, characterized by Individually controllable motor drives, in particular moving coil drives (12), with which the pallets (3) can be extended / retracted linearly transversely to their pivot axes (4b). [2] Pallet carousel according to claim 1, wherein the pallets (3) are designed to suction the labels (5) and lines / channels (15) for supplying the pallets (3) with vacuum and / or compressed air run centrally within the coils (12a) and magnets (12b) of the moving coil drives (12). [3] Pallet carousel according to claim 2, wherein the lines / channels (15) for length adjustment during extension / retraction of the exchange coil drives (12) are telescopically constructed. [4] Pallet carousel according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising incremental position measuring systems (20) for individual monitoring of the entry / exit positions of the pallets (3), comprising measuring tapes (20a) extending / retracting with the pallets (3) with a scale in particular having a permanent magnetic scale, and radially stationary scanning heads (20b) with respect to the pivot axes (4b) for scanning the measuring tapes (20a). [5] Pallet carousel according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the pallets (3) are attached to the motor drives by means of tilting joints (3c) so as to be tiltable about horizontal axes. [6] Pallet carousel according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one further pallet (33) is arranged under each of the pallets (3), which can be extended / retracted linearly transversely to its pivot axis, in particular by means of a separate moving coil drive (12). [7] Pallet carousel according to at least one of the preceding claims, further comprising a programmable control (22) for driving the pallets (3) inwards in a first machine angle area (23) of the pallet carousel (2) for removing the labels (5) from a label magazine (6) and for driving the pallets (3) outwards in a second machine angle area (24) of the pallet carousel (2) for the immediate transfer of the labels (5) to containers (7). [8] Labeling unit (1) and in particular labeling machine (11) for containers (7), comprising the pallet carousel (2) according to at least one of the preceding claims and, each arranged in the periphery of the pallet carousel (2), a label magazine (6) for providing the labels (5) and a glue syringe (8) for spraying cold glue (9) onto the labels (5) received from the pallets (3). [9] Method for labelling containers (7) wherein the labels (5) are taken from circulating and swiveling pallets (3) in particular by suction from a label magazine (6) and, after application of cold glue (9), are transferred directly to the containers (7), characterized by , that the pallets (3) are extended linearly into a radial transfer position (18) by means of individually assigned motor drives before and / or during the transfer of the labels (5) and retracted again before the removal (26) of the labels (5), and / or that the pallets (3) are extended linearly into a radial removal position (17) by means of the individually assigned motor drives before and / or during the removal (26) of the labels (5) and retracted again before the transfer of the labels (5). [10] Method according to claim 9, wherein the pallets are extended / retracted radially or obliquely upwards / downwards (4c, 4d) with respect to their pivot axes (4b). [11] Method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the pallets (3) are moved into a radial removal position (17) for removing the labels (5) within a first machine angle range (23) of 30 to 75°, in particular 40 to 50°, and / or are extended into the radial transfer position (18) which is further outwards within a second machine angle range (24) of 30 to 75°, in particular 40 to 50°. [12] Method according to claim 11, wherein cold glue (9) is injected onto the labels (5) between the first and second machine angle regions (23, 24), in particular while maintaining the radial removal position (17). [13] Method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the pallets (3) perform a radial stroke (19) of 1 to 30 mm and in particular of 1 to 20 mm with respect to their pivot axes (4b) between removal (26) and transfer of the labels. [14] Method according to at least one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the radial transfer position (18) is adapted to the respective type of container (7) by programmed control in a format-specific manner. [15] Method according to at least one of claims 9 to 14, wherein for the simultaneous labeling of body areas (7b) and neck areas (7a) of the container (7) pallets (3, 33) are used in pairs circulating one above the other and the upper pallets (3) are extended further to transfer the labels (5) to the neck areas (7a) than the lower pallets (33) to transfer them to the body areas (7b). [16] Method according to at least one of claims 9 to 15, wherein an electrical drive current (FA) flowing through the moving coil drives (12) is adjusted based on monitoring the extension / retraction position of the associated pallet (3) for the transfer of the labels (5) such that the resulting drive force (FA) of the moving coil drive (12) compensates for a centrifugal force caused at the radial transfer position (18) by the circulating pallet (3).

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