System for supplying labelling material with flexible shuttle

Abstract

It is described a supply system (1) for supplying a strip of labelling material for a labelling apparatus (10) configured to label containers is described, the apparatus (10) comprising: a plurality of labelling modules (11, 12, 13) each operating by means of at least one reel of labelling material (21, 23, 25); a plurality of loading robots (51, 52, 53), each robot (51; 52; 53) being associated with a respective module (11; 12; 13), for replacing at least one reel of the module; wherein the system comprises: a plurality of mobile reel-holder magazines (31, 32, 33, 34); a carriage (4) configured to be selectively coupled with any selected mobile magazine (31) of said magazines (31, 32, 33, 34) and to be able to position said selected and coupled magazine in a loading position proximal to any selected module (11) of said modules (11, 12, 13), such that the respective robot (51) may pick up any reel carried by the selected magazine (31) and load it onto the respective module (11; 12; 13).

Description

System for supplying labelling material with flexible shuttle

[0001] The present invention relates to a decoration apparatus for decorating containers, provided with at least one mobile magazine.

[0002] In the sector relating to the packaging of pourable products by means of containers it is known that there exists the need to decorate the containers. Furthermore, it is known there exists the need to decorate the containers by means of at least two decoration modules which are able to operate on the same production batch or on different production batches. It could be the case that at least two modules operate on each of the containers produced in the case where it is required to create several decorations for each container.

[0003] Each module operates decorating the containers starting from a reel of decorating material. When the reel is empty, the decorating material must be replaced. It is very useful to have an automatic system for automatic replacement of the decorating material.

[0004] At present the solutions are bulky and difficult to manage.

[0005] An apparatus in accordance with the present description and / or in accordance with any one of the attached apparatus claims is able to reduce or eliminate said drawback.

[0006] A supply system in accordance with the present description and / or in accordance with any one of the attached system claims is configured to operate in an apparatus according to the present description and / or according to any one of the attached apparatus claims.

[0007] The characteristics of an apparatus and a system in accordance with the present description will be clarified in the detailed description below, relating to possible embodiments of said apparatus and system. Below “apparatus” will be understood as meaning such an embodiment of the apparatus and “system” as meaning such an embodiment of the system.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The following detailed description relates to the attached drawings in which:

[0009] -is a schematic view, from above, relating to the operation of the system in the apparatus.

[0010] The supply system 1 is intended to supply a strip of labelling material in a labelling apparatus 10 for labelling containers.

[0011] The apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of labelling modules 11, 12 and 13, each operating by means of at least one reel of labelling material 2.

[0012] The system comprises a plurality of loading robots 51, 52 and 53. Each robot 51 or 52 is associated with a respective module 11 or 12 or 13 for replacing at least one reel of the module.

[0013] The system 1 comprises a plurality of mobile reel-holder magazines 31, 32, 33 and 34.

[0014] The system 1 comprises a carriage 4 configured to be coupled selectively with any selected mobile magazine 31 of said magazines and to be able to position said selected and coupled magazine 31 in a loading position proximal to any selected module 11 of said modules. The robot 51 associated with the selected module may pick up any reel carried by the selected magazine 31, while the selected magazine 31 is in the proximal position, and load it onto the respective module 11.

[0015] The carriage 4 therefore may transport and / or move the coupled module. In the coupled condition, the module may be engaged with or coupled in another way to the carriage 4. The coupling may be with mechanical contact or without mechanical contact. For example the coupling may be magnetic.

[0016] Inthe magazine indicated by 31 is selected and coupled to the carriage 4. In, the carriage 4 is carrying the selected and coupled magazine 31 into the loading position proximal to the selected module 11. The magazine 31 may be regarded as being a first magazine 31, and the selected module 11 may be regarded as being a first module 11.

[0017] In, a second magazine 32 is already assuming a loading position proximal to a second module 12. In, a third magazine 33 is already assuming a loading position proximal to a third module 13.

[0018] The carriage 4 is configured to release the selected module 31 in said proximal loading position. The respective robot 51 associated with the selected module 11 may start to pick up the reel from the carriage 4 when the selected magazine 51 is still coupled or once it has been released, or while it is being released.

[0019] The carriage 4 may be a self-driving vehicle. The carriage may be a rover or a self-driving shuttle which defines a reel stacking zone. The carriage may be for example an AGV.

[0020] The system 1 comprises a feeding equipment 7 which comprises a feeding robot 6 for feeding the reels selectively onto at least any one of said magazines which assumes a feeding position. The carriage 4 may position said selected magazine 31 in said feeding position. In, the magazine which assumes the feeding position is a fourth magazine 34. However, subsequently the selected magazine 31, which had been selected to be positioned in the position proximal to the first module 11, may be carried by the carriage 4 into the feeding position.

[0021] In general, any module or any magazine may be selected so that the carriage 4 carries the selected magazine into the position proximal to the selected module. Furthermore, any magazine may be selected so that the carriage 4 positions the selected magazine in the feeding position.

[0022] The system 1 comprises an automatic controller 8 for automatically selecting at least one module depending on the state of use of at least one reel already loaded and in use in the module. For example, inthe controller 8 selected the first module 11 since a reel in use has become empty or is nearly empty.

[0023] The automatic controller is configured to select automatically at least one magazine depending on the degree of filling of the magazine. For example, the controller 8 has automatically selected the fourth magazine 34 since it was empty before. It could be that subsequently it is the first magazine 31 which is selected to be brought into the feeding position.

[0024] The controller 8 is configured to control automatically the carriage depending on at least one selection performed by the controller 8.

[0025] The automatic controller 8 is configured to operate in a loading mode in which it automatically selects at least one module depending on the state of use of the reels already loaded and in use in the modules, and a magazine depending on the degree of filling of the magazines, and automatically controls the carriage so that the selected magazine is coupled with the carriage and the carriage positions the selected and coupled magazine in the loading position associated with the selected module. For example, a module is selected since at least one reel loaded on the module is empty or nearly empty, and the magazine is selected since it is holding a certain number of reels. In this way, the selected carriage may assume the loading position associated with the selected module so that the respective robot may replace at least one reel in the module with a reel of the selected magazine.

[0026] The automatic controller 8 is configured to operate in a feeding mode in which it automatically selects at least one magazine depending on the degree of filling of the magazines, and automatically controls the carriage so that the selected magazine is coupled with the carriage and the carriage positions the selected and coupled magazine in the feeding position. For example, a magazine may be selected because it has few reels or because it is empty such that it may be filled again to a certain degree.

[0027] The degree of filling corresponds to the number of reels which are held by the magazine.

[0028] The system 1 comprises a plurality of carriages. Each carriage 4 is configured to be selectively coupled with any respective selected magazine of said magazines and to be able to position said respective selected and coupled magazine in a respective loading position proximal to any respective selected module of said modules such that the respective robot may pick up any reel carried by the selected magazine and load it onto the respective module.

[0029] Each carriage 4 may be a self-driving vehicle. Each carriage 4 may be a rover or a self-driving shuttle which defines a reel stacking zone. Each carriage 4 may be for example an AGV.

[0030] The controller 8 is configured to control automatically each carriage depending on at least one selection performed by the controller 8.

[0031] Each carriage 4 may position the respective selected magazine in the feeding position.

[0032] Each loading robot is preferably a cobot and is preferably in a fixed position with respect to the respective module.

[0033] At least one of said modules forms part of a first labelling machine and another one of said modules forms part of another labelling machine. This means that at least one module works on a container conveyor so as to label the conveyed containers, and said other module works on another conveyor.

[0034] It could be that, in addition or alternatively, at least two of said modules form part of the same labelling machine. This means that said two modules work on the same flow of containers, for example on alternating series of containers which belong to the same flow conveyed by the same conveyor.

[0035] The containers may contain any pourable product. The containers may be for example bottles.

[0036] The supply system 1 allows the supply of labelling material to several labelling modules to be automatically and / or semi-automatically controlled with a limited mechanical complexity since the same carriage may work with several magazines. Therefore, the cost is reduced and the management is simpler since there is a reduction in the structural and / or electronic complexity of the supply system since at least one carriage may work with several magazines without the need to have one carriage for each magazine.

[0037] Furthermore, with the system 1 it is possible to obtain very easy automatic control of the degree of filling of each magazine since each magazine may be readily filled again automatically once it is empty or is nearly empty. This makes even simpler and more rapid the supply of labelling material to each module.

Claims

Supply system (1) for supplying a strip of labelling material for a labelling apparatus (10) configured to label containers, the apparatus (10) comprising:- a plurality of labelling modules (11, 12, 13), each operating by means of at least one reel of labelling material (21, 23, 25);- a plurality of loading robots (51, 52, 53), each robot (51; 52; 53) being associated with a respective module (11; 12; 13), for replacing at least one reel of the module;wherein the system comprises:- a plurality of mobile reel-holder magazines (31, 32, 33, 34);- a carriage (4) configured to be selectively coupled with any selected mobile magazine (31) of said magazines (31, 32, 33, 34) and to be able to position said selected and coupled magazine in a loading position proximal to any selected module (11) of said modules (11, 12, 13), such that the respective robot (51) may pick up any reel carried by the selected magazine (31) and load it onto the respective module (11; 12; 13).System according to Claim 1, wherein the carriage (4) is configured to release the selected magazine (33) in said proximal position.System according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the carriage (4) is a self-driving vehicle.System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a feeding equipment (7) which comprises a feeding robot (6) for feeding the reels onto at least any one of said magazines (31, 32, 33) which is situated in a feeding position, said carriage (4) being able to position said selected magazine (33) in said feeding position.System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an automatic controller (8) configured to operate in a loading mode in which it automatically selects at least one module depending on the state of use of the reels already loaded and in use in the modules, and a magazine depending on the degree of filling of the magazines, and automatically controls the carriage so that the selected magazine is coupled with the carriage and the carriage positions the selected and coupled magazine in the loading position associated with the selected module.System according to Claims 4 and 5, wherein the automatic controller (8) is configured to operate in a feeding mode in which it automatically selects at least one magazine depending on the degree of filling of the magazines, and automatically controls the carriage so that the selected magazine is coupled with the carriage and the carriage positions the selected and coupled magazine in the feeding position.System according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of carriages, wherein each carriage (4) is configured to be selectively coupled with any respective selected magazine (33) of said magazines (31, 32, 33, 34) and to be able to position said respective selected and coupled magazine in a respective loading position close to any respective selected module (12) of said modules (11, 12, 13) such that the respective robot (52) may pick up any reel carried by the selected magazine (33) and load it onto the respective module (11; 12; 13).Labelling apparatus (10) for labelling containers, comprising a system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, said plurality of modules (11, 12, 13) and said plurality of loading robots (51, 52, 53), each loading robot being preferably a cobot and being preferably in a fixed position with respect to the respective module.Apparatus (10) according Claim 8, wherein at least one of said modules forms part of a first labelling machine and another one of said modules forms part of another labelling machine, or at least two of said modules form part of the same labelling machine.

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