Method and system for welding a label to a container

Abstract

A label machine includes a drum having a pad coupled thereto, and a container conveyor configured to sequentially feed a plurality of containers to the pad of the drum. The label machine also includes a label applicator configured to sequentially apply a label to one of the plurality of containers. The label machine further includes a welding head in communication with the pad of the drum. The welding head is configured to weld the label to container.

Description

Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WELDING A LABEL TO A CONTAINERCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 689,172, filed August 30, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for attaching a label to a container. In particular, in some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for welding a label to a container such as, for example, a beverage container.BACKGROUND

[0003] Labels are used on product containers to convey product information such as, for example, date codes indicative of a product manufacturing date, a product expiration date, and / or a “best by” date. In some embodiments, labels may be applied to a container via an adhesive such as glue. During this process, a label machine may heat the adhesive, the adhesive may be pumped onto an adhesive pad, and the adhesive may be applied to the bottle while the label is being wrapped around the bottle. However, this process is prone to errors and can result in manufacturing system downtime.SUMMARY

[0004] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a method for welding a label to a container using a label machine. The method includes transporting the container to a pad coupled to a drum of the label machine. The method also includes positioning a first end of the label in contact with the container. The method further includes welding the first end of the label to the container to form a first weld. The method also includes wrapping the label around the container so that a second end of the label overlaps the first end of the label. The method further includes welding the second end of the label to the first end of the label to form a second weld.Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01

[0005] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a label machine that includes a drum having a pad coupled thereto, and a container conveyor configured to sequentially feed a plurality of containers to the pad of the drum. The label machine also includes a label applicator configured to sequentially apply a label to one of the plurality of containers. The label machine further includes a welding head in communication with the pad of the drum. The welding head is configured to weld the label to container.

[0006] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a container assembly including a container including a base, a label portion connected to the base, a bell connected to the label portion, a neck connected to the bell, and a finish portion connected to the neck. The container assembly also includes a label wrapped around the label portion, the label including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end is affixed to the container by a first weld, the second end is affixed to the first end by a second weld.

[0007] Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary container suitable for storing liquid including a label.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the container of FIG. 1 with the label provisionally secured to the container.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of the container of FIG. 1 with the label fully secured to the container.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a label machine for welding the label to the container of FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a drum of the label machine of FIG. 4 illustrating the container of FIG. 1 coupled thereto.Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01

[0013] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for securing the label to the container using the label machine of FIG. 4.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary container 100 typically used for storing liquid contents, such as water, juice, and the like. The container 100 may be capable of storing the liquid contents under pressure. The container 100 includes a base 104 that extends up to a grip portion 108 of the container 100. In some embodiments, the base 104 may comprise a petaloid shape, although other configurations of the base may be incorporated into the container 100, without limitation. The grip portion 108 includes a plurality of grip portion ribs 112 (i.e., sidewall ribs). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the grip portion ribs 112 generally vary in depth, and swirl or angulate around the grip portion 108. The container 100 further includes a label portion 116 connected to the grip portion 108. The label portion 116 includes one or more label panel ribs (not shown). The label panel portion 116 transitions into a shoulder 124 of the container 100, which connects to a bell 128. As described in more detail below, a label 130 is coupled to the label portion 116 of the container 100 via an ultra-sonic welding method.

[0016] With continued reference to FIG. 1, the label 130 is formed as an elongated strip of material and has a first end 132 and a second end 134 located opposite the first end 132. The first end 132 of the label 130 contacts the label portion 116 of the container 100 and is bonded to the container 100 (e.g., by ultrasonic welding). The label 130 wraps around the container 100 such that the second end 134 contacts and overlaps the first end 132. The second end 134 is bonded to the first end 132 (e.g., by ultrasonic welding).Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01

[0017] In the illustrated embodiment, the container 100 and the label 130 are both formed of the same material. More specifically, both the container 100 and the label 130 are formed of plastic (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET)). In other examples, both the container 100 and the label 130 can be made from, e.g., polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and the like. In other examples, the label 130 and the container 100 can be formed from different respective materials that are nevertheless compatible for being bonded via a welding process. In such examples, the label 130 can be formed from, e.g., low- density polyethylene (LDPE), and the container 100 can be made from, e g., PET. Other plastic materials are also contemplated, provided that they are compatible for forming welded bonds.

[0018] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the label portion 116 of the container 100 with the label 130 provisionally (FIG. 2) and fully (FIG. 3) secured thereto. As shown in FIG. 2, the first end 132 of the label 130 is secured directly to the container 100 by one or more first welds 135a. In the illustrated embodiment, the first welds 135a can be formed by ultrasonic welding. In other embodiments, the first welds can be formed from other welding processes, such as hot melting, laser welding, and the like. In each welding method, the first welds 135a are formed as a connection between the material of the label 130 and the material of the label portion 116 of the container 100 themselves, so that no other material (e.g., such as adhesive) is used to form the welds 135a.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the second end 134 of the label 130 is secured directly to the first end 132 by one or more second welds 135b. In the illustrated embodiment, the second welds 135b can be formed by ultrasonic welding. In other embodiments, the second welds can be formed from other welding processes, such as hot melting, laser welding, and the like. In each welding method, the second welds 135b are formed as a connection between the material of the second end 134 of the label 130 and the material of the first end 132 of the label 130, so that no other material (e.g., such as adhesive) is used to form the welds 135b.

[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, the first welds 135a may be of a weaker strength than the second welds 135b. For example, the first welds 135a may be fewer in number than the second welds 135b. In some embodiments, the first welds 135a may be of a smallerAttorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01 area than the second welds 135b. Tn other embodiments, the first welds 135a may be formed by a lower intensity welding process (e.g., lower intensity ultrasonic welding) than the second welds 135b. Accordingly, the bond achieved between the label 130 and the container 100 by the first welds 135a is weaker than the bond achieved between the second end 134 and the first end 132 of the label 130 by the second welds 135b. For example, less force is required to break the first welds 135a than is required to break the second welds 135b.

[0021] With reference again to FIG. 1, the container 100 also includes a neck 136 and a finish portion 140. The bell 128 connects to the neck 136, which connects to the finish portion 140. As shown in FIG. 1, the bell 128 comprises a diameter that generally decreases as the bell 128 extends upward from the shoulder 124 to the neck 136 and the finish portion 140. The finish portion 140 is adapted to receive a closure, such as by way of non-limiting example, a container cap or closure 144, so as to seal contents within the container 100. The finish portion 140 generally defines an opening that leads to an interior of the container 100 for containing a beverage, or other contents, such as any of a variety of carbonated soft drinks. The finish portion 140 may be of a Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD) variety or may be configured to receive closures suitable for sealing noncarbonated contents within the interior of the container 100. Further, in some embodiments, the finish portion 140 may be configured to retain hot-filled contents within the container 100 or may be configured to retain a gas, such as nitrogen gas (N2) within the interior of the container, without limitation.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, a tamper evidence closure 144, such as a bottle cap, may be threadably engaged with the finish portion 140. The closure 144 generally includes interior threads that are configured to engage with threads disposed on the finish portion 140, as described herein. During tightening of the closure 144 onto the finish portion 140, a plug seal of the closure 144 extends into the opening of the container 100 and enters into a pressed relationship with the finish portion 140 whereby contents may be sealed in the interior of the container 100.Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01

[0023] With continuing reference to FIG. 1 , the closure 144 includes a tamper evidence band 148 to provide an indication of whether or not the closure 144 has been loosened after being installed by a manufacturer. In some embodiments, the tamper evidence band 148 may be attached to the closure 144 by a multiplicity of thin connections. The tamper evidence band 148 may include a cam that is configured to fixedly engage with a tamper evidence ledge disposed on the finish portion 140 during loosening of the closure 144. Once the closure 144 is installed onto the finish portion 140 by a manufacturer and later an enduser loosens the closure 144, the cam engages the tamper evidence ledge, breaking the thin connections between tamper evidence band 148 and the closure 144. The tamper evidence band 148 remains positioned on the tamper evidence ledge after the closure 144 is removed from the container 100. As such, the tamper evidence band 148 cooperates with the tamper evidence ledge to indicate to the end-user whether or not the closure 144 has been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer.

[0024] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an example of a label machine 200 for coupling the label 130 to the container 100. The machine 200 includes a driven carousel or drum 205 having a plurality of pads 210 coupled thereto, a container conveyor 215 configured to feed a plurality of containers (e.g., the container 100) to the pads 210 of the drum 205, a label applicator 220 for applying the label 130 to the container 100 or pads 210, an ultrasonic welding head 225 in communication with the pads 210 of the drum 205, and a controller 230. Although the label machine 200 is shown and described having the ultrasonic welding head 225, in other embodiments (not shown) the label machine 200 can instead include, e.g., a laser welding head, or a hot melting head, or another device configured to form the first welds 135a and the second welds 135b. The controller 230 includes an electronic processor 235 and a non-transitory computer-readable memory 240. The electronic processor 235 is communicatively coupled to the memory 240. The memory 240 stores data and instructions that, when accessed and executed by the electronic processor 235, provide the functionality of the controller 230 including, for example, the functionality described herein.

[0025] The controller 230 is communicatively coupled to the drum 205, the plurality of pads 210, the container conveyor 215, the label applicator 220, and the ultrasonic welding head 225. The drum 205 (FIG. 5) rotates to receive the container 100 from the container conveyor 215Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01 based on control signals received from the controller 230. The pad 210 secures the container 100 to the drum 205 based on control signals received from the controller 230. In some embodiments, the pad 210 may fluidly connect to a vacuum source. As shown in FIG. 5, the drum 205 includes a plurality of pads 210 that sequentially receive the containers 100 from the conveyor 215. In the illustrated embodiment, the drum 205 includes six pads 210 that are circumferentially spaced around an outer circumference thereof. In other embodiments, the drum 205 may include fewer (e.g., two, three, etc.) or more (e.g., seven, eight, etc.) pads 210. The pads 210 may be fluidly connected to the vacuum source such that a vacuum developed between the container 100 and the pad 210 secures the container 100 to the pad 210.

[0026] The label applicator 220 applies the label 130 to the container 100 and the ultrasonic welding head 225 welds the label to the container 100 based on control signals received from the controller 230. In some embodiments, the welding head 225 may be integrated within the pads 210. In other embodiments, one or more ultrasonic welding heads 225 may be positioned relative to the pad 210 such that rotation of the drum 205 induces contact between the ultrasonic welding head 225, the label 130, and the container 100.

[0027] FIG. 6 illustrates a method 300 of applying the label 130 to the container 100 using the label machine 200 of FIGS. 2 and 3. First, the container 100 is transported to the pad 210 of the drum 205 (step 310). For example, the container conveyor 215 of the label machine 200 feeds the container 100 to the pad 210 of the drum 205. The container 100 may be secured to the drum 205 via a suction source. Next, the first end 132 of the label 130 is positioned in contact with the container 100 (Step 320). For example, the label applicator 220 may apply or provisionally hold the label 130 against the container 100 such that the first end 132 contacts the container 100. Next, the first end 132 of the label 130 is welded, by the welding head 225, to the container 100 with one or more first welds 135a having a first weld strength (Step 330). In the illustrated embodiment, the first weld 135a is applied between the container 100 and the label 130. As such, the weld may be “light” or weak enough to ensure that the integrity of the container 100 remains intact.

[0028] Following the first welding step, the label 130 is wrapped around the container 100 such that the second end 134 of the label 130 overlaps the first end 132 of the label 130 (StepAttorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01340). In the illustrated embodiment, rotation of the drum 205 causes the label 130 to wrap around the container 100. The second end 134 of the label 130 is then welded, by the welding head 225, to the first end 132 of the label 130 with one or more second welds 135b having a second weld strength (Step 350). In the illustrated embodiment, the second weld 135b is applied between the opposing ends of the label 130. As such, the weld strength of the second weld 135b may be greater than the weld strength of the first weld 135a. In other words, the second weld 135b may be a “stronger” weld than the first weld 135a. Following the coupling of the label 130 to the container 100, Steps 310-350 may be repeated with a second container 100 received by an adjacent pad 210. In other words, the container conveyor 215 is configured to sequentially feed a plurality of containers 100 to the plurality of pads 210 of the drum 205 to repeat steps 310-350.

[0029] Accordingly, the systems and methods described in the examples above provide a mechanism for ultrasonically welding a label to a container. Although the disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the disclosure as described. Various features and / or advantages of the disclosure are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method for welding a label to a container using a label machine, the method comprising: transporting the container to a pad coupled to a drum of the label machine; positioning a first end of the label in contact with the container; welding the first end of the label to the container to form a first weld; wrapping the label around the container so that a second end of the label overlaps the first end of the label; welding the second end of the label to the first end of the label to form a second weld.

2. The method of claim 1, the first weld comprises a first weld strength and the second weld comprises a second weld strength that is greater than the first weld strength.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first weld is one of a plurality of first welds formed between the first end of the label and the container, and wherein the second weld is one of a plurality of second welds formed between the first end of the label and the second end of the label.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first weld and the second weld are formed by ultrasonic welding.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the container is configured to store liquid contents, and wherein the container comprises a base, a label portion connected to the base, a bell connected to the label portion, a neck connected to the bell, and a finish portion connected to the neck.Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO016. A label machine comprising: a drum having a pad coupled thereto; a container conveyor configured to sequentially feed a plurality of containers to the pad of the drum; a label applicator configured to sequentially apply a label to one of the plurality of containers; and a welding head in communication with the pad of the drum, the welding head configured to weld the label to container.

7. The label machine of claim 6, wherein the pad is one of a plurality of pads coupled to the drum.

8. The label machine of claim 7, wherein the welding head is one of a plurality of welding heads each configured to weld the label to the container.

9. The label machine of claim 6, wherein the pad is configured to secure the container to the drum.

10. The label machine of claim 9, wherein the pad is fluidly connected to a vacuum source such that a vacuum is developed between the pad and the container to releasably secure the container to the pad.

11. The label machine of claim 6, further comprising an electronic controller communicatively coupled to the drum, the pad, the container conveyor, the label applicator, and the welding head.

12. The label machine of claim 6, wherein the welding head comprises an ultrasonic welding head.

13. The label machine of claim 6, wherein the welding head is further configured to weld a first end of the label to a second end of the label.Attorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO0114. The label machine of claim 6, wherein each container is configured to store liquid contents, and wherein each container comprises a base, a label portion connected to the base, a bell connected to the label portion, a neck connected to the bell, and a finish portion connected to the neck.

15. The label machine of claim 6, wherein the welding head is further configured to form a plurality of first welds between a first end of the label and the container and form a plurality of second welds between a second end of the label and the first end of the label.

16. A container assembly comprising: a container including a base, a label portion connected to the base, a bell connected to the label portion, a neck connected to the bell, and a finish portion connected to the neck; a label wrapped around the label portion, the label including a first end and a second end opposite the first end; wherein the first end is affixed to the container by a first weld; and wherein the second end is affixed to the first end by a second weld.

17. The container assembly of claim 16, wherein the first weld is one of a plurality of first welds formed between the first end of the label and the container, and wherein the second weld is one of a plurality of second welds formed between the first end of the label and the second end of the label.

18. The container assembly of claim 17, wherein the plurality of first welds comprise a first weld strength and the plurality of second welds comprise a second weld strength that is greater than the first weld strength.

19. The container assembly of claim 17, wherein one or more of: the plurality of first welds is fewer in number than the plurality of second welds; the plurality of first welds comprise a smaller area than the plurality of second welds; andAttorney Docket No. 216628-9232-WO01 the plurality of first welds are formed by a lower intensity welding process than the plurality of second welds.

20. The container assembly of claim 16, wherein the label comprises an elongated thin strip of material.

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