Universal in-mold labeling apparatus and system incorporating the apparatus

A system for blow-molding articles from a parison and labeling the articles, the system comprising:

• a blow-molding machine including:
• a blow-molding turntable continuously rotating about an axis of rotation,
• a flow head forming and providing the parison and being fixedly positioned at a first station of the machine proximate the blow-molding turntable, and
• a plurality of molds carried by the blow-molding turntable to position each of the molds adjacent the flow head in turn, each mold including mold portions which are movable between an open configuration to receive the parison from the flow head and a closed configuration to mold the parison;
• and
• a universal in-mold labeling apparatus including:
• an upper frame assembly having at least two labeling turntables operating simultaneously and being rotatably mounted on the upper frame assembly, each of the at least two labeling turntables having (i) a plurality of suction cups adapted to pick, hold, and release labels, (ii) a first servo motor with a center bore, (iii) one or more transfer arms that extend to pick a label and retract, (iv) a pick cylinder that extends the one or more transfer arms, (v) a starwheel that rotates the one or more transfer arms, and (vi) an air rotary union facilitating rotation of and providing air to the respective labeling turntable, the air rotary union mounting to the starwheel, via a mounting plate, and passing through the center bore of the first servo motor, the at least two labeling turntables facilitating delivery of labels to the molds when the molds are in the open configuration creating a cavity,
• a servo-driven Z-axis vertical slide positioned symmetrically between the at least two labeling turntables and including a second servo motor, a linear slide driven by the second servo motor to move the placement head from a transfer position into the molds and then back to the transfer position, and a carriage mount attached to the placement head and engaging the linear slide,
• a servo-driven placement head having at least two placement arms, engaging equally the at least two labeling turntables, and moving up the Z-axis vertical slide to a position between the open mold portions, each placement arm being servo-driven to account for deviations in mold cavity distance,
• at least one label magazine affixed to the upper frame assembly and retaining a plurality of labels,
• air valves providing air and vacuum to pick, hold, and release labels, the air valves including a blowoff air valve providing blow air pressure to the placement head and a vacuum valve providing air pressure to the placement head, each of the blowoff air valve and the vacuum valve being located on the placement head to facilitate a repeatable response time when placing labels into molds,
• at least one of a human machine interface, a pendant, or an operator interface facilitating communication between an operator of the system and the system, and
• a programmable logic control for programming and controlling both the blow-molding machine and the universal in-mold labeling apparatus.

A universal in-mold labeling apparatus for use with a blow-molding machine including a blow-molding turntable continuously rotating about an axis of rotation, a flow head forming and providing a parison and being fixedly positioned at a first station of the machine proximate the blow-molding turntable, and a plurality of molds carried by the blow-molding turntable to position each of the molds adjacent the flow head in turn, each mold including mold portions which are movable between an open configuration to receive the parison from the flow head and a closed configuration to mold the parison and form an article, the universal in-mold labeling apparatus comprising:

• an upper frame assembly having at least two labeling turntables rotatably mounted on the upper frame assembly, each of the at least two labeling turntables having an air rotary union facilitating rotation of the respective labeling turntable and a plurality of suction cups adapted to pick, hold, and release labels, the at least two labeling turntables facilitating delivery of labels to the molds when the molds are in the open configuration creating a cavity;
• a servo-driven Z-axis vertical slide positioned symmetrically between the at least two labeling turntables;
• a servo-driven placement head having at least two placement arms, engaging equally the at least two labeling turntables, and moving up the Z-axis vertical slide to a position between the open mold portions, each placement arm being servo-driven to account for deviations in mold cavity distance;
• at least one label magazine affixed to the upper frame assembly and retaining a plurality of labels;
• air valves providing air and vacuum to pick, hold, and release labels;
• at least one of a human machine interface, a pendant, or an operator interface facilitating communication between an operator of the apparatus and the apparatus;
• and
• a programmable logic control for programming and controlling both the blow-molding machine and the universal in-mold labeling apparatus.