System and method for applying tubular shrink sleeve material to containers
AssigneeAxon Corporation
InventorsAdam W. Duncan, Christopher R. Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine for applying tubular film to products includes a film feed path along which a supply of continuous tubular film is fed, and a sleeve eject station at which the film tubing is cut into sleeves that are ejected onto products passing the sleeve eject station. At least one sensor is positioned along the film feed path upstream of the sleeve eject station for detecting a splice in tubular film traveling along the film feed path. A controller is configured for controlling the machine such that, upon detection of a splice in the tubular film, a defective sleeve that includes the splice thereon is ejected into a gap between successive products so as to prevent application of the defective sleeve to any product.
Claims18
A machine for applying tubular film to products, the machine including:
- a film feed path;
- a mandrel along the film feed path and about which tubular film is passed;
- a product conveyance system for moving products past an exit end of the mandrel;
- a film cutter positioned for cutting the tubular film into sleeves sized for application to products moving past the exit end of the mandrel;
- a sleeve ejection arrangement for ejecting sleeves from the mandrel and onto products moving past the exit end of the mandrel;
- at least one sensor positioned along the film feed path for detecting a splice in tubular film traveling along the film feed path;
- and
- a controller configured for controlling the product conveyance system and the sleeve ejection arrangement such that, upon detection of a splice in the tubular film, a defective sleeve that includes the splice thereon is ejected from the mandrel while no product is located at the exit end of the mandrel so as to prevent application of the defective sleeve to any product.
A machine for applying tubular film to products, the machine including:
- a film feed path along which a supply of continuous tubular film is fed;
- a sleeve eject station at which the film tubing is cut into sleeves that are ejected onto products passing the sleeve eject station;
- at least one sensor positioned along the film feed path upstream of the sleeve eject station for detecting a splice in tubular film traveling along the film feed path;
- and
- a controller configured for controlling the machine such that, upon detection of a splice in the tubular film, a defective sleeve that includes the splice thereon is ejected into a gap between successive products so as to prevent application of the defective sleeve to any product.
A method of applying cut lengths of film tubing to products as tubular labels, the method comprising:
- (a) feeding a continuous supply of film tubing along a film feed path to a sleeve eject station at which the film tubing is cut into sleeves that are ejected onto products passing the sleeve eject station;
- (b) sensing a splice in the film tubing at a location along the feed path upstream of the sleeve eject station;
- and
- (c) ejecting a defective sleeve that includes the splice into a gap between products passing the sleeve eject station so that the defective sleeve is not applied to any product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.