Labelling apparatus
AssigneeMarel Limited
InventorSean James Mills
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A labelling apparatus for labelling a tray while the tray is conveyed by a conveyor means. A label feeder device is configured to place a label onto a top surface of the tray. A first tucker device is arranged sidewise to the conveyor means and includes an applicator block. A first moving mechanism is configured to move the applicator block in a back and forth direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the tray. The applicator block is movable from an initial position to a labelling position where the applicator block presses the portion of the label exceeding a side surface of the tray such that the applicator block follows the shape of the side surface of the tray via a rotational movement of the applicator block around the rotation axis.
Claims14
A labelling apparatus for labelling a tray while the tray is conveyed by a first conveyor, comprising:
- a label feeder device configured to place a label onto a top surface of the tray such that the label extends across the tray with a portion of the label exceeding at least one side surface of the tray,
- a first tucker device arranged sidewise to the first conveyor, comprising:
- at least one applicator block rotatable mounted to an axis extending parallel to a conveying direction and the at least one side surface of the tray,
- a first moving mechanism configured to move the at least one applicator block in a back and forth direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the tray,
- wherein during labelling the first moving mechanism, in response to a control signal, moves the at least one applicator block from an initial position to a labelling position where the at least one applicator block presses the portion of the label exceeding the at least one side surface of the tray towards the at least one side surface of the tray such that the at least one applicator block follows a shape of the at least one side surface of the tray via a rotational movement of the least one applicator block around the axis,
- wherein the tray has sides forming a wing-shaped surface with a top portion of a pair of the sides opposite to one another extending outwardly from one another in opposite directions.
A method of labelling a tray while the tray is conveyed using a labelling device which comprises:
- a label feeder device configured to place a label onto a top surface of the tray such that the label extends across the tray with a portion of the label exceeding at least one side surface of the tray,
- a first tucker device arranged sidewise to a first conveyor, comprising:
- at least one applicator block rotatable mounted to an axis extending parallel to a conveying direction and the at least one side surface of the tray,
- a first moving mechanism configured to move the at least one applicator block in a back and forth direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the tray,
- the method comprising the steps:
- moving, in response to a control signal, the at least one applicator block from an initial position to a labelling position where the at least one applicator block presses the portion of the label exceeding the at least one side surface of the tray towards the at least one side surface of the tray such that the at least one applicator block follows a shape of the at least one side surface of the tray via a rotational movement of the least one applicator block around the axis,
- wherein the tray has sides forming a wing-shaped surface with a top portion of a pair of the sides opposite to one another extending outwardly from one another in opposite directions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.