High-speed label applicator

A labeling system for labeling an article being transported along a path, the system comprising:

• a label transport wheel having a label-holding sector for holding a label;
• a motor for rotating the label transport wheel so that a surface of the label is facing an article to be labeled;
• means for applying a momentary upward force on a bottom surface of the article;
• and
• means for ejecting the label from the label-holding sector onto a top surface of the article approximately simultaneously as the upward force is applied to the bottom surface of the article.

A label applicating system comprising:

• a wheel having a plurality of label-holding sectors around an outer surface of the wheel, each of the label-holding sectors having an opening;
• an air-pressure system for applying a vacuum or a positive pressure at the opening of each of the label-holding sectors;
• a motor for rotating the wheel;
• a sensor for sensing a location of an article relative to the wheel as the article travels along a path relative to the wheel;
• and
• a controller for receiving a signal from the sensor indicating the location of the article and in response to the signal, sending a first signal to the motor which rotates the wheel so that one of the plurality of label-holding sectors is facing a top surface of the article when the article is positioned beneath the wheel, wherein the air-pressure system applies a first air-pressure stream at the opening of the one label-holding sector to eject a label from the one label holder-sector onto the top surface of the article.

A method for labeling an article being transported along a path, the method comprising:

• delivering a label to a label transport member;
• positioning the label transport member so that the label is above the article when the article is beneath the label transport member;
• and
• ejecting the label from the label transport member onto a top surface of the article.

A method of labeling a plurality of articles being transported along a path, the method comprising:

• sending a first signal to a controller indicating that one of the plurality of labels has moved past a sensor;
• and
• sending a second signal to a servo-motor in response to the first signal, the second signal causing the servo-motor to rotate a label transport wheel wherein a label-holding sector of the label transport wheel is facing the article when the article is beneath the label-holding sector;
• and
• placing a label from the label holding sector onto the article;
• wherein the first and the second signals are sent for each of the plurality of articles.

A method of labeling an article being transported along a path, the method comprising:

• receiving a first signal indicating a location of the article along the path;
• sending a second signal to a servo-motor in response to the first signal, the second signal causing the servo-motor to position a label-holding sector wherein a label within the label-holding sector is facing the article when the article is beneath the label-holding sector;
• and
• emitting a first air-stream which goes through a hole in the label-holding sector to eject a label from the label-holding sector onto the article.

An apparatus comprising:

• a label transport wheel;
• a servo-motor for controlling a rotation of the label transport wheel;
• a sensor for sensing each of a plurality of articles being transported along a path and sending a first signal to a controller;
• the controller for sending a second signal to the servo-motor in response to the first signal, the second signal causing the servo-motor to rotate the label transport wheel wherein a label-holding sector of the label transport wheel is facing the article when the article is beneath the label-holding sector, wherein the first and the second signals are sent for each of the plurality of articles;
• and
• means for ejecting the label from the label holding sector when the article is beneath the wheel.