Labeler
AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.
InventorKevin Christie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved labeler includes a label base and a label cassette. An electronically-controlled drive mechanism is contained within the labeler base housing and is operated intermittently to synchronously drive a mechanism for feeding labels to be picked up by an applicator head that is reciprocally movable along a linear axis and to be placed upon the articles being labeled.
Claims63
A labeler for applying labels to articles transported by a conveyor comprising:
- a label feed mechanism for feeding a supply of labels to a pick position;
- a vacuum source, the vacuum source being selectively operable to provide a vacuum;
- an applicator head, the applicator head operably arranged with the label feed mechanism to selectively pick up a label from the pick position, the applicator head connected to the vacuum source to selectively retain the label on the applicator head, the applicator head having an end effector which is movable in a reciprocal fashion along a linear applicator axis over a range of travel between at least the pick position and a label application position wherein the label retained on the applicator head is transferable to the article being labeled.
A labeler for applying labels to articles transported by a conveyor comprising:
- a label feed mechanism for feeding a supply of labels to a pick position and an applicator head, the applicator head operably arranged with the label feed mechanism to selectively pick up a label from the pick position and selectively retain the label on the applicator head, the applicator head having an end effector which is movable in a reciprocal fashion along a linear applicator axis over a range of travel between at least the pick position and a label application position wherein the label retained on the applicator head is transferable to the article being labeled.
A label applicator for applying labels to articles comprising:
- a linear motion actuator;
- an end effector, the end effector mounted to the linear motion actuator such that the end effector is movable in a reciprocal fashion along a linear applicator axis over a range of travel between at least a pick position, wherein the end effector can pick up a label, and a label application position, wherein the label retained on the end effector is transferable to the article being labeled.
A labeler for applying labels to articles transported by a conveyor, wherein the conveyor has a direction of travel defining an object axis and a transverse axis which is perpendicular to the object axis, the conveyor having a first edge and a second edge both extending along the object axis, the labeler further comprising:
- a label feed mechanism for feeding a supply of labels to a pick position;
- a vacuum source, the vacuum source being selectively operable to provide a vacuum;
- an applicator head, the applicator head operably arranged with the label feed mechanism to selectively pick up a label from the pick position, the applicator head connected to the vacuum source to selectively retain the label on the applicator head, the applicator head having an end effector which is movable to a label application position wherein the label retained on the applicator head is transferable to the article being labeled;
- a frame for supporting the applicator head over the conveyor, the frame including a track extending between the first edge and the second edge;
- a carriage, the carriage being reciprocally movably mounted to the track, the carriage supporting the applicator head.
A labeler system for applying labels of different sizes to articles, the labeler comprising:
- a first label feed mechanism for successively feeding a first supply of labels to a pick position, the first supply of labels having a first size;
- a second label feed mechanism for successively feeding a second supply of labels to a pick position, the second supply of labels having a second size, the second size being different than the first size;
- a drive mechanism interchangeably engageable with the first label feed mechanism and the second feed mechanism for advancing the respective supply of labels therethrough;
- an applicator head, the applicator head operably arranged with the label feed mechanism to selectively pick up a label from the pick position and move it to a label application position wherein the label retained on the applicator head is transferable to the article being labeled;
- a controller operably engaged with the drive mechanism, the controller including an interface for sending a label signal indicating which of the label feed mechanisms is engaged with the drive mechanism, the controller selectively controlling the drive mechanism to deliver successively to the pick position the respective supply of labels of the first label feed mechanism and the second feed mechanism based upon the label signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.