Cup labeling method and apparatus

Cup labeling apparatus comprising:

• (a) means for receiving a web of labeling paper having a heat activable adhesive coated on one side thereof and for cutting labels in an annulus sector shape therefrom;
• (b) a rotating vacuum drum having a cylindrical heating surface positioned such that labels cut by the means for receiving and cutting a web are received by the vacuum drum surface with the heat activable side of the label facing away from the drum surface, the vacuum drum surface having a plurality of ports which are positioned to underlie the cut labels received on the surface;
• (c) means for applying a vacuum draw to the ports in the drum surface to thereby hold the labels on the surface as the drum rotates;
• (d) means for heating the labels on the drum surface as the drum rotates to activate the adhesive thereon;
• and
• (e) means for bringing frustum shaped formed cups into rotating surface contact with the heated labels on the vacuum drum heating surface at a cup labeling position including cup holding mandrels having a surface shape conforming substantially to the inner surface of the cups to be labeled, the mandrel and the cup held thereon in the cup labeling position being rotated at a surface speed which is greater than the tangential speed of the vacuum drum surface to thereby draw the labels off of the surface and into adhesive contact with the surface of the cups.

Cup labeling apparatus comprising:

• (a) means for receiving a web of labeling paper having a heat activable adhesive coating on one side thereof and for cutting labels in a desired shape therefrom;
• (b) a moving heating surface positioned to receive the cut labels from the means for receiving and cutting with with the adhesive side of the label facing away from the heating surface;
• (c) means for heating the labels on the heating surface to activate the adhesive thereon;
• (d) an indexer plate mounted for rotation;
• (e) a plurality of cup holding mandrels mounted for rotation to the indexer plate and disposed about the periphery thereof, each cup holding mandrel having a front face and a peripheral surface shape conforming substantially to the inner surface of the cups to be labeled, the mandrels being positioned such that they are brought one at a time by rotation of the indexer plate into a labeling position with the mandrel surface adjacent the heating surface;
• (f) a channel in each of the mandrels extending from an orifice in the front face of each mandrel to an opening at the mounting of the mandrel to the indexer plate;
• (g) means for applying a vacuum draw to the channels of the mandrels such that a formed cup is drawn to the mandrel at an intake position and held at a labeling position in which the mandrel has the cup thereon in rotating contact with the moving heating surface, and for applying air pressure to the channel in a mandrel which holds a cup which has had a label applied to it when the mandrel reaches a release position;
• (h) means for rotating the indexer plate such that each one of the mandrels moves in sequence to the intake position, to the labeling position, and to the release position with the mandrels dwelling at each such position for a period of time sufficient to allow the mandrel at the labeling position to contact and draw a label from the heating surface and onto the surface of the cup;
• and
• (i) means for rotatably driving the mandrel which is in the labeling position at a tangential surface speed which is greater than the speed of the moving heating surface carrying the heated label including a driven friction wheel connected to each mandrel to rotate therewith and mounted on the side of the indexer plate opposite the mandrel, and a drive wheel mounted for rotation in a position such that the driven wheel will come into frictional contact therewith when the mandrel to which it is connected is in the labeling position, the drive wheel being rotated at a speed such that the mandrel is driven at a tangential speed which is greater than the speed of the moving heating surface, whereby contact of the rotating cup with the label will cause the label to be drawn off of the heating surface onto the surface of the cup at a faster speed than the speed of the heating surface and thus maintain the label in alignment with the surface of the cup as it is being drawn off.

Cup labeling apparatus for applying labels having a heat activable adhesive coated on one side and formed in the shape of a sector of an annulus to a frustum shaped formed cup, comprising:

• (a) a rotating vacuum drum with a cylindrical heating surface having a plurality of ports which are positioned to underlie the annulus shaped labels with the leading edge of the label perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the drum;
• (b) means for supplying annulus sector shaped labels to the cylindrical surface of the rotating vacuum drum with the adhesive coated side of the label facing away from the drum surface, including:
• (1) a die roller having cutting edges on its surface defining an annulus sector cutting pattern laid on the surface of the die roller;
• (2) an anvil roller having a hard cylindrical surface which is mounted to rotate with its surface in engagement with the cutting edges on the die roller whereby a label will be severed in the shape of an annulus sector from a web of paper which is passed between the anvil and die rollers, the anvil roller having a plurality of ports distributed over its surface which are positioned to underlie a label cut by the cutting edges;
• and
• (3) means for providing a vacuum draw to the ports on the surface of the anvil roller to hold a severed label thereon as the roller is rotating and to release the vacuum draw at a release position such that the label is released from the anvil roller onto the surface of the vacuum drum with the adhesive coated side of the label facing away from the drum surface;
• (c) means for applying a vacuum draw to the ports in the drum surface to thereby hold the labels on the surface as the drum rotates;
• (d) means for heating the labels on the drum surface as the drum rotates to activate the adhesive thereon;
• and
• (e) means for bringing formed frustum shaped cups into rotating surface contact with the heated labels on the vacuum drum surface at a cup labeling position including cup holding mandrels having a surface shape conforming substantially to the inner surface of the cups to be labeled with the mandrel and the cup held thereon in the cup labeling position being rotated at a surface speed which is greater than the tangential speed of the vacuum drum surface to thereby draw the labels off of the surface and into adhesive contact with the surface of the cups.

A method of labeling frustum shaped formed cups comprising the steps of:

• (a) cutting a label in an annulus sector shape from a web having a heat activable adhesive coated on one side thereof;
• (b) supporting the cut label on a moving surface with the adhesive coated side of the label facing away from the surface and the leading edge of the label perpendicular to the direction of motion of the moving surface;
• (c) heating the label on the moving surface to activate the adhesive thereon;
• (d) rotating a formed cup at a tangential surface speed greater than the speed of the surface on which the label is supported and heated;
• (e) contacting the surface of the rotating cup with the heated label on the moving surface with the line of contact of the cup with the surface disposed perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the surface to thereby draw the label off of the surface in proper alignment with the cup and into adhesive contact with the surface of the cup.