Apparatus for applying labels to containers
AssigneeKrones AG
InventorsFranz Gmeiner, Heinz Humele
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for applying labels to containers is provided. In one embodiment, the process of applying the labels to the container is carried out by means of a laser unit. In another embodiment, a cutting unit is provided for the apparatus, which cutting unit likewise uses a laser and is arranged at least partially inside a cutting roller. In preferred embodiments, the complete application process, i.e. in particular including the bonding of the end sections of the label, is carried out by means of the laser unit.
Claims17
An apparatus for applying labels directly to bottles as the bottles are moved along a transport path, comprising a cutting unit arranged to cut labels from a label strip, and an application unit arranged downstream relative to the cutting unit for applying labels cut by the cutting unit to the moving bottles, wherein the application unit comprises a laser radiation device which includes a controller which is suitable for controlling the radiation device so that laser radiation emitted by the laser radiation device is directed toward the transport path of the bottles being labeled, and is of sufficient power such that a first end of a cut label can be welded directly to an outer wall of a moving bottle, said controller is further suitable for controlling the laser radiation device so that laser radiation emitted by the laser radiation device can be directed to the other end of the label and is of sufficient power so as to weld the other end of the label over the first end of the label.
An application unit for applying labels directly to bottles, comprising a carrier device, on which a plurality of support elements for the bottles are arranged, wherein the support elements are moveable by the carrier device along a predefined path, and wherein the support elements are rotatable relative to the carrier device, wherein the application unit comprises a laser radiation device and a controller for the laser radiation device which is suitable for controlling power and direction of the laser radiation emitted by the laser radiation device along a first radiation path for welding a first section of a label directly to a bottle, and which is further suitable for controlling power and direction of the laser radiation emitted by the laser radiation device along a second radiation path for welding a second section of the label to the first section of the label.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.