Vacuum transfer element and method for transferring tubular labels

A module for the application of a tubular label onto an article, comprising:

• a first conveyor movable along a path (P), and which may be fed at an inlet station (I) of said path (P) with said article onto which said tubular label has been applied at a first position, and which outputs at an outlet station (O) of said path (P), in use, said article with said tubular label applied at a second position;
• and
• a vacuum transfer element for transferring a tubular label having said first axis (A) from a first to a second position, comprising:
• a first surface which may reciprocate along a second axis (E) parallel to said first axis (A), comprises a plurality of ports and is adapted to cooperate with an outer side, opposite to said first axis (A), of said tubular label;
• said first ports being selectively connectable to a vacuum source to establish a vacuum suction onto said outer side, at least when said first surface moves from said first to said second position;
• wherein said first surface is angularly fixed relative to said second axis (E);
• wherein said first conveyor comprises supporting means for supporting said article;
• said supporting means comprising a supporting surface rotatable about said first axis (A) relative to said first conveyor.

A labeling machine, comprising:

• a forming group adapted to form a tubular label with opposite edges overlapped and welded to one another, starting from a sheet of heat-shrinkable material;
• an application group adapted to said tubular label to said relative article at said first position;
• a second conveyor defining an output end of said labeling machine;
• and
• a module comprising:
• a first conveyor movable along a path (P), and which may be fed at an inlet station (I) of said path (P) with said article onto which tubular label has been applied at a first position, and which outputs at an outlet station(O) of (P), in use, said article with said tubular label applied at a second position, and
• a vacuum transfer element for transferring a tubular label having a first axis (A) from a first to a second position, comprising:
• a first surface which may reciprocate along a second axis (E) parallel to said first axis (A), comprises a plurality of ports and is adapted to cooperate with an outer side, opposite to said first axis (A), of said tubular label,
• said first ports being selectively connectable to a vacuum source to establish a vacuum suction onto said outer side, at least when said first surface moves from said first to said second position,
• wherein said first surface is angularly fixed relative to said second axis (E),
• wherein it may be selectively arranged in:
• either in a first configuration, in which said module may be fed with said article having said tubular label arranged in relative said first position, and in which said module feeds, in use, said output end with said article having said tubular label arranged in said second position;
• or in a second configuration, in which said module may be by-passed, and said output end is fed by said application group with said article having said tubular label arranged in said first position.

A method for transferring a tubular label having a first axis (A) and intended to be applied onto an article from a first to a second position, comprising the steps of:

• contacting an outer side opposite to said first axis (A) of said tubular label with a surface of a vacuum transfer element;
• establishing vacuum at a plurality of ports of said surface;
• and
• moving said surface from said first to said second position along a second axis (E) of said vacuum transfer element parallel to said first axis (A), during said step of establishing vacuum;
• comprising the step of maintaining said surface angularly fixed relative to said second axis (E);
• forming said tubular label with opposite edges overlapped and welded to each other, starting from a sheet of heat-shrinkable material;
• applying said tubular label to a relative article in a first position;
• feeding said article with said tubular label applied in said first position at a second conveyor, within a labeling machine;
• and
• in case said tubular label must be applied onto said article at said second position, feeding said module with said article having said tubular label applied at said first position and feeding an output end of said labeling machine with said article having said tubular label applied at said second position;
• or
• in case said tubular label must be applied onto said article at said first position, by-passing said module and feeding an output end of said labeling machine with said article having relative tubular label applied at said first position.