EP0665164A1

EP0665164A1 - A device for fixing a guarantee seal label to a cap of a bottle

Info

Publication number: EP0665164A1
Application number: EP94830552A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ireneo Orlandi; Mauriozio Pedercini
Original assignee: Alfa Costruzioni Meccaniche SpA
Current assignee: Alfa Costruzioni Meccaniche SpA
Priority date: 1994-01-27
Filing date: 1994-11-25
Publication date: 1995-08-02
Also published as: IT1278238B1; ITPR940004A0; ITPR940004A1

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of rotary labelling machines, in particular machines providing a device for application of a guarantee seal label vertically on a bottle neck, on a bottle cap and on a horizontal portion of the cap in an upturned L-shape. The device comprises a head (3) which is coaxial to an underlying plate bearing a bottle. Each head (3) comprises a pad (18) of a diameter which is inferior to a diameter of the cap, and which is surrounded by a cylindrical jacket (19) having alternating vertical movement independently of a movement of the pad (18).

Description

The invention relates to a device for fixing a guarantee seal label to a bottle cap. It is well known that seals for bottles, in particular State seals for bottles containing alcoholic products, are glued in part on the neck of the bottle and in part on the cap, and stretch right up to the top surface of said cap, thus exhibiting an upturned L-shape when applied. In other words, the vertically-disposed portion of the seal is applied on a part of the neck and a vertical side of the cap while another part thereof is stuck to the flat top surface of the cap.
Application of such seals is carried out by rotary labelling machines which comprise a plurality of bottle-bearing plates arranged on a carousel and rotating about a vertical axis of said plates. A small cylindrical sliding head is situated above each of the bottle-bearing plates, which head translates in a vertical direction from a raised position to a position in which it contacts the flat top surface of the bottle cap.
When the head is in the position of contact with the cap top surface, an already-glued label or seal is deposited and applied on the neck of the bottle, on the external surface of the cap and on the external surface of the cylindrical head, which last is provided with channels so as to reduce a totality of an adhesion surface of the seals on the head itself, whereas on the bottle neck a total adhesion is required. Subsequently the head is raised and the seal slides along it; when the head is removed, therefore, the seal is left projection upwards of the cap.
This projecting seal portion is then bent and smoothed on the top flat surface of the cap by a smoothing system equipped with brushes and rollers.
Several drawbacks have emerged in the application of the above device, among which are the breakage of the seals, due to poor sliding-free of the same from the head as it is raised, and the total detachment of the seals.
Breakage of a State seal leads to various problems linked to the obligation to report such breakage to the competent State authorities.
Also, over a period of time the channels in the heads fill with glue and have to be changed so that they can be cleaned. This leads to breaks in production flow, with a consequent loss thereof.
A further drawback derives from the fact that once the seal has detached from the head, the portion of the seal which is then unattached all too easily rolls up externalwise thanks to the humidity of the glue spread on one side only of said seal. During the brushing-on phase this roll-back prevents the seal from being perfectly applied, leaving it wrinkled or badly positioned, or not uniformly glued.
A still further drawback in known-type machines with perfectly cylindrical heads is that it is not possible to effect a true centering thereof on the bottle since the head is flat-ended, so that exact coaxial alignment cannot be achieved, which would instead be necessary for a correct positioning of other labels on the bottle.
The principal aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-described drawbacks and in particular to reduce the number of seal breakages.
These aims are fully attained by the device of the present invention, which is characterized as set out in the following claims.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of an embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the form of a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show the device according to a first embodiment, in longitudinal section and in four operation positions;
figure 5 shows the device in a further operative position in a second embodiment.

With reference to the figures, 1 denotes a bottle resting on a rotating plate 2 (rotating on its own axis) and supported on a carousel (not illustrated).
Suspended above and coaxially to each plate is a head, denoted in its entirety by 3.
Each head 3 is supported by an upper carousel 4 which rotates in synchrony with the lower plate-bearing carousel.
The head 3 comprises an external cylindrical jacket 5 fixed to the upper carousel 4, inside which jacket 5 slides a cylinder 6 superiorly closed by a piston 7 slidable in a chamber 8. Said chamber 8 contains pressurized air and thus constitutes a pneumatic buffer.
A plate is fixed to the cylinder 6, which plate bears a small wheel 9 kept elastically pressed against a cam 10 by a spring 11 inserted between the external cylindrical chamber 5 and a retaining ring 12 which is solid to the upper part of the vertically-mobile cylinder 6.
A pivot 13 is inserted internally of the cylinder 6, which pivot 13 is superiorly solidly constrained to the piston 7 by a screw 14, while it inferiorly bears two bearings 15 and 16 externally surrounded by a bush 17. A pad 18 is solidly connected to the bush 17 and is able to rotate idle on its own axis.
The pad 18, which exhibits a smaller diameter than that of the bottle cap, is surrounded by an external jacket 19 which is concentric to the bush 17. The external jacket 19 can translate vertically with respect to the pad 18.
The external jacket 19 is solidly connected to the cylinder 6 and has an internal diameter which is equal to or slightly greater than the external diameter of the bottle cap 20, (equal if a centering operation is not effected, greater if said operation is performed).
Hereinbelow the functioning of the device will be described, with reference also to the cam 10, which in the figures is superimposed on the bottles, for reasons of viewing convenience only.
The first position of figure 1 shows the entrance phase of the bottles into the labelling machine, during which the pad 18 and the jacket 19 are completely raised away from the cap of the underlying bottle.
The cam 10 track profile begins to descend, drawing the cylinder 6 downwards and with it the pad 18 and the jacket 19.
In the position illustrated in figure 2 at the end of its downwards travel the pad 18 has reached a position of contact with the cap. At this moment the seal 21 is applied by means of devices which are not illustrated in the figures, while the cam 10 continues its descent, drawing downwards only the jacket 19, which downwards movement is made possible by the sliding of the piston 7 inside the chamber 8, overcoming the pneumatic action of the air buffer.
The jacket 19 passes from the position illustrated in figure 3 to that of figure 4, in which it surrounds the portion of seal 21 projecting from the cap, and stops said portion of seal 21 from bending outwardly without sticking on the pad 18.
In a further embodiment, simply by changing the cam shape, a further phase can be added, illustrated in figure 5, in which, before applying the seal 21, the jacket 19 is lowered up until it surrounds the cap to perform the centering thereof and thus also of the bottle.
By centering we means the operation with which the bottle axis and the bearing-plate-head system axis are aligned; an operation which is necessary in order than other labels can be correctly positioned and attached.
If the jacket 19 is also to be used for performing the centering operation, the jacket 19 will exhibit, on its internal surface, a bevel 22 as illustrated in figure 5.
The above-described device provides the advantage that the seal area, which is coated with glue, does not come into contact with the pad 18, thus obviating a large proportion of the problems cited in the description of the prior art hereinabove.

Claims

A device for fixing a guarantee seal to a cap of a bottle, said device being of the type which comprises a head (3) provided with alternating vertical translating movement and bearing a pad (18) which pad (18) is free to rotate coaxially to and above the bottle, characterised in that the pad (18) exhibits a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of the cap of the bottle, and in that it comprises a cylindrical jacket (19) which is external of the pad (18) and which has an internal diameter which is slightly greater than the diameter of the cap (20); said cylindrical jacket (19) being able to move alternatingly vertically and independently of the movement of the pad (18) on the head (3).
A device as in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a cylinder (6) superiorly closed by a piston (7) which piston (7) is slidable inside a chamber (8) containing pressurized air, said cylinder (6) inferiorly bearing the cylindrical chamber (19).
A device as in claim 2, characterised in that it comprises a pivot (13) which is superiorly solidly connected to the piston (7) and which inferiorly supports the pad (18) in such a way that said pad (18) is free to rotate about an axis of the pad (18) itself.
A device as in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a cam (10) against which a small wheel (9) supported by the cylinder (6) is elastically pressed.
A device as in claim 1, characterised in that the cam (10) is shaped such that the cylindrical jacket (19) has a shorter run than a run of the pad (18).
A device as in claim 1, characterised in that the cam (10) is shaped such that a run of the cylindrical jacket (19) is longer than a run of the pad (18) prior to a placing of a guarantee seal on a bottle neck, such that a centering of the bottle on the axis of the pad can be made.
A device as in claims 1 and 6, characterised in that the cylindrical jacket (19) exhibits a bevel (22) on an internal surface thereof.