FR2632607A1 - DEVICE FOR DEPOSITING A LABEL ON A FACE OF A BOX - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices for depositing labels 21 located on a strip 20, on a first face 4 of substantially parallelepiped boxes, the distance separating two second 50 and third 51 faces bordering the first face being the same for all the boxes. 'the same series. The device according to the invention being essentially characterized in that it comprises means 6-9 for animating the boxes 1, 2 with a translational movement on a movement path 3 such that the first face 4 of the boxes either at a determined level, and that the second 50 and third 51 faces form a non-zero angle with the displacement path, first means 52 delivering a first signal for recognizing the presence of the second face of a box when a point of the first face is located in a predetermined position, on level 5, of the second means 60 delivering a second signal discriminating whether or not the third face of a first box is in contact with the second face of a second box following the first, when the second face of this first box is detected by the first means 52, and means for controlling, as a function of the first and second signals, the peeling of a label from the strip and its gluing on the pr emière face 4 of a box 1, 2. Application to the installation, in particular, of labels on packaging of pharmaceutical products.

Description

Device for depositing a label on a face of a boot

  The invention relates to devices for depositing labels, generally adhesive, on at least one face of a box, for example drug identification stickers packaged in parallelepiped-shaped boots, and

  more particularly the devices operating automatically.

  For various reasons, both technical and

  the obligation to affix labels on certain boots, in particular with a view to the identification of the products they contain. In this case, it is imperative that the removal of all the labels on all the s-boots is carried out before their sale and it is essential, particularly in the case of boots containing medicines, that all the boots without exception

are labeled.

  Given the very large number of condition boots

  In the pharmaceutical field alone, automatic labeling machines have been developed for at least

one of the faces of these boots.-

  To achieve the utmost safety possible, automatic label dispensing machines developed to date can only be labeled if the bales run one behind the other and regularly separated from each other by a space of a determined value. The time taken by a boot to traverse this space thus makes it possible to carry out a certain number of operations, for example the checking of the presence, for example on a support band serving as a reserve of labels, of a

label To be deposited.

  It is understandable that with such a contingency of exploitation of these machines, the spaces separating the boots entail a waste of time which limits the efficiency of these machines, all the more so that these must then comprise means of feeding to ensure regular spacing of the boots. Devices for

  the known automatic labeling are therefore relatively expensive.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a device for placing labels on boots, having a higher yield than the known devices of the prior art, of a simple structure, not very complicated to implement, and ensuring a Total

  safety of the installation of these labels.

  More specifically, the present invention relates to a label dispensing device regularly distributed on a

  on a first face of substantially parallel boots

  pipedic, the distance separating two second and third faces bordering laterally said first face being the same for all said boots, characterized in that it comprises: means for animating said boots of a substantially uniform translational movement on a path of moving in such a way that said first face of said boots is parallel to said path of travel and at a determined level, and that said second and third faces form a non-zero angle with the direction of said path of movement, said second face being, in the direction translation, forward with respect to said third face, first means adapted to deliver a first presence recognition signal of the second face of a boot when a point of the first face of said boot is located in a position predetermined means, on said determined level, second means capable of delivering a second detection signal. to discriminate if the third face of a first boot is, or not, in contact with the second face of a second boot following the first, when said second face of this first boot is able to be detected by said first means, and means for controlling, as a function of said first and second signals, the takeoff of a tag from said strip and its

  bonding on said first face of a boot.

  Other features and benefits of this

  invention will become apparent from the following description given in

  FIGS. 1 and 2 show respectively, in schematic form, two side and front views of an embodiment.

  of a device for placing labels on a face of boots.

  The two figures representing the same embodiment of a device according to the invention, the same references refer to identical elements and means, and these figures were deliberately

  simplified, with a view to highlighting the characteristics of

of the invention.

  The device according to the invention makes it possible to place labels such as vignettes on one side of boots 1, 2, ... substantially parallelepipedal and of which two faces 50, 51 bordering laterally that 4 on which a label must be placed are separated from each other. a distance which is the same for all the boots of the same series. These boots are for example drug packages and labels are those allowing the identification of these drugs,

  for example for certain administrative operations.

  As illustrated, the device comprises means for animating the boots 1, 2, ... of a substantially uniform translation movement on a path of displacement 3 so that the face 4 of each boot on which must be placed the label, referred to herein as "the first face", being parallel to the path of movement 3 and at a determined level 5 which will be the level at which the labeling will be done, the direction of the path of displacement making a non-zero angle with the two faces 50, 51 bordering laterally the first

face 4.

  The means for animating the translational boots are for example constituted by guide rails 6, 7, ... bordered on each side by lateral treadmills 8, 9 animated by a movement of

  uniform translation, for example without end around axes 10, 11, ...

  substantially perpendicular to the guide plane 12, on which the

  boxes 1, 2, ... slide by friction.-

  It is obvious that the device can be used for boots of all sizes. Also, the two treadmills 8, 9 are advantageously mounted on means making it possible to adjust the distance separating them, as well as possibly their level, the distance separating them being substantially equal to the length 14 of the boots, it is that is to say the distance separating the two faces bordering laterally the first face and being parallel to the path of displacement. The boots are thus pinched between the two treadmills which drive them in translation on the path of

displacement 3.

  Similarly, the guide rails 6, 7, ... are mounted, for example, on slides for adjusting, on the one hand, their position relative to the reference level 5 defined above, as a function of the height of the boots and, on the other hand, their spacing,

  depending on the length of the boots.

  The means for moving the boots in translation bring them to the entrance of a corridor 15 on the rails 6, 7, ... formed between the two treadmills, the end of these two mats forming a funnel. In their synchronized translation movements, the two treadmills pinch each boot by the two faces 16, 17 distant from the length 14 of the boot. The boxes thus pinched are translated along the path of movement 3 and, as they are placed on the rails 6, 7, ... prepositioned according to the

  height of the boots, they move by automatically presenting

  their first face 4 at level 5 o must be laid

tags. -

  The drive and guide means have not been shown in greater detail, and will not be further described, because they are well known in themselves and do not present any

  difficulty of implementation for a person skilled in the art.

  The device further comprises means for controlling the removal of a label from a given point of a given surface, and at a given moment, when the given point is located at a given level.

  given, in fact the level 5 defined previously.

  According to an advantageous embodiment, these means are constituted by a support strip 20 on which are disposed the labels 21 to be placed on the boots. These labels are, for example, self-adhesive type and the support strip is for example a plasticized paper to maintain them, but also to take off easily without losing their self-adhesive power. This strip 20 supporting the labels 21 regularly spaced a given pitch is wound on a transmitting coil 22 which can unwind by pivoting about a rotation shaft 23 generally located at a level 24 greater than that, 5, of the pose tags. To carry out the automatic laying of the labels 21, the device comprises an acute angle wedge pad 25 whose point 26 is situated above, but very close to, the level of laying 5, the two surfaces 27, 28 defining this wedge 25 being both above this level 5, to allow slippage of the support strip 20. The strip is positioned on this pad so that the labels are located on the face 29 of the strip opposite that 30 which comes to corner contact and sliding on both sides

27, 28 from this corner.

  After having circled this corner while marrying its acute end 26, the band is taken up by a receiver coil 31 which can wind it up after the labels are placed on the first face 4 of the

boots, as explained below.

  The device therefore also comprises means for controlling the unwinding and advancing of the support strip on the Z5 element. These means comprise in particular, in the illustrated example, a controllable step-by-step drive motor 32 enabling rotation of the receiving reel 3T around its rotation shaft 33. This motor is controlled by an order that is a function of its nature. , in this embodiment, the receiver coil 31 exerts a tensile force on the strip 20 to drive the unwinding movement of the transmitting coil 22 on which a force may be exerted. braking system to obtain a support strip perfectly stretched along its entire path in the form of "V" on each side of the wedge 25, one of the branches of the "V" being defined by the portion 35 of the support strip still carrying the labels, the other being defined by Part 36

  of the tape whose labels were peeled off.

  It is obvious that the drive means of the band given here are only one embodiment and that any other

  means can be implemented if necessary.

  As for the laying of the labels on the first face 4 of each boot 1, 2, ..., it is carried out as follows: When the support strip 20 is translated and that it bends on the end 26 of corner 25, the bending force exerted on the band relative to a certain rigidity of the label causes the detachment of the front portion 40 of this label. This continues to detach as the support strip unwinds and bends over the end 26 of the corner. Moreover, as soon as the front part of the label begins to peel off the support strip, it is

  plated on the first side 4 of the boot, at level 5 defined above.

  before and at a given point, and continues to be deposited there as it peels off the support band and the boot advances on the

moving path 3.

  To ensure this bonding, the device advantageously comprises

  a pressure roller 41 whose acting surface 42 passes on the face 4, at level 5, this roller being rotated by the displacement of the boots on the path of displacement. The end 40 of the labels is introduced automatically between the face 4 of the boots and the surface 42 of the pressure roller 41, being pressed on this face, for example under the action of springs 43 schematically shown acting, for example, on bearing 44 of maintaining

  the shaft 45 of rotation of this pressure roller 41.

  To ensure the installation of each label in the right place and correctly, the device comprises means for controlling this pose according to the advance of the boots along the path of

displacement 3.

  It is first of all specified that the boots that are used are of parallelepipedal shape, and therefore that their first face 4 is bordered laterally by a second face 50 and a third face 51 which are perpendicular to it, the distance separating these two faces 50 and 51, respectively called "front" and "rear" following the direction

  displacement, being the same for all the boots of the same series.

  This distance will be conventionally referred to here as the width of the boots. Taking into account this obligation for the implementation of the device, it comprises first means 52 adapted to output a first signal when the front face 50 is at a specific location on the path of displacement 3. This position corresponds to the location of a boot on the path of displacement, at the given moment of the first signal, such that the first face 4 of this boot has a given point, that chosen for the departure of the laying of the label , able to come into contact with the front end 40 of the first label 21 ready to be placed, this label being, for the remainder, still glued on the support strip 20. Simultaneously with this first signal, an order given on the input control unit 34 of the stepper motor 32 triggers the unwinding of the support strip. The speed of this unwinding is synchronized with that of the translational movement of the boot, which allows to lay the label uniformly, allowing its bonding over its entire surface. The order given on the control input of the stepping motor 32 is provided by

  a processor 58 based for example, microprocessor.

  FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of the first means 52 enabling the presence of a front face 50 to be detected. It consists of a transmitting source 53, for example a light-emitting diode, contiguous to a photosensitive receiver 54. emitting source 53 emits a light beam which, when the corner 55 of the front face 50 enters, is diffracted to return a sufficient amount of light to impress the photosensitive detector 54. It then outputs 56, a signal whose variation of emission is interpreted as detecting the presence, at the moment of this emission, of the corner 55 of a front face 50 facing this transceiver pair 53-54. This signal delivered at the output 56 is then sent to the input 57 of the processing unit 58 mentioned above, and the functions of which will be explained below, among which: the control of the step-by-step motor for the bonding of a label at the desired place on the first face 4 of

this boot 2.

  As mentioned above, the instant when the front face 50 of a boot is at a given location on the path of travel 3

  determines the time of installation of the label assigned to this boot.

  However, if, for each boot of a given series, the position on the first face of the point of the beginning of the pose of the labels is always the same, it must be possible to adjust it to each type of boot. Also, these means of detecting the front face 50 are they adjustable in the X-Y, position. and in particular following

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  parallel to the direction of the travel path 3. The transmitter-receiver 53-54 pair is for example disposed on a carriage 59 movable in at least one component parallel to the direction of the travel path 3 of the boots 1, 2, ..., of way to be able to adjust the position of the point o must be located at the corner 55 of the front face 50 of each boot, i the moment o must be ordered the pose

of a label.

  The first detection means 52 defined above give the desired result when the front face 50 of a boot is well determinable, that is to say when it is well offset from the rear face 51 of the boot that precedes it. However, for reasons of speed and therefore efficiency of the device, it is convenient to feed the path of movement, continuously and randomly, some boots can be spaced apart from each other irregularly, but can also be at contact any of

  others, like the two boots 1 and 2 of Figure 1.

  In this case, the first detection means 52 will not be able to detect the presence of the front face 50 of the boot 1, since it is merged with the rear face 51 of the previous boot 2. To overcome this drawback, the device comprises second detection means 60 located upstream of the first means 52, taking for sense that the movement of the boots. These second detection means 60 are able to deliver at the output 61 a signal determining the presence of a rear face 51 located opposite these

  second means 60 and not contiguous to the front face of the next boot.

  The absence of such a signal delivered by the second detection means makes it possible to deduce that the rear face 51 of the boot 2 whose front face 50 has been detected by the first means 52 is in contact with

  the front of the next boot 1.

  Thus the fact that if, at a given instant, the first means 52 deliver at their output 56 a signal determining the presence of a front face 50 and the second means 60 deliver a signal representative of a lack of rear face, allows to deduce that a boot is in contact with the boot that precedes it and that has allowed the delivery of the signal determining the presence of a front face in

look at the first means 52.

  Moreover, knowing the speed of movement of the boots and their width, the processing circuit 58 can develop in synchronism with the movement of these boots a control signal of the advance of a label at the end 26 of the wedge 25 for ask it as described above. Indeed, by taking as a time-origin point that of the detection of the first detectable front face 50 passing opposite the first detection means 52, in the case where the second detection means 60 do not emit a recognition signal from the the rear face of the boot whose front face has been detected, it is possible to trigger, after the automatic installation of a label on the boot whose front face 50 has been detected, laying a new label on the next boot , the two label laying orders being separated by a time equal to "l / v", where 1 "is the width separating the two second 50 and third faces 51, and" v is the speed of translation of the boots the along the path of movement 3. Successive label-placing commands will follow the same time constant, as long as the second means of

  detection 60 will not be able to detect a rear face.

  In other words, in the case of a series of boots in contact with each other, the first label will be deposited on the first boot From the emission of the signal delivered by the first means 52, the second label will be deposited after a time equal to that defined above-from this first signal if no rear face detection has been performed by the detection means 60, and that as many times that these means will not detect

from the back.

  On the other hand, at the last boot of the series of contiguous boots, the second detection means 60 will detect the presence of a rear face by delivering a signal which will be interpreted as the end of the succession of boots in contact, and therefore stop the labeling. The operations described above can be resumed at the arrival of the first boot shifted from a previous one on the

  path of movement, in the same way as explained above.

  The means for the installation of labels described above are perfectly suited to the application of labels on all the boots, with the following essential aims: the simplification of the means

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  bale feeding and increased speed of operation

  ment. However, to be able to be sure that each box has received a label, and only one, it must be sure that the support strip 20 has a label at each location provided. Indeed, if there is missing one or more consecutive labels on this support strip, the operations defined above will be carried out, but with the result, for example, boots that

have not received a label.

  To avoid this risk, the device comprises means 70 for detecting the presence or absence of labels on the support strip 20, and in addition to being able to perfectly position the labels to be glued, with respect to the end 26 of the corner

  , so that they are perfectly ready to be deposited.

  In an advantageous embodiment, these means 70 for detecting the presence of labels on the support strip 20 are constituted by two detectors 71, 72 associated with the strip for simultaneously detecting, respectively at one point each, the presence and the location of a perfectly defined point of a label, for example the trailing edge 49 of a label, such as

illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

  These two points are separated by a distance equal to a multiple of the distance separating two identical parts from two consecutive labels, in fact the step of placing the labels on the support strip, for example the distance separating their two rear edges 49. number of steps between these two detectors is chosen greater by at least one unit than the maximum number of labels

  consecutive missing numbers, which can be determined experimentally

  without difficulty. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, these two points are distant from three laying steps

  labels on the support tape.

  In addition, these two detectors are positioned to serve as a reference to the positioning of the label ready to be placed relative to the end 26 of the corner 25. In other words, the position of the ready-to-install label is determined relative to at least one point of a preceding given label, for example the edge l1

  rear 49 of the fourth or the seventh for the illustrated example.

  In a practical embodiment, each detector 71, 72 is for example constituted by an emitting source 74, for example a light beam oriented towards the support strip so that its axis of propagation 75 is cut off by the labels when the the support strip is unwound, and a photosensitive cell 76 disposed on the side of the support strip opposite the one where the source 74 is located, its photosensitive surface being placed on the optical axis 75 so as to be able to receive the light beam emitted by the source when, for example, there is no label or the beam is cut only by the support strip which is in this case chosen a relatively transparent material. The cells are capable of delivering at their outputs 77 a signal representative of the absence or the presence of a label on the support strip 20. This signal also makes it possible to stop the scrolling of the support strip when a label is located. ready to

to be asked.

  The signals delivered by these two cells 76 are processed by the processor 58. For this, the outputs 77 are connected to the inputs 78 of the processor 58. This processing element can also play the role of the source source. supply of energy sources of light emission 74, it includes outputs 79 able to deliver this energy and connected to

  supply inputs 80 from both sources 74.

  The means 70 for detecting the presence of the labels and their positioning for example with respect to the end 26 of the wedge function as follows: The support strip 20 is initially unwound in order to be brought to an origin position by passing in front of the two label detectors 71, 72. It is assumed that when starting the tape, no label is missing on the beginning thereof. In this case, each detector, more particularly each cell 76, delivers at its output 77 a signal indicating the presence of a label on the tape and also allowing the tape to stop so that a

  label is able to be placed on a boot in a good position.

  If, during the running of the tape, the lack of

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  of a label, the location of this missing label passes first in front of the second detector 72 which can therefore not emit a positioning signal, while the first 71 still delivers

  a signal, since it passes a label.

  On the other hand, when the empty tag location will pass next to the first detector 71, the positioning control signal will be given by the second detector 72. This result is obtained by the fact that the distance separating the two detectors has been chosen so that there is always a label detectable by one or

the other of the two detectors.

  In addition, the means 70 for detecting the presence or absence of labels on the support strip constituted essentially by these two detectors 71 and 72 also make it possible to locate the missing labels on the strip and thus to prevent them from falling. end 26 of the wedge 25 that a band portion having a label ready to be deposited, and not an empty tape space, which would result in either depositing multiple labels on the same boot,

  or to obtain unlabeled boots at the outlet of the device.

  Indeed, as soon as the detector 72 detects the first empty label slot, it suffices to count the number of tags that can be deposited from that moment to know that the instant of the installation of this date label, it will be missing on the support strip, and it will thus be necessary to advance the band by controlling the drive motor 32 with a label placement step on the support strip

  to eliminate the non-tagged location.

  The following operations described above will be repeated for each empty tag location detected by the detector 72, even if

  in the case of multiple consecutive empty slots.

  It is therefore necessary to adapt the number of steps chosen between the two detectors 71, 72 as a function of the maximum probability of consecutive missing labels. Thus, the two detectors 71, 72 are movable longitudinally along the band portion 35. The means allowing this displacement have not been represented for the sake of simplification of the drawing, especially as they present no difficulty-of achievement. They are for example of the same type as those described and illustrated for both

detectors 52 and 60.

  To be able to automatically check the number of labels deposited, and especially to ensure the presence of a label A

  the end 26 of the corner 25, in order to achieve total security.

  of the laying of the labels, the device comprises means for detecting the laying of the labels. These pose detecting means are for example constituted by a third detector 90, for example of the same type as the detectors 71 and 72, associated with the end 26 of the wedge 25, that is to say as close as possible from the place of the laying of the labels, at level 5 on the boots 1, 2, ... For this the band may include an opening 73 at each location provided for a label and normally covered by a label. Thus, when a missing label, the light beam from the source to the cell can pass and allows the delivery of a signal that can be interpreted as a lack of label at the time of installation on a boot. This signal acts on the control of the step-by-step motor 32, through the processing member 58, to advance the band until the presence of a label ready to be laid, and / or

on an alarm.

  The input and output 91 of the detector 90 are then connected to the

  inputs'92 of the logic processor 58.

  - This logical processor does not, for him, no difficulty in implementation by an electronics technician knowing the means of the invention described here and the operation of their operation. It consists of logic gates, comparators, etc., and a microprocessor programmed for this purpose. These means are well known in themselves and will not be further described here.

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Claims (9)

R E V E N D I C A T I 0 N S   1. Device for depositing labels (21) distributed on a strip (20) at a given pitch, on a first face (4) of substantially parallelepipedal boots (1,2), the distance separating two second (50) and third (51) faces bordering laterally said first face (4) being the same for all said boots, characterized in that it comprises: means (6-9) for animating said boots (1, 2) with a movement of substantially uniform translation on a path of movement (3) such that said first face (4) of said boots is parallel to said path of displacement (3) and at a determined level (5), and that said second (50) and third (51) faces form a non-zero angle with the direction of said path of displacement (3), said second face (4) being, in the direction of translation, forward with respect to said third face, first means (52) capable of delivering a first presence recognition signal d e the second face (50) of a box (1,2) when a point of the first face of said boot is located in a predetermined position, on said determined level (5), second means (60) adapted to delivering a second detection signal to discriminate whether the third face (51) of a first boot (1,2) is or not in contact with the second face (50) of a second boot following the first, when said second face (50) of this first boot is able to be detected by said first means (52), and means for controlling, as a function of said first and second signals, the take-off of a label of said strip and its   bonding on said first face of a boot.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first means (52) capable of delivering a first presence recognition signal of the second face (50) of a boot when a point of the first face (4). ) of said boot is located in a predicted position. terminated on said determined level (5) and the second means (60) capable of delivering a second detection signal for discriminating whether or not the third face (51) of a first boot is in contact with the second face ( 50) of a second boot following the first one, when said second face of this first boot is able to be detected by said first means are constituted respectively by two first detectors each comprising a transmitting source (53) and a photosensitive receiver (54) adapted to cooperate with said source, said sources (53) emitting a light beam and said photosensitive receivers (54) being positioned to receive a sufficient quantity of light and being able to respectively emit said first and second signals, and that it comprises in in addition to a processor (58) receiving said signals. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises means (59) for moving the two said   first detectors (52,60) on at least the displacement path (3).   4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that it comprises means (70) for detecting the presence or absence of labels (21) on said support strip (20), and for positioning said labels to be glued, by   relative to said predetermined position.   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said means (70) for detecting the presence of labels are constituted by two second detectors (71,72) associated with the strip for detecting simultaneously, respectively at a point each. , the presence and location of a defined point (49) of a tag (21). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said two points are separated by a distance equal to a multiple of said laying of the labels on the support strip, the number of steps between said two points being chosen higher than at least one unit to the maximum number of consecutive missing tags possible. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said two second detectors (71,72) are positioned to serve as a reference to the positioning of the label ready to be placed. 263,260?   8. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7,   characterized by the fact that each second detector (71, 72) consists of a source (74) emitting a beam oriented towards the support band so that its axis of propagation (75) is cut off by the labels when the support strip unfolds, and a photosensitive cell (76) arranged in cooperation with said source (74), said cell being able to deliver at its output (77) a signal   representative of the presence and positioning of a label and-   applied to a treatment organ (58).   9. Device according to one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that it comprises means (90) for detecting   placing a label on said predetermined position.