EP0592308B2 - Strip of self-adhesive labels and automatic label dispenser - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a self-adhesive label tape, in particular for a franking machine, comprising a first continuous strip of a printable medium having a glued face lined with an adhesive material and intended to be cut along its length in segments. to form self-adhesive labels.

It extends to an automatic label dispenser for selectively taking self-adhesive labels from a label tape, comprising means for intermittently driving the tape to scroll it on a guide path, a knife mounted on the ribbon guide path for transversely cutting the ribbon when actuated, and control means for the driving means and the knife.

Document FR-2581029 discloses an automatic dispenser for self-adhesive labels taken from a label tape and a label tape as described above.

Also known from US 2,636,297 is a label tape according to the preamble of claim 1. EP 0 301 155 and US 4 661 189 also show self-adhesive label tapes.

In the dispenser of the document FR-2581029 when the knife cuts the ribbon transversely, it crushes the adhesive material which is transferred onto it and causes it to become fouled. This results in a detoriation of the ribbon cut.

The object of the invention is to overcome this disadvantage.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a self-adhesive label tape according to claim 1.

To synchronize the cut with the advance of the ribbon, the ribbon has detectable patterns next to the savings zones.

According to a preferred embodiment because simple, the patterns are notches formed on an edge protruding from a second continuous strip of a protective film superimposed on the first band of the printable medium.

In order to automatically and automatically dispense self-adhesive labels having different lengths, the savings zones have identical dimensions and are regularly spaced apart from each other by a distance less than the length of the smallest segment forming a label.

The invention also relates to an automatic dispenser of labels taken from such a ribbon, characterized in that it comprises a sensor for supplying the control means with a signal for detecting the presence or absence of a pattern on the ribbon passing in front of it, and in that the control means is arranged to enter a counting integer value representative of a length of label to be taken from the ribbon, to record the number of times that the sensor provides it a signal for detecting the presence of a pattern from a reference time and controlling the actuation of the knife when the number counted is equal to the count value.

Compared to the distributor of the document cited above, the dispenser according to the invention is simpler because it has fewer sensors to handle different label lengths, and is more efficient since the knife is no longer subject to fouling

The invention is described in detail below in an embodiment given by way of example with reference to the figures.

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a ribbon according to the invention.

FIG. 2 represents an automatic dispenser for self-adhesive labels taken from a ribbon according to the invention.

FIG. 3 represents in schematic form the control circuit of the automatic distributor of FIG. 2.

In Fig. 1, the self-adhesive label tape 1 comprises a continuous web of a paper sheet 2 having a suitable grammage. The paper strip 2 has a face covered with an adhesive material 3 which is distributed along the length of this strip so as to leave transverse strips without adhesive material called savings zones 5. The savings zones are regularly spaced between they. The width L1 of a saving zone is approximately 2 mm and the distance L2 between two saving zones is approximately 8 mm for a width L4 of paper strip equal to 40 mm.

Automatically detectable patterns may be printed on the other non-sized side of the paper web 2, for example 3mm-length and 1mm-wide fingerprints, to automatically locate the middle of the width. of each savings zone 5.

In another embodiment, the ribbon also comprises a continuous strip of a protective film of silicone paper 4 which is applied to the glued face of the strip 2 The silicone paper strip 4 is adapted to allow the filming of the strip 2. The patterns, as shown in Figure 1, are notches 6 formed on a longitudinal edge protruding from the silicone paper web 4, each notch 6 facing a savings zone. The width of the silicone paper web 4 is larger than the width L4 of the paper web 2 so that the notches are visible. The L3 depth of a notch is about 3mm. Of course, the notches can be replaced by magnetic impressions, traces of fluorescent ink, or any other means likely to be easily and surely detected.

In FIG. 2, the illustrated automatic label dispenser is designed to selectively take self-adhesive labels from the ribbon 1 of FIG. 1. This ribbon 1 is rolled into the dispenser and runs on a guide path 11 when it is driven by a pair of rollers 14,15 pressers of which at least one is motorized. The motor 21 driving for example the roller 15 may be a DC motor or a stepper motor.

The dispenser also comprises a knife 16 mounted on the guide path of the tape for transversely cutting the tape into segments of tape forming self-adhesive labels after filming. The knife 16 may be a rotating disk portion rotated by a motor 22 when actuated.

A sensor conventionally constituted of a light diode 13 and a photosensitive cell 12 is mounted on the guide path of the ribbon. The photosensitive cell 12 supplies a control circuit 20 with a signal for detecting the presence or absence of the silicone paper web 4 or, which is equivalent, a detection signal for the presence or absence of a notch 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the microprocessor-type control circuit 20 receives as input an M / A signal indicating the start of a label dispensing operation and an L signal indicative of a label length. This label length is preferably expressed as the number of savings zones or converted as such.

The operation of the control circuit 20 is as follows.

In response to the start-up signal M / A, the control circuit 20 actuates the motor 21 of the roller 15 to drive the ribbon 1 in the direction indicated by arrows. The cell 12 detects the presence of a notch 6 and provides a detection signal of the presence of a notch to the control circuit 20. In response to this first detection signal, the control circuit increments a counter and this at each once it receives a detection signal of a notch provided by the cell 12. When the counter reaches the input value L, the control circuit deactivates the motor 21 and simultaneously actuates the motor 22 of the knife 16 to cut the ribbon and provide a self-adhesive label. The operation is repeated in the same way for the other self-adhesive labels.

It is desirable for the knife to be disposed downstream of the sensor in the direction of travel of the ribbon and at a distance equal to an integer multiple of L1 + L2 so that the cut is exactly in the middle of the width of a zone d 'saving.

Claims (5)

1. A strip of self-adhesive labels for a franking machine, formed of a first continuous tape of a printable backing (2) extending longitudinally and having one gummed side lined with an adhesive material (3), this tape being designed to be cut transversely along its length by a cutter so as to form segments defining self-adhesive labels and presenting spare zones (5) on said gummed side formed by transverse bands without adhesive material, the spare zones (5) being spaced regularly apart from one another along the length of the continuous tape, patterns (6) detectable by machine further being provided opposite spare zones (5) so as to allow the automatic location of the spare zones, the strip being characterised in that the transverse bands are continuous.
2. The strip according to Claim 1, in which the spare zones (5) have identical dimensions and are spaced regularly apart from one another by a distance less than the length of the smallest segment defining a label.
3. The strip according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the patterns are notches formed on a projecting edge of a second continuous tape of a protective film (4) superimposed on the first tape of printable backing.
4. The strip according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the patterns are imprints printed on the non-gummed side of the printable backing.
5. An automatic printable label dispenser for franking machines, for taking selectively self-adhesive labels of the same length or of different length from a strip of labels, comprising a strip of labels (1) according to Claim 1, means (14, 15, 21) for intermittent driving of the strip so as to cause it to run on a guiding track (11) when they are actuated, a cutter (16, 22) mounted on the track for guiding the strip so as to cut the strip transversely when it is actuated, and a means (20) for controlling the driving means and the cutter, characterised in that it comprises a sensor (12,13) for supplying to the control means a signal of detection of the presence or the absence of a pattern on the strip (1) running in front of it, the control means is arranged so as to capture an integer counting value representative of a length of label to be taken from the strip, to account for the number of times that the sensor supplies to it a signal of detection of the presence of a pattern starting from a reference time and to control the actuation of the cutter when the number accounted for is equal to the counting value, so as to cut the strip in line with a spare zone.

Images