High speed produce label applicator
US6257294A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 19, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 10, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 19, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T156/1771
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A labeler for objects, such as fruit or vegetables, has a pickup head that includes a firing piston, and a larger piston that is coupled to the firing piston. The pickup head, along with other pickup heads, are provided on an assembly that rotates the heads in a circular manner. When each pickup head is at the 6 o'clock position, a burst of air pressure is provided to the firing piston, thereby causing it to fire and to cause the larger piston to move in an outward direction. This causes the pickup head to extend fully, to thereby cause a label positioned on an applicator at a distal end of the pickup head to contact an object and thereby apply the label to the object. At other positions besides the 6 o'clock position, a vacuum source provides a vacuum to the pickup heads, thereby maintaining the pickup heads in a fully retracted position, as well as providing a way for keeping the label on the applicator of the pickup head while the pickup head is rotating.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.