EP2712818B1

EP2712818B1 - Method and plant for applying labels

Info

Publication number: EP2712818B1
Application number: EP13186099.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Federico Cozza; Cristina Cozza
Original assignee: Leaderform SpA
Current assignee: Leaderform SpA
Priority date: 2012-09-27
Filing date: 2013-09-26
Publication date: 2016-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2033-09-26
Also published as: EP2712818A1; ITRA20120019A1

Description

The present invention relates to a method in accordance with the preamble of claim 14, and a plant for applying labels in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, and known from US 2005/139323 . In particular, the present invention relates to a method and a plant for applying labels to a body comprising a flat surface, in a position of said flat surface definable at will. In more detail, the objects of the present invention are a method and a plant for applying labels to a body comprising (for instance delimited by) a flat surface in a respective position definable at will, and for customising each label.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

As it is well known, the public utilities, such as phone service providers, electricity and/or gas suppliers and the like, shall send clients detailed reports on their periodical consumption. The report sent to the clients is usually in the form of a dossier comprised of the invoice with the detailed consumption, as well as information and/or advertising material; this material is increasingly often customised to suit different users groups, based for instance on geography, consumption level, contract type. Due to the complexity of the graphics and the structure of these paper dossiers, these utilities (primary companies) increasingly often outsource to third parties (tertiary companies) the activities of printing, preparing and enveloping the dossiers, wherein these enveloping activities also involve mechanical folding according to different methods (for instance C-fold or Z-fold) based for instance upon the envelope type, using known folding machines. In this way, the primary company can minimise the staff involved in these activities, however offering its clients high-quality printed products, that are prepared and enveloped in line with the company's image and quality standards, but that can be changed according to the variable company's needs and/or the client group.
Obviously, tertiary companies supplying this kind of printing and enveloping services are likely to use increasingly advanced plants, that allow the dossiers to be customised, without the need for the primary company (for example the gas/electricity supplier etcetera) of gearing the printing means to the current needs of the company and/or of the clients.
In particular, the plants managed by the tertiary companies supplying printing, sorting and similar services are subdivided into two parts: the first one is designed to process the files with the information to be sent to every user in the form of a user-dossier, to print each sheet of the user-dossier, and then to collate and stack all the sheets of each dossier in an entrance station; the second part of the plant is usually designed to receive the user-dossier, fold it and prepare it for enveloping. For the sake of practicality, the envelope has usually a plastic window, through which a portion of the dossier with the recipient's address can be seen. The second part of the plant is therefore usually equipped with an overturning station, where the folded dossier is directed so that its portion with the recipient's information faces the plastic window of the envelope. In other words, the first part of the plant manages information about the composition of the dossier and the recipient/user, the dossier being formed by collating and stacking all the sheets composing it in an entrance station, while the second part of the plant manages the formed dossier, independently of the information on the recipient/user. The dossiers shall have a sufficient number of pages to contain all the data to be communicated to the various users; the dossiers, to which the labels shall be applied, may be therefore formed from a different number of pages. For this reason, the plant shall comprise a control system and a plurality of sensors with the purpose to control the operation of the unit of the plant collating the pages of the dossiers and the unit (of the plant) feeding the dossiers to the stations arranged in succession according to the same feeding direction.
Recently the need has widely arisen of associating a label with the first sheet of each dossier, for instance an adhesive label, taken from a stack of identical labels, similarly to what occurs for the first page of newspapers and magazines. The label is applied to this first sheet downstream of the folding station and upstream of the enveloping station, i.e. in the second part of the plant. The problem of a plant of the type described above is that it does not allow the label to be customised. In view of the above description, the problem of having available a plant for applying a customised label to a dossier comprising at least one body delimited by a flat surface, which can be selectively folded in two or more, is currently unsolved, and represents an interesting challenge for the applicant, aiming at allowing maximum customisation of the dossiers to be enveloped and sent to the clients.
Examples of a pant and a method, respectively, for applying at least one customised label to a dossier are disclosed in document US2005/139323 .
In view of the above description it would be desirable to have available a plant for enveloping labelled dossiers working according to a method providing for applying at least one customised label to a given dossier, this label being in particular customisable with information associated with this dossier, thus overcoming the typical drawbacks of the prior art illustrated above.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and a plant for applying labels, for instance adhesive labels. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and a plant for applying labels to a body delimited by a flat surface, for instance the outer sheet of a dossier comprising one or more sheets. In more detail, the present invention relates to a method and a plant for applying labels to a body of the described type delimited by a flat surface, and for customising each label, i.e. adapting the label content (substantially the text) for the dossier and/or the recipient.
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a plant for applying labels that allows to solve the above illustrated drawbacks and is therefore suitable to satisfy a plurality of requirements that to date have still not been addressed, and therefore suitable to represent a new and original source of economic interest.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved through a plant and a method for applying labels according to the appended claims.
Moreover, according to the present invention the method for applying labels can be particularly advantageously used for applying at least one label to a body delimited by a flat surface and for customising each label.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the plant and the method according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the attached figure 1, which illustrate one non-limiting example of embodiment. In particular:

figure 1 schematically shows a preferred embodiment of the plant according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In figure 1, number 1 indicates, as a whole, a plant for applying at least one customised label E (for instance adhesive label) to a dossier F (that will be therefore customised thanks to this label E) comprised of a plurality of stacked sheets C, i.e. a plurality of previously printed flat bodies C, on at least one of which at least one first code C1 is indicated, containing information on the composition of the same dossier F. Each dossier may be for example, although without limitation, of the type generally used by the primary service suppliers to report the clients their consumptions, and the related costs, over a given time period. Therefore, at least one sheet C of the dossier F will present pieces of information useful for unambiguously identifying the user/recipient of the communication and/or relating to the recipient of the communication summarised in the sheets C of the dossier F. Moreover, the code C1 may be indifferently an optical readable code, i.e. a QR code, or a bar code, or any other code presenting encrypted information, without however limiting the protective scope of the invention.
Again with reference to figure 1, the plant 1 comprises an entrance station 10, designed to receive each dossier F along a first given direction D, and a labelling station 20, arranged downstream of the entrance station 10 along the first direction D, this labelling station 20 being provided with a support portion 200 supporting the dossier and extending along the given direction D. The labelling station 20 is also provided with an applying device 202 that faces the support portion 200 and is designed to apply, for instance to glue, in use, at least one label E (for example an adhesive label) to the body C delimiting the dossier F (nearest to the applying device 202) from the side facing the applying device 202. The plant 1, and in particular the labelling station 20, comprises an operating station 30 provided with a printing unit 300 designed to print the label E once this latter has been applied onto the sheet/body C, so as to customise this label with the information contained in the first code C1 and/or with additional information. Moreover, the information may also comprise more than one code and therefore, just by way of non-limiting example, a second code C2 that can be for instance used for tests during the enveloping procedure or for commercial purposes involving the recipient of the dossier F, for example, although without limitation, contests and the like. According to the needs and/or circumstances, such as printing performance (quality, speed, definition, etc.) or costs, the printing unit 300 may obviously comprise any currently marketed printer, for example an ink-jet printer, a laser printer or the like, as the printer type does not affect the scope of the invention; therefore, for the sake of conciseness, it will not be described in detail below. For the sake of practicality, the printing unit 300 has been represented in figure 1 through its projection onto the support portion 200 inside the closed line delimiting the labelling station 20, however without this solution limiting the possible arrangement of this unit in the various versions of the plant 1.
The applying device 202 is in particular conceived and designed to apply (for instance to glue or attach) each label E according to a movement towards the support portion 200 transversally with respect to the first direction D. For the sake of practicality again, in figure 1 also the applying device has been represented at the side of the support portion 200. However, it should be specified that this applying device 202 may be more conveniently arranged above the support portion 200, and it will be assumed in this position in the basic versions of the plant 1 due to obvious economical reasons; in fact, in this way the applying device 202 has a more simple structure and may comprise just a member of the Cartesian type to pick the labels E up, known and therefore not shown.
The plant 1 furthermore comprises a folding device 40 arranged, as shown in figure 1, between the entrance station 10 and the labelling station 20, and provided with members structured in a known (and therefore not illustrated) manner and designed to fold each dossier F so as to isolate a portion P of each sheet/flat body C so that the label E can be applied thereon. The folding device 40 may be therefore designed for folding the sheets/bodies C selectively (i.e. one by one) or contemporaneously (i.e. all together) according to known methods such as C-fold and Z-fold; the folding device operates so that in the first case (C-fold) a central portion P of the more external sheet/body C is ready to receive the label E and in the second case (Z-fold) an upper or lower end portion P' of this sheet is ready to receive the label E, according to the specific needs. In figure 1 a broken line represents the outer edge of a dossier F to be folded, while a continuous line represents the already folded dossier F with the respective portion P ready for labelling.
The entrance station 10 also comprises an ordering device 102 designed to receive and stack a given number of flat bodies C (for instance sheets) to form each dossier F. This ordering device 102 may be conveniently of the type indicated by the Applicant with the term "turbo code" or of any other type with equivalent function.
The plant 1 also comprises an enveloping station 70 for enveloping the previously folded dossier F, this enveloping station 70 being arranged downstream of the operating station 30. For the sake of practicality, this station may comprise the Applicant's device CMC 9000. This enveloping station 70 is preceded by an overturning unit 80 arranged downstream of the operating station 30 that can be selectively actuated to direct the dossier F with a respective first face PF facing or in front of the support portion 200, based on the envelope type, windowed or not, inside which the folded and labelled dossier F shall be inserted.
The operating station 30 may be arranged in correspondence or, alternatively, at the side of the labelling station. However, in view of the above description the operating station 30 is conveniently arranged between the labelling station 20 and the overturning unit 80. The labelling station 20 comprises a feeding device 204 designed to receive the dossier F from the entrance station 10 through the folding device 40, to feed the folded dossier F through the labelling station 20 and the overturning unit 80 up to the enveloping station 70.
Again according to the embodiment schematized in figure 1, the plant 1 also comprises a control device 50 equipped with an electronic control unit 500 that comprises, in turn, a logic unit 502 and a memory unit 504 designed to contain information on data about the composition of each dossier F, this logic unit and this memory unit being electronically interfaced with each other. The control device 50 further comprises first sensors 506, arranged outside a box-shaped body containing the control unit 500; these first sensors are associated with the ordering device 102 to detect data about the composition of the dossier F associated with each first code C1, to determine for instance the number of flat bodies C to be stacked to form the same dossier F. The control device 50 also comprises second sensors 508 associated with the operating station 30 to detect the compliance of the information printed on the label E, for instance through a second code C2, with corresponding parameters stored in the memory unit 504. Moreover, the control device 50 comprises third sensors 510 for detecting the arrangement of the folded and labelled dossier F; these third sensors are electronically connected to the logic unit 502 and arranged upstream of the overturning unit 80 to selectively control an overturning of the dossier F upstream of the enveloping station 70, when this is necessary for correctly enveloping the folded dossier F.
According to the embodiment of figure 1 again, the plant 1 may comprise a rejecting device 110 arranged downstream of the operating station 30 and designed to reject, in use, a folded and labelled dossier F when a non-conformity is detected with respect to the parameters stored in the memory unit 504. Lastly, the control device 50 comprises an interface device 120 connected to the rejecting device 110 to verify and control, in use, the rejection of a folded and labelled dossier F when a non-conformity is detected with respect to corresponding parameters stored in the memory unit 504. The rejecting device 110 may be indifferently arranged at the side of the overturning unit 80, as shown in figure 1, or alternatively on the feeding line of the dossiers F corresponding to the feeding device 204 between the operating station 30 and the enveloping station 70, according to a scheme not illustrated but clearly apparent from the description above.
The applying device 202 comprises a positioning device 2020 designed to arrange (to apply, for instance to glue) each label E in a geometrically specific area of a body (sheet) C of the dossier F according to parameters stored in the memory unit 504. According to a more economical and precise embodiment (not shown), the positioning device 2020 may be constructed according to a Cartesian scheme, and in particular with one of the two moving directions parallel to the feeding direction D.
In view of the above description, the operation of the plant 1 is clearly apparent to those skilled in the art and is not therefore described in greater detail for the sake of conciseness. It should be however specified that the plant 1 is designed to perform a method comprising a step of receiving and stacking a given number of bodies (sheets) C in the entrance station 10, these bodies C being flat and stacked to form a dossier F; a step of feeding the dossier F on a respective support portion 200 up to a labelling station 20; a step of printing, in an operating station 30, on each label E data about the composition of the dossier F; a step of applying each label E to the flat body C by means of the applying device 202 in correspondence of the support portion 200; the step of printing each label E being preceded by the step of applying the label E to the flat sheet/body C. However, it should be specified that according to this method the steps of printing and applying each label E may be both preceded or followed by the step of folding the dossier F, as in both cases it is possible to arrange the dossier F so that it presents its flat body C with the respective portion P facing the applying device 202 so that the label E can be applied thereon. According to what described, the method may also comprise a step of enveloping the folded and labelled dossier F, this enveloping step being preceded, where necessary, by a step of overturning the dossier F so as to direct it with a respective first face PF facing or, selectively, in front of the support portion 200. Thanks to the presence of the control device 50 and the electronic control unit 500 it is possible to perform a step of controlling the information on the composition of each dossier F associated with each flat body C and each label E. The control device 50 and the respective first and second sensors 506 and 508 as well as the interface device 120 allow to detect the compliance of each dossier F and each label E with given parameters stored in the memory unit 504, for instance, although without limitation, number of sheets C, direction with respect to the envelope, etc. It should be also specified that in the operating method of the plant 1 the step of controlling the information on the composition of each dossier F may be followed by a step of selectively controlling an overturning of the dossier F upstream of the enveloping station 70 by means of the overturning unit 80 arranged downstream of the operating station 30 and/or by a step of rejecting a folded and labelled dossier F through the rejecting device 110 when a non-conformity is detected with respect to corresponding parameters stored in the memory unit 504. On the other hand, the step of applying the label E to the body C is preceded by a step of identifying a given position of the body C of the dossier F according to parameters stored in the memory unit 504.
Lastly, it is clearly apparent that variants and modifications can be done to the plant described and illustrated herein and the related functioning method without however departing from the protective scope of the invention.
Moreover, the plant may use the information stored in the memory unit 504, thus allowing each dossier F to be customised while it is prepared before being enveloped.
The plant of the invention is therefore suitable to label and envelop dossiers according to a method that provides for applying at least one label to an already customised dossier and to customise this label with information associated with this dossier.

Claims

A plant (1) for applying at least one customised label (E) to a customised dossier (F), said dossier (F) comprising at least one flat body (C) provided with at least one first code (C1); said plant (1) comprising: an entrance station (10) designed to receive said dossier (F) along a first given direction (D); reading means adapted to read said at least one first code (C1); a labelling station (20) arranged downstream of said entrance station (10) along said first direction (D) and provided with a support portion (200); said labelling station (20) being provided with applying means (202) designed to apply, in use, at least one label (E) to said body (C); an operating station (30) provided with respective printing means (300) designed to print said at least one label (E) according to said first code (C1) so as to customise it; characterised in that said printing means (300) are associated with said applying means (202) so as to print said label (E) after it has been applied to said flat body (C).
A plant according to claim 1, characterised in that the applying means (202) are designed to apply each said label (E) according to a movement towards said support portion (200) transversally to said first direction (D).
A plant according to claim 2, characterised by comprising a folding device (40) arranged between said entrance station (10) and said labelling station (20) to fold each said dossier (F) so that this latter presents a respective said flat body (C) with a respective portion (P) facing said applying means (202) so that said label (E) can be applied thereon.
A plant according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said entrance station (10) comprises an ordering device (102) designed to receive and stack a given number of said flat bodies (C) to form said dossier (F).
A plant according to claim 3 and, preferably, any one of the other previous claims, characterised by comprising an enveloping station (70) for enveloping said folded dossier (F) arranged downstream of said operating station (30).
A plant according to claim 5, characterised in that said enveloping station (70) is preceded by an overturning unit (80) that is arranged downstream of said operating station (30) and can be selectively actuated to direct said dossier (F) with a respective first face (PF) facing, or opposite to, said support portion (200).
A plant according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said operating station (30) is flanked by said labelling station (20).
A plant according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said operating station (30) is arranged between said labelling station (20) and said overturning unit (80).
A plant according to claim 3 and, preferably, any one of the claims 7, 8 characterised by comprising rejecting means (110) arranged downstream of said operating station (30) to reject, in use, a said folded and labelled dossier (F) when a non-conformity is detected with respect to corresponding parameters stored in a memory unit (504).
A plant according to claims 3 to 6 and 9, characterised by comprising: a control device (50) comprising an electronic control unit (500) provided with a logic unit (502) and said memory unit (504), electronically interfaced with each other; first sensors (506) associated with said ordering device (102) to detect data about the composition of said dossier (F) associated with each said first code (C1) to determine said number of said flat bodies (C) to be stacked to form the same said dossier (F); second sensors (508) associated with said operating station (30) to detect the compliance of said label (E) with corresponding parameters stored in said memory unit (504); third sensors (510) for detecting the arrangement of said folded and labelled dossier (F), electronically connected to said logic unit (502) and arranged upstream of said overturning unit (80) to control selectively an overturning of said dossier (F) upstream of said enveloping station (70); interface means (120) connected to said rejecting means (110) selectively to control, in use, the rejection of said folded and labelled dossier (F) when a non-conformity is detected with respect to corresponding parameters stored in said memory unit (504).
A plant according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterised in that said applying means (202) comprise a positioning device (2020) designed to arrange each said label (E) in a given area of a said body (C) of said dossier (F) according to parameters stored in said memory unit (504).
A plant according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterised in that said applying means (202) are of the Cartesian type.
A plant according to claim 3 and any one of claims 6 to 12, characterised in that said labelling station (20) comprises feeding means (204) designed to receive said dossier (F) from said folding device (40) and to feed said dossier (F), provided with said printed label (E), to said enveloping station (70).
A method for applying at least one customised label (E) to a dossier (F) comprising at least one flat body (C) provided with at least one first code (C1); the method comprising: a step of feeding said dossier (F) to a labelling station (20) on a respective support portion (200); a step of reading said at least one first code (C1); a step of applying at least one label (E) to said flat body (C) in said support portion (200) through applying means (202); a step of printing, in an operating station (30), on said at least one label (E), data on the composition of said dossier (F) according to said first code (C1 so as to customize it;
characterised in that said step of printing said at least one label (E) follows said step of applying said at least one label (E).
A method according to clam 14, characterised in that said step of printing said at least one label (E) is preceded by a step of folding said dossier so that it presents said respective flat body (C) with a respective portion (P) facing said applying means (202) so that said label (E) can be applied thereon.
A method according to claim 15, characterised by comprising a step of receiving and stacking a given number of said flat bodies (C) to form said at least one dossier (F) in said entrance station (10).
A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterised by comprising a step of enveloping said folded and labelled dossier (F).
A method according to claim 17, characterised in that said step of enveloping is preceded by a step of overturning said dossier (F) to direct it with a respective first face (PF) facing or, selectively, in front of said support portion (200).
A method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterised by comprising a step of controlling information on the composition of said at least one dossier (F) contained in said at least one flat body (C) and in said at last one label (E) through a control device (50) provided with sensing means (508) electronically interfaced with memory means (504) to detect the compliance of said dossier (F) and of said label (E) with given parameters stored in said memory means (504).
A method according to claims 15 or 18, and 19, characterised in that said step of controlling is selectively followed by a step of selectively controlling an overturning of said dossier (F) upstream of said enveloping station (70) through overturning means (80) arranged downstream of said operating station (30) or a step of rejecting said folded and labelled dossier (F) through rejecting means (110) when a non-conformity is detected with respect to corresponding parameters stored in said memory means (504).
A method according to any one of claims 19 to 20, characterised in that said step of applying said at least one label (E) to said body (C) is preceded by a step of identifying a given position of said body (C) of said dossier (F) according to parameters stored in said memory means (504).
A method according to any one of claims 14 to 21, characterised in that said step of feeding said dossier (F) is preceded by a step of forming said dossier (F) in an entrance station (10).