WO2007091290A1

WO2007091290A1 - Improved process for in mould labelling of plastic material products, providing continuous customised labels, and apparatus thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2007091290A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000079
Authority: WO
Inventors: Armando Motta
Original assignee: SYTRAMA Srl
Current assignee: SYTRAMA Srl
Priority date: 2006-02-08
Filing date: 2007-02-07
Publication date: 2007-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 2008-08-08
Also published as: ITMI20060209A1

Abstract

The invention is essentially an innovation of the known IML decorative process, able to overcome the drawbacks and limitations of the known art by providing the possibility of manufacturing plastic objects decorated by labelling means or the application of decorative inserts inside the mould, also in small quantities or even unique pieces, at absolutely acceptable costs. This has been achieved, according to the present invention, by means of a process providing the use of decorative labels or decorative inserts made, at the manufacturer's specifications, from all the materials supporting decorative printing, obtained by printing them and shaping them during the plastic material manufacturing process itself, using moulding machines of the known type.

Description

IMPROVED PROCESS FOR IN MOULD IABELLING OF PIASTIC MATERIAL PRODUCTS, PROVIDING CONTINUOUS CUSTOMISED

IABELS₇ AND APPARATUS THEREOF

******

The invention relates to an innovative in mould labelling or IML production process providing a product innovation.

With respect to the field of application, the invention constitutes an innovation within the context of the known art of decoration known as IML. This technique is currently used in the following plastic material/resin transformation sectors: thermoplastic/thermosetting injection moulding; - thermosetting/rubber compression moulding; - vacuum thermoforming; blow moulding.

The invention affects all the fields of application of plastic material/resin transformation. In general, the invention refers to the problem of the customised decoration and/or coding of moulded and blow moulded plastic^"and resin items without the use of post-moulding or post-blow moulding graphical techniques, but by innovating the known IML technique. More specifically, the invention provides the possibility of customising the manufacture of plastic items, normally decorated by means of the IML technique, during a continuous manufacturing cycle.

In its fundamental operational technical characteristics, the invention provides the preparation of a manufacturing system preferably comprising the combined use of the--following operational components: - Graphics computer (preferred but not essential) ;

- Graphics plotter;

- Cutting machine ;

Centring device (preferred but not essential; - Automated loading/unloading system;

- Pressure (injection or compression or thermoforming) or blow mould;

Unloading system.

A first scope of the present invention is that of making the traditional IML technique capable of satisfying the highest levels of customisation, inasmuch as, within said technique, the invention is capable of changing significant quantitative and qualitative aspects. By means of the invention, the manufacturer has an unlimited level of customisation on a continuous cycle at its disposal.

Indeed, thanks to the innovative process of the present invention, on the one hand, it is possible to customise, within a continuous manufacturing cycle, a large, medium or small batch: e.g. 1000 pieces with the same decoration X, 500 pieces with the same decoration Y, 50 with the same decoration Z; on the other hand, it is even possible to obtain, again within a continuous manufacturing cycle, batches of pieces with specific unique decorations: eV'g. N pieces, each with their own unique decorations, different from those of the other pieces .

It is important to underline that, as it will become apparent from the following description, the continuity of the cycle is guaranteed even when switching from one customised batch - comprised of N pieces - to another.

Hence, the application of the invention provides a process innovation capable of achieving such a level of serial manufacturing customisation as to make each individual product unique.

Indeed, by means of said process, it is possible to obtain articles (belonging to very large manufacturing batches) each possessing, if desired, their own individual aesthetic and/or ^■ coding characteristics.

Hence it is thus appropriate to state that the application of the invention provides the possibility to innovate, at ones own individual request, the appearance of plastic products normally marketed by manufacturers with identical or repetitive decorations.

It should furthermore be observed that, while in the IML processes known in the art, decorative labels made exclusively by means of plastic film printing are used, on the contrary, the technical solution proposed also allows the use of labels made from all types of materials that support decorative printing: e.g. wood, cork, synthetic or natural fabrics, aluminium, steel, paper, natural-organic plastic films, foodstuffs, etc. STATE OF THE ART

There are essentially two fundamental elements capable of deeply affecting the current market trend of plastic items with customised decorations: the development of graphical techniques in tampography, flexography, serigraphy, aerography, lithography, hot printing, laser printing/ digital printing, sublimation printing, laser or metal point etching, flat bed or rotary offset printing, gravure printing etc. and the technological innovation involving the decorative technique known as IML. Developments in ^"' graphical techniques are undoubtedly linked to the need of prepared items prior to starting decoration. In general, this requirement - intrinsic to all graphical techniques - extends manufacture/decoration times. On the other hand, the technological innovation of the IML technique is associated with the possibility of decorating the item at the same time of its manufacturing.

Indeed, in this case, the manufacture of the piece coincides with its --decoration, and hence decoration times are drastically reduced, with consequent savings in production costs.

In recent years, this advantage, together with the continually increasing quality standards of decorative labels, has caused a real surge in the demand for IML decorated plastic products, further spurred-on by particularly adverse economic circumstances.

The manufacturing process for plastic items decorated by means of the currently known IML technique will be described herein below.

Automated conveying means (e.g.: cartesian or anthropomorphic robots or a dedicated horizontal or vertical linear axis type device) remove at least one printed label, decorated and punched in the shape and the image corresponding to the particular plastic piece to be decorated, from a label store (or e.g.: from a label centring position or from a countermould or the like) , and deposit it, in the predetermined position, in the shape of the mould mounted on a pressure (injection or compression or thermoforming) or blow mould.

The label is held in position by a vacuum or electrostatically operated system.

At this point, the press or blower closes the mould, injecting (in the case of injection moulding) or compressing (in the case of compression moulding) or thermoforming (in the case of thermoforming) or injecting/blow moulding (in the case of blow moulding) the plastic material.

Once the plastification cycle is finished, the mould is opened and the finished/decorated product removed from inside.

At this point, the cycle is repeated by inserting a new label for each new cycle, until the desired quantity of decorated plastic products is obtained. OBSERVATIONS ON THE CURRENTLY KNOWN IML TECHNIQUE

It is first of all essential to point out that for the traditional IML process described above - moreover, the most widespread used to date - it is vital to use labels which are: - made of plastic film;

- pre-printed with the desired decorations (e.g.: drawings and/or text and/or codes) ; and

— pre-punched/cut into shapes corresponding to the plastic item it is intended to decorate. Indeed, the current IML technique is characterised by the need to use labels derived from large dedicated serial print runs .

Consequently, a large print-run of labels necessarily corresponds to a likewise similar number of plastic items to be produced and decorated with it. In other words, this means that the IML technique known to date is poorly suited to customising small production runs characterised by small quantities of moulded pieces and/or high variability of the images and shapes used. Besides the above, it should also be remembered that modern IML techniques do not envisage the use of

^• labels made from any material other than synthetic plastic film that supports decorative printing: e.g. wood, cork, synthetic or natural fabrics, aluminium, steel, paper, natural-organic plastic films, foodstuffs, etc.

It is obvious that this known limitation to the exclusive use of labels made from synthetic plastic film further reduces the possibilities for customisation.

With respect to all the above customisation^' requirements, the use of post-moulding or post-blow moulding graphical techniques {e.g.: tampography, flexography, serigraphy, aerography, lithography, hot printing, laser printing, digital printing, sublimation printing, laser or metal point etching, flat bed or rotary offset printing, gravure printing etc.) are still very common nowadays, since they are still the only economical and technically adequate way. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is essentially an innovation of the known IML decorative process, capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the known art by providing the possibility for manufacturing plastic objects decorated by means of labelling or the application of decorative inserts inside the mould, also in small quantities or even unique pieces, at a thoroughly acceptable cost.

This has been achieved, according to the present invention, by providing a process envisaging the use of decorative labels and/or decorative inserts made according to the manufacturer's specifications from all the materials which support decorative printing, obtained by printing them and shaping them during the plastic material manufacturing process itself, using moulding machines of the known type .

The decorative labels may be printed using a laser printer, or digital printer, or sublimation printer, etc. and can be shaped using a cutter plotter (blade or laser) or by means of a punch. Furthermore, saicP'printing can be carried out on synthetic plastic film and wood, cork, synthetic or natural fabric, aluminium, steel, paper, organic- natural plastic film, foodstuffs etc.

A better understanding of the invention will be achieved from the following detailed description, and with reference to the attached drawing which illustrates, only as a non-limiting example, an outline of the more important components of a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for implementing the process described. -«'-■«

In the drawing, figure 1 is a layout diagram of an apparatus according to the invention.

With reference to the attached drawing, the invention provides feeding the automated means D for picking up labels, which are printed and shaped continuously during the IML process itself, and for positioning them in the mould E.

In other words, according to the invention, the in-mould labelling technique is implemented by means of an apparatus characterised by comprising, in combination: i. digital printing means A, optionally controlled by a local or remote graphics computer Al; ii. cutting means B for shaping the printed labels; iii. optional centring means C for the shaped labels; iv. automated conveying means D for picking-up and positioning the labels inside the mould, and for unloading the finished pieces; v. moulding means E driven by a suitable press; vi. unloading means F of the finished pieces from the IML apparatus.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the digital printing means A, the cutting means B for shaping the printed labels and the optional centring means C, are arranged in line with the IML apparatus in order to "pϊovide the continuous operation of the entire system, even in cases where different labels - in terms of decoration and/or shape - are used to mould one or more plastic products.

The process for the customised manufacture/decoration of plastic items according to the invention comprises the following operational steps : a. printing the decorative labels by means of digital printing means A; b. Transferring the decorative labels from the printing means A to the cutting means B and shaping the printed labels; c. The picking-up of one or more printed and shaped decorative labels corresponding to the particular plastic piece to be decorated, by means of automated conveying means D and their positioning within the mould E mounted on a pressure or blow mould; d. Maintaining said one or more labels in position by known means, for example vacuum or electrostatic or mechanically operated devices etc.; e. Closing the mould E and the subsequent moulding of the plastic piece; f . Opening the mould at the end of the production process; g. Removing the finished/decorated product from the mould and depositing it on suitable unloading means F; _^.., h. Returning to step "a." in order to print a new label, identical or. different with respect to the previous label.

The moulding in step ^xxe." preferably occurs by means of injecting (in the case of injection moulding) or compressing (in the case of compression moulding) or thermoforming (in the case of thermoforming) or injecting/blow moulding (in the case of blow moulding) the plastic material. According to the invention, between steps ^λλb." and "c." it is possible to provide an additional step involving the centring of the labels, carried out by known means of centring means C of the labels. Said automated conveying means D preferably comprise a cartesian or anthropomorphic robot or dedicated horizontal or vertical linear axis type device .

Said cutting and shaping means B of the labels preferably comprise a blade or laser cutter plotter, or a punch, while said centring means C of the decorated and shaped labels preferably comprise a centring bench or a countermould.

At this point, it is useful to point out that, although the current decorative technique by means of IML guarantees shorter decorating times (in that it combines the plastic^"""lmoulding step and the item decorating step into a single operational step) , the level of customisation of the plastic products possible by means of the known IML technique, is somewhat limited by the need of using large serial print runs of dedicated labels, penalised by excessive production costs. In particular, this means that the quantitative level affects the qualitative level: the availability of labels, both in the various possible designs, and in the various possible shapes, is pre-determined along with the quantities. **"^Λ

Furthermore, it should be remarked that the qualitative level of customisation in the current IML technique is also penalised by the fact that only labels made from synthetic plastic film are used. On the contrary, one further peculiar characteristic of the invention consists in the fact that said labels can be made not only of plastic film, but also from all the materials which support printing or decorative graphical processing such as wood, cork, aluminium, glass, steel, paper, organic-natural plastic film, foodstuffs etc.

In other words, according to the invention, in place of the labels described up to now, two- dimensional or three-dimensional decorative inserts, which can be made from various different materials, can be inserted into the mould. For example, it is possible to insert decorative inserts made from wood or cork, obtained by machine tooling, such as for example burring or carving, or decorative inserts made of metal, glass, leather, etc., themselves also tooled or graphically printed during the manufacturing process itself, into the mould.

From the above mentioned points, it is obvious that the present invention provides the manufacturer of decorated plastic items with the possibility to produce cost effective labels, allowing maximum choice in their level of customisation, both in terms of quantity and quality. This possibility, due to the peculiarity of the invention, offers the following advantages:

- Since, thanks to the process described herein, it is possible to produce labels in the precise quantities and qualities required for the manufacture/decoration cycle, the warehouse stock of labels is reduced to a minimal "just in time" supply. Label storage and warehousing costs are eliminated. Only the warehousing costs for raw materials and unfinished items, such as print media and ink, remain. - Since the present invention allows the manufacturer of -the finished pieces to produce cost effective labels according to the quantities and qualities required (image types and shapes) , the end customer is ensured greater speed and higher order processing efficiency. Thus, the end customer can benefit from a service delivered in real time.

- A further innovative aspect of the present invention is not just the process for improving the productivity of customised items within the scope of traditional IML technology, but also the potential for creating, by means of its application, unique and original products, such as for example moulded items with labels in materials other than plastic film thus possessing decorative characteristics not present in the products of the known art.

Finally, it should be observed that the positioning of the machinery necessary for implementing the present invention occupies minimal space.

Considering the average production amount of plastic items within the field of customised decorations manufacturing, the incidence of the depreciation of such machinery on the finished product cost has little financial impact.

The list of the component parts mentioned in the figure:

Al: Graphics computer (preferred but not essential); A: Printing and/or processing (milling, etching etc.) graphics plotter; B: Cutting and/or shaping machine;

C: Centring device (preferred but not essential) ;

D: Automated loading/unloading system;

E: Pressure (injection or compression or thermoforming) or blow mould; F: Unloading system.

According to the -invention, the printing means A and the cutting means B of the labels may have two alternative logistical layouts within the manufacturing premises: they can either be integrated in line with the production/decoration system or, alternatively, they can be set up in separate or protected work islands.

Claims

1. An improved process for IML labelling or for the inclusion of decorative inserts in the moulding of plastic products, characterised by providing printing and/or shaping the labels and/or decorative inserts in a continuous cycle during the plastic product manufacturing process itself, immediately prior to their insertion into the mould; thus providing the ability to customise each label with respect to the characteristics and destination of each individual product.

2. The process according to the preceding claim, characterised in that it comprises the following! operational steps: a. printing the labeis or processing the decorative inserts by means of printing and/or processing means (A) of the known type; b. Transferring the labels and/or the decorative inserts from the printing and/or processing means (A) to the cutting and/or shaping means (B) of the labels and/or decorative inserts; c. The picking-up of one or more of the labels and/or decorative inserts with a shape and/or image corresponding to the particular plastic piece to be decorated, by«~jneans of automated conveying means (D) and their positioning within the mould (E) mounted on a pressure or blow mould; d. The holding of one of more labels and/or decorative inserts in place by known type means; e. Closing the mould (E) and the subsequent moulding of the plastic piece; ^•f . Opening the mould (E) at the end of the manufacturing process; g. Removing the finished/decorated product from the mould (E) and depositing it on suitable unloading means (F) ; h. Returning to step ^λλa." in order to print and/or process a new label and/or decorative insert, identical or different with respect to the previous label.

3. The process according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the moulding of the plastic material at step ^vλe." occurs by injection moulding or compression moulding or thermoforming or injecting/blowing by means of a blow mould.

4. The process according to claims 2 or 3, characterised in providing, between steps "b." and "c", an additional centring step of the labels and/or decorative inserts, performed by means of centring means (C) of the known type.

5. The process according to claim 2, characterised in that said automated conveying means (D) comprise a cartesian or anthropomorphic robot or a dedicated horizontal or vertical linear axis type device.

6. The process according to claim 2, characterised in that said cutting and/or shaping means (B) of the labels and/or the decorative inserts comprise a blade or laser cutter plotter, or a punch and/or ,a mill.

7. The process according to claim 4, characterised in that said centring means (C) of the labels and/or the decorative inserts comprise a centring bench or a countermould.

8. An apparatus for IML labelling or the insertion of decorati~ve inserts into the mould of plastic products with the process as described in the preceding claims, characterised by comprising in combination: i. printing means of the labels and/or processing of ^' the decorative inserts (A) ; ii. cutting and/or shaping means (B) for shaping the labels and/or decorative inserts; iii. automated conveying means (D) for picking-up the labels and/or decorative inserts and for their positioning inside,, the mould, as well as for unloading the finished pieces; iv. known means for keeping the labels and/or decorative inserts in the correct position inside the mould; v. moulding means (E) driven by a suitable press; vi. unloading means (F) of the finished pieces from the IML apparatus .

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that said printing and/or processing means (A) and said cutting and/or shaping means (B) for shaping the labels and/or decorative inserts are arranged in line with the IML apparatus; thus allowing the operation in continuous of the entire apparatus, even modifying the individual labels and/or the decorative inserts - in terms of decoration and/or shape - in order to mould one or more plastic products.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that said printing and/or processing means (A) are controlled by a local or remote graphics computer (Al) .

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that it comprises centring means (C) of the labels and/or the decorative inserts prior to them^'being picked-up by conveying means (D).

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that—-said labels and/or decorative inserts are made of wood or cork or synthetic or natural fabric or aluminium or steel or paper or natural-organic plastic film or synthetic plastic film or a food product or other known material which supports graphic or decorative printing.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that said printing and/or processing means (A) comprise a laser plotter or sublimation printing means or a mill.

14. The apparatus, according to claim 8, characterised in that said cutting and/or shaping means (B) of the labels and/or the decorative inserts comprise a punch or a laser plotter cutter or other known tools.

15. A process according to claim 1, characterised in that it provides the manufacturing of said labels and/or decorative inserts from wood or cork or synthetic or natural fabric or aluminium or steel or paper or natural-organic plastic film or synthetic plastic film or a food product or other known material which supports graphic and decorative printing.