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US4255220A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for supplying a label to an article surface

Assignee: Label Aire Inc
•
Filing: 1979-02-02
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Granted: 1981-03-10
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Expires: 1999-02-02
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Abstract

Abstract A label applicator comprising a supporting structure and a label receiver mounted on the supporting structure for movement between a retracted position and an extended position. A label dispenser supplies a label to the label receiver when the label receiver is in the retracted position. The label is releasably retained on the label receiver. The label receiver is then moved to the extended position where the label is transferred by an air blast from the label receiver to an article.

Inventors

  • 👤 Leo Kucheck
  • 👤 Michael Crankshaw

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 23:15
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65C; B65C9/00; B65C9/08; B65C9/18; B65C9/1865; B65C9/1876; B65C9/1884; B65C9/26; B65C9/28; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1705; Y10T156/1707; Y10T156/171

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 160 words
A method of applying a relatively small label to a surface of an article within a relatively small recess of the article comprising: providing a label receiver with a nose section of reduced cross-sectional area and sized to be at least partially received in the recess of the article; supplying a label to the nose section of the label receiver when the label receiver is in a first position; releasably retaining the label on the nose section of the label receiver; moving the label receiver from the first position to a label applying position in which the nose section of the label receiver is at least partially received within the recess of the article and in which the label is spaced from the surface; and applying a blast of a gas through the label receiver and against the label on the nose section of the label receiver to apply the label to the surface of the article within the recess.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 160 words
A method of applying a relatively small label to a surface of an article within a relatively small recess of the article comprising: providing a label receiver with a nose section of reduced cross-sectional area and sized to be at least partially received in the recess of the article; supplying a label to the nose section of the label receiver when the label receiver is in a first position; releasably retaining the label on the nose section of the label receiver; moving the label receiver from the first position to a label applying position in which the nose section of the label receiver is at least partially received within the recess of the article and in which the label is spaced from the surface; and applying a blast of a gas through the label receiver and against the label on the nose section of the label receiver to apply the label to the surface of the article within the recess.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method as defined in claim 1 including sensing the position of the article and said step of moving includes moving the label receiver to the label applying position in response to the article reaching a predetermined position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of moving includes moving the label receiver along a linear path between said first position and said label applying position.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 270 words
A method for supplying a label to a surface of an article comprising: moving the article to be labeled through a label applying station; providing a label receiver having a label receiving face and passage means opening at said face; supplying a label to a label receiving face of the label receiver when the label receiver is in a first position; applying reduced pressure to the passage means of the label receiver which is sufficient to releasably retain the label on the label receiving face of the label receiver; advancing the label receiver along a path from the first position toward the labeling station to a label applying position in which the label receiving face of the label receiver is spaced from the article as the article is moved through the label applying station, the label receiving face of the label receiver being substantially closer to the article in the label applying position than in the first position when the article is moved through the label applying station; applying a blast of gas through the passage means of the label receiver and against the label on the label receiving face of the label receiver to remove the label from the label receiving face when the label receiver is in the extended position and to transfer the label to the surface of the article at the labeling station without pressing the label against the article with the label receiver; and returning the label receiver to the first position along said path whereby the label receiver moves in both directions along said path between said first position and said label applying position.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 270 words
A method for supplying a label to a surface of an article comprising: moving the article to be labeled through a label applying station; providing a label receiver having a label receiving face and passage means opening at said face; supplying a label to a label receiving face of the label receiver when the label receiver is in a first position; applying reduced pressure to the passage means of the label receiver which is sufficient to releasably retain the label on the label receiving face of the label receiver; advancing the label receiver along a path from the first position toward the labeling station to a label applying position in which the label receiving face of the label receiver is spaced from the article as the article is moved through the label applying station, the label receiving face of the label receiver being substantially closer to the article in the label applying position than in the first position when the article is moved through the label applying station; applying a blast of gas through the passage means of the label receiver and against the label on the label receiving face of the label receiver to remove the label from the label receiving face when the label receiver is in the extended position and to transfer the label to the surface of the article at the labeling station without pressing the label against the article with the label receiver; and returning the label receiver to the first position along said path whereby the label receiver moves in both directions along said path between said first position and said label applying position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 12 words
A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said path is linear.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method as defined in claim 4 including sensing the position of the article and said step of advancing includes advancing the label receiver along said path to the label applying station in response to the article reaching a predetermined position.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US3250278A Cited
US3329550A Cited
US3483059A Cited
US3450590A Cited
US3729362A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-03-09 1984-09-08 1985-03-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-03-09 1988-09-08 1989-03-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-03-09 1992-09-08 1993-03-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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