MXPA99009556A - Method and device for making a container provided with a label - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a device for moulding a container provided with a packaging label. The technical field of the invention is the manufacture of a plastic container by moulding. The method for moulding a container equipped with a packaging label (1b) which is inserted in the mould (93) before injection, consists in forming the label and making integral at least two edges of the label, then setting the formed label on a male die (91) of the mould.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING A RECIPIENT PROVIDED WITH A LABEL The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for molding a container adapted with a cover label. The technical field of the invention is to mold a container of plastic material. The invention particularly applies to the method for manufacturing a package of plastic material covered by a label on a portion of at least one face, in particular a portion of its outer face; more particularly, the invention relates to packages such as boxes, containers, bottles, or tubes (e.g., to receive gases, liquids or pastes, in particular food products such as yogurt) wherein the substantially one-piece structural body may have a forming wall at the bottom and one or more walls v.gr ., which extend over a surface that rotates about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the lower part, such as a cylinder or a truncated cone; The invention applies more particularly to such packages or containers that are relatively small in size, ie in which the largest dimension is less than one meter, e.g., of the order of 5 cm to 30 cm. The invention applies to this type of packaging obtained by molding, generally injection molding of plastic materials, in a mold having at least two portions that move in relation to each other: a female or "matrix" portion that it has at least one cavity corresponding to the external shape of the container to be manufactured, and a male or "core" portion having at least one projection portion corresponding to the inner face of the container to be manufactured. The invention applies to such packages where the label is secured to the body of plastic material by adhesion obtained by molding on the label, ie, inserting the label into the mold before the plastic material that will form the body of the package, being introduced by itself inside the mold; the label has a shape equal to the final shape of the package, and this is generally obtained from a sheet of paper or plastic material such as, in particular, polypropylene, which is cut to the desired shape and covered in patterns by any conventional printing method. In general, before each molding cycle, a flat label is transferred to a mold (i.e., a label that is laid flat); e.g., by means of a system of clamps and / or suction cups, generally from a feeder that contains a stack of labels, and there are two main techniques to perform it: - a first technique uses a transfer tool (or mandrel) in a manner that is suitable for penetrating into the interior of the mold matrix; the initially flat label is placed around the mandrel and deformed simultaneously so as to take the external configuration of the mandrel; the label deformed in this way is kept in contact with the outer face of the mandrel by applying electrostatic forces or by establishing suction (sucking air) on the external face of the transfer mandrel, ie, below the label; after the transfer mandrel carrying the label has been moved from the storage feeder into the cavity of the matrix, the means for maintaining the labels on the matrix (electrostatically or by suction) are deactivated; the label tends to return to its initial flat shape due to the relative stiffness of the material or materials from which it is made, so that it is separated from the transfer mandrel and comes into close contact with at least a portion of the faces of the portion female forming the mold cavity; After the mandrel has been removed from the cavity and the core (or punch) has penetrated into it, the plastic material is introduced into the space between the core and the matrix and also into the space between the core and the label, thus causing the label to be pressed against the walls of the matrix under the impulse of the forces exerted on it by the injected plastic materials; and - patent FR 2 627 744 (Gizeh Sari) describes another technique for automatically manufacturing a container with a cover label in which the labels are transferred from a feeder to the mold by two rotary fasteners which wind the label in the form of a cornet, the label rolled in this way being held by a transfer clamp which inserts the label into the mold matrix. The rotating holder wraps the label on the cone causing the free ends of the label to overlap, and the label wound into a cornet shape is then held where its free ends overlap by the transfer clamp which inserts the rolled label into the matrix . Those known techniques have the drawback that they generally require the die to be suitable with suction means to hold the tag in place of the cavity until the plastic material is injected. Another drawback of the methods in which a transfer mandrel is used is the lack of precision with which the label is placed on the mandrel and the way in which the label deforms during and after being put in place in the mandrel. transfer; this drawback is not resolved by the French patent mentioned above; consequently, the placement of the label in the mold cavity lacks precision, and leads to the receptacles being manufactured that are defective because the label is in the correct position. Another major disadvantage is that the precise handling and positioning of the label by suction cup holders is not possible when the label is very thin, e.g., having a thickness of less than 80 microns; labels that are so thin are fragile and difficult to handle, and tend to deform and / or move in an uncontrolled manner under the effect of their own weight or under the effect of mechanical stresses caused by a mechanical contact between the labels and the manageable members (although attempts have been made to minimize those forces), or actually under the effect of electrostatic forces; in addition, their reduced thicknesses cause a small rigidity and may be insufficient to allow the label to separate spontaneously from the mandrel or other transfer medium, which can prevent it from being placed and maintained in the die cavity or that less difficult, or in fact it may require maintenance forces to be applied to it by auxiliary means such as (electrostatic means or pneumatic means (operated by suction) Unfortunately, in some cases this is a disadvantage, particularly with the In order to keep costs low, to use labels having thicknesses in the order of 10 microns to 40 microns.The object of the invention is thus to propose an improved method and an apparatus for the automatic manufacture of packages or containers that include a An essential objective of the invention is to provide such methods and corresponding apparatus to implement them and make this possible for to provide a packaging manufacturing cycle time that is as short as possible; the time required for the injection (which may be in the range of a few seconds to a few minutes depending essentially on the dimensions of the package) is penalized (ie, prolongation) by the time required to transfer the label into the mold, said time can be greater than 5 seconds is used when a mandrel. From this particular point of view, the system for transferring labels from the feeder to the mold by means of members such as mandrels or clamps not only leads to mechanical structures that are complex and expensive (and which also need to be adapted to the shape of each label and therefore need to be interchangeable in order to manufacture containers in a range of shapes or sizes), but they also increase the cycle time and make manufacturing production slow. For example, the transfer devices which have electrostatic means to maintain the label on a mandrel, suffer from a disadvantage which is due to the use of electric voltages to cause the labels to adhere by the electrostatic effect upon receiving portions of the media transfer, thus causing electromagnetic disturbances for the operation of the device and are also incompatible with these films. Furthermore, the known transfer devices do not make it possible to place the free edges of the label so that they are precisely in register, ie, from edge to edge, or they do not do it well, giving rise to a resulting receptacle that suffers from poor appearance and make it more fragile. The problems mentioned are worse when you want to use molds that have a plurality of cavities; the use of said molds gives rise to additional restrictions in design (and use) due to the small amount of free space between two consecutive cavities through which a label can be transferred in the mold, thus leading to the design of transfer complexes usually to the detriment of the time required to transfer a label from the feeder to the mold cavity. In a first aspect, the invention consists in forming a label in such a way as to take its final form or at least an intermediate shape that is not flat, that is, a shape that is three-dimensional or volume-occupying, together with at least two free edges of the label (or indeed two portions thereof, eg, two "dotted" areas of the label that are located near the free edges thereof), preferably by hot sealing or adhesive , so that the edges are furthermore in a configuration from edge to edge or in addition they have overlapping margins, and then positioning the label that has been pre-formed in this way on a male portion (or core) of the mold. In other words, the invention consists in proposing a method of molding a suitable container with a cover label of the container, in which the label is rolled before it is inserted into the mold, the method being characterized in that the label is stabilized in its final form or in an intermediate form (not flat, e.g., a shape in which it is rolled in a cylinder or in a truncated cone, joining at least two portions of the label (preferably by adhesive or by sealing heat), and then the stabilized formed or preformed label (e.g., rolled) is coupled over a male portion (or core) of the mold, said core then approaches the matrix, the core serving as a support for the label, and the plastic material is injected.Since the label is placed in a place on the core instead of in the matrix, the manufacturing cycle time can be reduced for several reasons, and in some cases its effects can be reduced. n be cumulative: - first, it is possible to place the label in a place at a "non-critical" time, that is, simultaneously with the operation of drawing the manufactured container during a previous manufacturing cycle from the matrix; - it is also possible to couple the label (on the core) partly only by means of a first transfer member, and then continue the coupling operation by means of the second transfer member; this final coupling operation may consist merely of the movement of a projection linearly in translation along a longitudinal or core axis (the axis of revolution for a frustroconical core) in order to push the label along said axis; this operation therefore avoids any need to activate or deactivate the mechanical, pneumatic or electrostatic means for holding the label by the transfer member and / or to maintain the label on the core: in addition, to return (along an axis of return) of the transfer members to take from a pre-formed label does not require the transfer members to perform a decoupling movement relative to the core along another axis instead of the return axis; - this time saving together with the exact placement of the label on the core is also favored by the fact that the pre-formed label is rigid, at least one of the three dimensions, and therefore it is less likely that it is deformed, that is, it has not been pre-configured and it has not been joined; Because of this "intrinsic" stiffness of a configured label, which is greater than the stiffness of a shaped label that is greater than the stiffness of a flat label sheet (not yet bonded), it is possible to use labels of reduced thickness. Because it is possible to omit electrostatic means to keep the label on the core (or punch), it is possible to place the pre-formed label on the male portions that are close together in a multi-cavity mold; this possibility is also favored by the fact that the size of the pre-formed label (in at least one of three dimensions) is smaller than the size of a "flat" label blank. In multi-cavity molds, the space available between two adjacent cavities and / or the point at which the cavities are spaced apart is generally smaller than the dimensions of the label when it is flat; Under such circumstances, there are no specific questions about the use of electrostatic forces to wind a flat label around a core. In the preferred embodiments of the invention: the preformed label is deformed and / or bent to flatten it, thus allowing it to be stored flat; the label previously configured and flattened and then formed and / or opened or expanded, eg, by blowing, thus giving again a form that closes to its final form as previously imparted to it and the label configured is transferred in the mold being deposited on the core; in other words, the label was previously rolled (or formed) and joined (via at least two edge zones) and already flattened are stored flat and / or in a stack in a feeder, the label is then removed from the feeder , and then it goes from its rolled up and flattened shape (or configuration) to a rolled and not flattened configuration, preferably being extended by blowing; to transfer the label into the mold, the pre-packaged label (rolled and expanded) is placed or attached (preferably in part only) to a mold core or punch, and the final placement of the label around the core is carried out by a traction member (such as an actuator); this makes it possible to reduce the total cycle time required to manufacture the receptacle by allowing the transfer member to move the feeder forward preferably in a single direction (or axis) only, since there is no need to uncouple the friction member; during the operation of setting up or wrapping the label before storing it flat, the free edges of the label are bonded by adhesive or sealed by heat, either with the free edges overlapping or without overlapping, ie, from edge to edge; - the labels used are made of paper, polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC, or ABS, which have a thickness of no more than 80 microns, v.gr, a thickness not greater than 50 microns; and - the total time required to transfer a label from an easy position out of the mold to a position where they were installed on the core and including the return time, may be less than, or equal to, 5 seconds, preferably less than or equal to to 3 seconds, eg, about 1 or 2 seconds. In another aspect, the invention is to provide an apparatus for molding a container and for inserting a cover label into the mold, the apparatus being characterized in that it includes means for transferring and / or depositing a preformed label on a portion of a male mold. , the pre-formed label that has two zones (or edges) that have been previously joined. In preferred embodiments, the apparatus includes: a feeder or means for storing rolled labels, in the form of and flattened or bent, either in a plane and / or stacked; and / or the forming means, which preferably operates by extending a label from a flattened (or shaped) state and rolled up to a rolled (rather than flat) state (or shape); and / or - means for extending a rolled and flattened label by blowing, said method preferably includes a plurality of nozzles pointing in different directions; alternatively, the expansion can be obtained radially and by deploying a mechanically hinged structure which pushes back the label walls from the inside; - the apparatus can further include at least one means such as a suction cup, to pneumatically maintain a label by placing it in contact with an outer face of the formed and expanded label; the apparatus can have means for transferring the label in this way is removed from the feeder and expanded from a feeder to the mold and for placing it in the core, and preferably the apparatus includes various means for pushing it against a label that has been previously hooked in part around the nucleus; - the apparatus can include a feeder for storing a stack of flattened labels with means that allow the labels (which have been formed, joined and flattened) to be introduced at the beginning of the stack, the feeder can be adapted with means located in the lower portion of the stack and allow the configured, joined and flattened labels to be extracted from it (preferably one by one); and the means for transferring the extended label may include a plurality of fastening means operating in contact with the outer face of the label, such as suction cups. Advantages are provided by the invention that will be better understood from the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings which show, in a non-limiting manner, the preferred embodiments of the invention. Figure 1 is a plan view of a piece of sheet to form a frusto-conical label as shown more particularly in Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the label in the form of a frusto-conical shirt . Figures 3 and 4, respectively, are a profile view and a plan view of a label as shown in Figure 2 after the operation of joining its free edges and then flattening it. Figure 3 is a view on III-III of Figure 4. Figure 5 is a sectional view on a longitudinal plane of a frustoconical container having a final wall and fitting on its outer face with a label that is adapts to the frustoconical shape of its walls.

Figures 6 to 9 are diagrammatic side views of the sicesobps steps of extracting a formed and folded label from a feeder containing a stack of identical labels. Figures 10 to 16 show the successive operations of the expansion of a label that has been formed, joined and folded so that it returns to its initial and / or final form; Figures 11, 14 and 16 are views that are seen along XI, XIV, XVI respectively, in Figures 10, 13 and 15. Figures 17 to 20 are diagrammatic side views of a portion of the medium for transferring labels extended in an apparatus for manufacturing containers of the invention in order to attach an extended label around the core of the mold. Figures 21 to 30, show successful steps that simultaneously extract three labels from a feeder, extending the three labels and depositing them on an intermediate transfer support; Figures 21, 23, 25, 27 and 30 are diagrammatic plan views of the feeder and the intermediate support; Figures 22, 24, 26, and 29 are diagrammatic side views seen along XXII, XXIV, XXVI, XXIX respectively, of Figures 23, 25, 27, and 30; Figure 28 is a diagrammatic side view in an intermediate position or step between those shown in Figures 26 and 29.

Figures 31 and 32 show a variant embodiment of the means for storing, supplying and depositing labels in the form of shirts on a temporarily intermediate support. Figure 32 is a side view on XXXII of Figure 31 which is a plan view. Figures 33 to 36, are dagrammatic side views of the medium and the successive operations involved in the transfer of labels with shirts of the intermediate support 404 on which they are placed, by the operations described with reference to figures 21 to 32, in the mold by means of a mobile transfer support that receives a plurality of labels, allowing nine labels to be transferred simultaneously to the mold. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, in particular, the shaped label 1b of frustoconical shape about a revolution axis 6 is obtained from a sheet 1a cut to have two circularly arched edges 2 and 4 and two rectilinear edges 3 and 5 which they are symmetrical about an axis 9 on which the nuclei of the circular arcs traced along the edges 2 and 4 can be located; the unfolded or flat sheet 1a of Figure 1, therefore has the shape of a curvilinear quadrilateral having an axis of symmetry 9. With reference more particularly to Figure 2, at least a portion 3a (or 5a) of each 3 and 5 straight rectilinear edge of the sheet 1a forming the blank label shown in figure 1 can be secured to another by adhesive or by heat sealing (particularly when the sheet is made of plastic materials), so that join the free edges 3 and 5, e.g., in a configuration from shore to shore; moving the edges 3 and 5 of the sheet together results in the blank label shown in figure 1 being rolled into a sleeve 1b or label formed as shown in figure 2, said shirt or label having frustoconical around the axis 6 and where the lines 7 and 8 can be dotted lines in Figure 1 constitute frustoconically shaped label generating lines 1b; the generating lines 7 and 8 can be bent lines so that the formed label 1b can be flattened to obtain the label 1c (shown in Figures 3 and 4) by applying a smoothing force through the label in the direction of the arrow 10; this gives rise to a formed and flattened and folded label 1c which essentially consists of two identical portions 1d and 1e facing each other, each portion, when flat, has the shape shown in figure 4. With the reference to Figure 5, the label in its form as shown in figure 2, which is substantially its final shape, is intended to be suitable for the outer face of the walls 131 of a frustoconically shaped container 13 having an axis of revolution 12, and which can be adapted with a final wall 132, the walls on side 131 extending near the end wall 132 in the form of vertical flanges 133, and only the upper portion (located previously of the end wall 132) of the container 13 being intended to receive the product for which this packaging is designed . As shown in Figure 5, the lower edge 4 of the label 1b may terminate above the shelf 133 of the package 13, as shown in solid lines, or this may extend to the lower part of the package shelf 133, in the configuration as shown in the dotted lines. With reference to figures 6 to 9, a feeder for storing labels that have already been formed, joined and folded, said labels are designated 100, 103, 104, preferably consisting of vertical side walls 14, a bottom wall 15 , e.g., a wall that is horizontal and fixed, and an upper wall 16 that is weighted, for example, and that is mounted to slide preferably vertically by means of a slide guide 17 in such a way as to move the stack of labels 100, 104 on which it rests downwards (as the bent labels contained in the storage feeder are removed from the lower portion thereof). As shown is these figures, which refer to successive operations performed to extract a formed and folded label 103 from the feeder, said label being located at the bottom of the stack of labels 100 contained in the feeder, a first step shown in FIG. Figure 6 consists of placing a suction cup 19 in register with an opening 18 provided in the lower wall 17 of the feeder, said suction cup being mounted on the end of a bar (or piston) 20 of a holding actuator 21; the actuator is mounted to move at the end of the bar (or piston) 22 of a second actuator 23 to move the actuator 21 in horizontal translation along the arrow 27. In the operation shown in Figure 7, the actuator 21 it is actuated in such a way that the suction cup 19 moves up vertically along the arrow 24 until it comes into contact with the lower face of the referenced formed and folded label 103 located at the bottom of the stack of labels contained in the feeder, the contact being made through the opening 18 is provided in the lower wall 15 of the feeder. In the operation shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8, the suction cup 19 in which the label 103 is placed in the lower part of the stack now adhered, moves in the opposite direction along the arrow 25 and begins to extract the label 103 of the feeder; this extraction continues by means of a horizontal movement along the arrow 26 of the bar 22 supporting the actuator 21 until the formed and bent label 103 has been fully extracted. This label can furthermore be attached to the operations shown diagrammatically in Figures 10 to 16 which are applied in success as well to extend the back of the label to a shape close to its original shape (ie, its shape before being folded) and which corresponds to a shape close to its final shape when it is adapted to the package, said shape allows it to be subsequently inserted into a mold being coupled to the core as shown in figures 17 to 20. With the reference for figures 10 at 16, the apparatus of the invention may include a means for deploying or extending a previously formed, attached and folded label of its folded or flattened form into a unfolded form, before depositing it on the core of the mold. With reference to Figures 10 and 11 in particular, these means allow the label to be unfolded or unfolded so that it can essentially comprise a first actuator 30 suitable for moving one or more suction cups 33 and 34 secured to a bar 32 as along a vertical axis by moving bar 32; furthermore, the suction cups 31 are secured to the cylinder of the actuator 30 by two bars or arms 37 from which the lower portions curve symmetrically as a function to shape the label; the label is presented to the deployment station in its folded form called 1c by the actuator 21 (described above with reference to the preceding figures) which is adapted to a suction cup 19 to which the lower face of the folded label 1c. The apparatus further includes a preferably suitable blowing means 35 with a plurality of nozzles 35a, e.g., nozzles that are evenly distributed and suitable for generating radial air jets as shown in Figure 16 in particular, the jets being extending away from an axis along said blowing means 35 can be displaced by means of an actuator 36, said axis corresponds to the longitudinal axis 6 of the label in the deployed state. With reference to Figures 10 and 11, when the label is presented to the deployment station by the translation movement along the arrow 26 as imparted by the transfer driver 21, the label, therefore, is presented in register with the middle of the suction cup 31, 33, and 34; In a first step corresponding to Figure 12, the suction cups 33 and 34 secured to the bar 32 move downward in vertical translation 38 by the actuator 30 so as to be in contact with the upper face 1d of the label in FIG. the flattened state 1c. In the next step, shown in Figures 13 and 14, the suction cups 33 and 34 which have been secured to the upper face of the label by means of suction, are handled in a return direction by the bar 32, i.e. , with a vertical upward movement 39 by the actuator 30, and the lateral suction cup 31 is activated to favor adhesion to one of the side walls of the label 1b which tends to unfold under the effect of the pulling force. exerted by the suction cups 34 and 33, the walls of the label can be brought into contact with the curved portions of the arm 37 which serve to support the side suction cups 31; in this step, the suction cup 19 adapted to the actuator 21 is thus deactivated to release the zone of the label to which it was previously adhered. In the corresponding next step which is shown in Figures 15 and 16, the suitable blowing means 35 with air-blowing nozzles 35a moves along the arrow 50, eg, in horizontal translation, by the actuator 36 so as to take a position substantially on the longitudinal axis 6 on at least partially unfolded label 1b, inside the label thus to blow the air stream via the nozzles 35a to favor or complete thus the deployment of the label, which causes it to return to its initial and / or final shape, particularly its frusto-conical or cylindrical shape around the longitudinal axis 6. With reference to Figures 17 to 20, the transfer means of the invention is designed to allow the formed label 1b a male part forming a core 91 of a mold portion 93 is placed around and coupled on; in the embodiment shown diagrammatically in the figures, the male portion 91 has a frusto-conical shape, having an outer surface 92 about an axis of revolution 90 and ending at an end face 94 that is perpendicular to the axis 90; in the configuration shown in figure 17, the unfolded label 1b is raised to the male portion 91 of the mold 93, ie, in such a way that its own longitudinal axis 6 substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis 90 of the male portion 91, and its longer longitudinal end 1g being positioned in the vicinity of the front face or a longitudinal end 94 of the male portion 91. The transfer apparatus has a first actuator 43 suitable for moving two actuators 40 and 44 parallel to the axes 6 and 90 by means of a bar or piston-forming element 43a; the actuator 40 is suitable for moving the suction cups 41 and 42 which are secured to the bar 40a of the actuator along a vertical axis: this makes it possible to move the suction cups 41 and 42 radially in relation to the longitudinal axes 6 and 90; the actuator 44 is adapted to move a projection 45 secured to the rod 44a of the actuator 44 in translation parallel to the axes 6 and 90. In a first transfer step, the transfer means shown in figure 17 and supporting the label 1b configured, attached and deployed, are moved by traditional means (not shown) so that the tag 1b supported by the suction cups 41 and 42 secured to the bar 40a are placed in line with, and face towards the male portion 91, on which they will be placed. In the next step corresponding to Figure 18, the actuator 43 is activated to move the actuators 40 and 44 along the arrow 46, thus correspondingly moving the label 1b which is held by the suction cups 41 and 42, that is, they move axially along the common axis 6, 90 of the label and the male portion 91 of the core, until the label engages at least in part with the core, as shown in this figure. The next step corresponds to Figure 19, in which the suction cups 41 and 42 are deactivated and retracted radially along the arrow 47 under the drive of the actuator 40 until the tag 1b has more fully engaged on the male portion 91 of the core by the drive of the actuator 44 moving the projection 45 along the arrow 48 by contact (pressing) between the adjoining and the rear longitudinal end 1f of the label 1 b. In the final coupling step shown in Figure 20, the unfolded label 1b has been placed in its position and fully engaged on the male portion 91, and the transfer means 43, 40 and 44, in particular, are uncoupled as along the arrow 49 to adopt a position in which you can move to take a new label. Although it is preferred to store the label in its flattened form (fold) As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in some cases the storage of frustoconic labels in their "final" form (ie, their deployed configuration) can be envisaged as shown in Figure 2. Figures 21 to 30 show the successive operations of taking labels in the form of tubes or doubled or flattened sleeves of three respective tanks, extending the labels and placing them on an intermediate support which is adapted with nine cynical members each suitable for receiving a sleeve or tube. The vehicle 499 on which the tanks 400 are secured, 401 and 402, move towards (arrow A, Figure 21) the first row (on the left) of the cones forming the vertical axis 403 to configure the labels that are adapted to the intermediate support 404 which has the shape of a square plate. Three pneumatic clamping means 405, 406, and 407 adapted to the reservoirs 400, 401 and 402, respectively, are actuated to contain the respective flattened tubes of the reservoirs while moving in the direction of the arrow B (FIG. 22). The fastening means return (arrow C, Figure 24) to their initial positions while maintaining the vacuum, thus causing three shirts 408 to expand. Three preformed cones 403 are advanced (arrow D, Figure 26) on the three shirts 408 placed respectively in line with each of the three cones, by the drive of an actuator 409 adapted to the support 404. The supply of vacuum to the pneumatic clamping means 405 to 407 (suction cups) is switched off and the row of the three cones preformed returns by the drive of the actuator 409 to its original position, each of the cones 403 of the row carrying a respective sleeve 408. The vehicle 499 on which the deposits are secured moves (arrow E, figure 28) towards another row of cones of configuration and a new cycle of subjection and removal and configuration of the tubes is initiated by the successive movements along the arrows B, Figure 29, then C, Figure 24, then D, Figure 26 and E, Figure 28. In a variant embodiment of the apparatus for removing and configuring labels as shown in Figures 31 and 32, a central transfer zone is adapted with an intermediate transfer support 404 provided with cones 403, and on On either side of the transfer zone, a deposit filling area that is accessible to an operator is provided. With reference to these Figures 31 and 32, each of the two vehicles 499a and 499b are driven by a respective motor 420a, 420b by rotating a worm 421a, 421b, respectively, with each vehicle 499 moving on the slides 422 via the longitudinal members. 423. As shown in Figure 32 in particular, the conical structures 403 adapted to the bracket 404 can be mounted to move relative to the plate 404 by the actuator 409 translationally along the vertical axis 424 as described above, and also in rotation about said shaft 424, thus orienting the shirt-shaped label placed on the structure 403 so that the joint on the label occupies a predetermined angular position. With reference to Figures 33 to 36, moving means for the transfer of a plurality of labels comprise a robot 200 adapted with a beam or arm 201 having a longitudinal axis 202, eg, a horizontal axis, whose beam 201 carries an arm 203 that can move translationally along the axis 202, said arm 203 carrying a second arm 500 that is mounted to move relative to the arm 203b along a horizontal axis 204, eg, parallel move away 202; the second arm 500 receives a support plate 205 adapted with nine cells serving to transfer nine shirt-shaped labels of the intermediate support 404 where they have been placed using the steps described above for a mold forming part of the injection press 300; in Figure 33, three positions are shown corresponding to the successive steps of the displacement: in the position of the arm 203, which is referred to as 203a, the arm supports the plate 205 in a position where it is in register with the male portions and female mold adapted with the press 300; moving translationally along the arrow F, the arm 203 reaches the position called 203b in which the rotation about the axis 204 as referenced by the arrow G, causes the plate to pass from position 205b to position 205c by rotating 90 °; the subsequent movement of translation along the arrow H places the arm 203 in the position called 203c in which the plate 205, now referred to as 205d, is in register with the intermediate support 404 carrying the nine sleeves 408 that will be transferred in the mold adapted with nine cores and matrices.To this end, as shown more particularly in Figure 34, the plate 205d is provided with cells or cavities 206 whose walls 207 have a shape that is substantially equal to the external shape of a shirt-shaped label, on which walls 207 suction may be applied by means of a vacuum source connected to the plate 205d by a pipe 208 shown partly and diagrammatically. In the following operations, the intermediate support 404 and the sleeve 408 that carries, move vertically along the arrow I under the drive of the actuator 450 until the sleeves 408 are housed in the cavities 206 of the plate 205d, corresponding to the position shown in Figure 35; suction is applied to the walls 207 so as to hold the labels in the cells 206. Then, the movement of the holder 404 under the drive of the actuator 450 along the arrow J (Figure 35) places the holder 404 in its position shown in Figure 36; in this state, the plate 205 is subsequently moved by the arms 203 which pass successively through the positions called 203c to 203d and then 203e in Figure 36, that is, follow the movements that are inverse to those shown diagrammatically in the Figure 33; this allows that nine shirt-shaped labels are pneumatically contained in the depressed plate 205 to be simultaneously transferred and placed in register with the cores 302 of the mold 301 located in the press 300 which is adapted with the columns 303. The storage and the structure of transfer including the moving reservoir 499, the securing means 405 and 407, the intermediate support 403, 404, and the depressed plate 205, have the particular advantage of being suitable for use with all types of robot 200 commercially available.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method of injection molding a receptacle (13) adapted with a cover label (1b) that is inserted into the mold (93) before injection, in which the label is configured and at least two edges thereof are joined, the method being characterized in that the configured label is transferred and deposited in a male portion (91) of the mold by moving fastening means and labels having a thickness not greater than 80 microns are used.
2. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein labels having a thickness that is less than or equal to 50 microns are used and in which the configured label is transferred by pneumatically moving fastening means.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the pre-configured, joined and flattened labels (1c, 100, 103, 104) are stored in a flat and / or stacked form in a feeder; after - a label is removed from the feeder; after; - the label is changed from its flattened configuration (1c) to a non-flattened configuration (1b) before being transferred into the mold.
4. 4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of labels are simultaneously transferred by said moving clamping means.
5. 5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which, to transfer a label in the mold, a portion of the configured and extended label (1b) is coupled around a core of the mold and then the label is placed finally in place around the core by a traction member (45).
6. 6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which, during the operation of the configuration or roll of the label, two zones or portions of the free edges are coined or heat sealed together (3, 5). ) Of the label.
7. 7. A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein labels made of paper or polypropylene are used.
8. 8. Apparatus for injection molding a receptacle (13) and for inserting a cover label into the mold (93), the apparatus including moving transfer means (40, 43, 44) to transfer a pre-configured label (1b) Whose zones or edges have previously been joined and for depositing them in a male portion (91) of the mold, the apparatus being characterized in that it includes movable transfer means for holding the configured label and for depositing them in such a way that the labels can be used having a thickness not greater than 80 microns. Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: - a feeder (14, 15, 16) for storing shaped and flattened labels in flat form or in a stack; and - means for placing a label again in the form of a configured and flattened state (1c) to a configured and non-flattened state (1b). Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, having means (35) for extending a shaped and flattened tag, the apparatus including moving means for pneumatically clamping a configured tag extended by contact with an outer face of the tag. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the moving means for transferring labels by pneumatic fastening comprises a moving transfer support (205) adapted with a plurality (at least three) means ( 206) to contain a configured and extended label (408) for transferring a plurality of labels simultaneously into a multi-cavity mold. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the moving support for transferring tags comprises a plurality of identical cells or cavities (206) each suitable for receiving a substantial portion of an expanded tag (408). Apparatus according to claim 12, in which the transfer support can be moved by a robot (201, 203) in relation to at least two axes: one of translation and one of rotation (shown in particular in relation to with the three axes). Apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 13, comprising: - means for coupling a label extended partly on a core; and - traction means (45) for pushing a label that was previously engaged in part of the core (91, 93).