Label applicator having a vacuum box

Abstract

The use of one or more vacuum boxes enables containers to be labeled at a greater speed.

1 . A method of labeling a container comprising the steps:
 (a) unwinding a heat transfer label from a heat transfer label roll, wherein the heat transfer label comprises a heat label releasably affixed to a heat label web;   (b) containing at least a portion of the unwound heat transfer label in a first vacuum box, said portion comprising a heat label releasably affixed to a heat label web;   (c) vacuuming at least a portion of the heat transfer label contained in the vacuum box;   (d) heating the heat transfer label along a heating surface of a heater plate that is downstream of said first vacuum box; and   (e) applying a heat label to a container from the heated transfer label to provide a labeled container and a heat transfer web, said heat label being applied to said container using a heat label applicator that is downstream of said heater plate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising winding heat transfer web provided by applying the heat label to the first container. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising containing at least a portion of the heat label web received from the heat label applicator in a second vacuum box; and vacuuming at least a portion of the heat label web contained in the second vacuum box. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising winding heat transfer web provided by vacuuming the heat transfer web in the second vacuum box. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the heat label web as the heat label web is received from the heat label applicator applying the heat label to container. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising cooling the heat label web as the heat label web is received from the heat label applicator applying the heat label to container. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein from about 200 to about 600 containers per minute are labeled. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein from about 300 to about 500 containers per minute are labeled. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising nipping the heat transfer label between two rollers at a nipping pressure between the rollers from about 35 g/mm to about 75 g/mm.