US 11,697,520 B2
Flexing label applicator
Ronald Lee Schmoker, Littleton, CO (US); and Matthew D. McLean, Owings Mills, MD (US)
Assigned to ID TECHNOLOGY LLC, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed by ID Technology LLC, Ft. Worth, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/903,678.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/317,709, filed on Mar. 8, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0045251 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B65C 9/26 (2006.01); B65C 9/46 (2006.01); B65C 9/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65C 9/26 (2013.01) [B65C 9/02 (2013.01); B65C 9/46 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A label applying system, comprising:
a conveyance path for moving an item in a conveyance direction;
a label applicator comprising an elongated label applying arm pivotably moveable between a label load position spaced away from the item and a label apply position in which a free end of the elongated label applying arm is moved into contact with the item;
wherein the elongated label applying arm is configured to be sufficiently flexible such that at least a label carrying portion of the elongated label applying arm bends, as the elongated label applying arm moves into contact with the item, for pressing a label against the item;
wherein at least the label carrying portion of the elongated label applying arm is of a sheet material or plate material configuration;
wherein the label carrying portion includes a label carrying side and an opposite side;
wherein the label carrying portion includes a plurality of openings that extend completely through the label carrying portion from the label carrying side to the opposite side;
an air mover located such that, when the elongated label applying arm is in the label load position, the air mover is positioned adjacent the label carrying portion such that the air mover creates a pressure condition at the label carrying portion to hold a label on the label carrying portion;
wherein, when the elongated label applying arm moves away from the label load position toward the label apply position, the label carrying portion moves away from the air mover and the pressure condition at the label carrying portion caused by the air mover is eliminated.