System and method for removing incorrect labels from a web of labels

1. An incorrect label removal system for removing unwanted labels from a web of labels in a labeling machine, said incorrect label removal system comprising:

a label peel assembly positioned between two fixed points along the direction of travel of the web of labels, said label peel assembly including a unitary peel unit having continuous outer surfaces from which labels may be selectively separated from the web due to the direction of travel of the web around at least a portion of said unitary peel unit, said unitary peel unit providing a first orientation in which the web travels around a non-peel portion of the outer surfaces of the unitary peel unit such that labels remain on the web as the web passes over the non-peel portion, and said unitary peel unit selectively providing a second orientation in which the web travels around a peel portion of the outer surfaces of the unitary peel unit such that labels are removed from the web as the web passes over the peel portion, wherein the non-peel portion is continuous with the peel portion, and wherein said label peel assembly provides that a length of the web between the two fixed points is substantially the same when the label peel assembly is in each of the first orientation and the second orientation.

2. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said label peel assembly includes a first generally cylindrical portion having a first diameter of twice the first radius, and a second generally cylindrical portion having a second diameter of twice the second radius that is substantially smaller than the first diameter.

3. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said second diameter is about seven times smaller than the first diameter.

4. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said label peel assembly rotates about 45 degrees to move from the first orientation to the second orientation.

5. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said label peel assembly is circular about a central axis and is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis that is offset by a non-zero amount from the central axis.

6. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said incorrect label removal system further includes a rejected label web for receiving rejected labels from the label peel assembly.

7. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said rejected label web receives rejected labels from the label peel assembly via a vacuum drum.

8. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said system further includes an incorrect label removed confirmation sensor for detecting whether said rejected label is on the vacuum drum.

9. An incorrect label removal system for removing unwanted labels from a web of labels in a labeling machine, said incorrect label removal system comprising:

a pair of idler rollers; and

a label peel assembly positioned between said pair of idler rollers such that a web of labels passes between and in contact with each of said pair of idler rollers and said label peel assembly, said label peel assembly including a unitary peel unit having contiguous outer surfaces from which labels may be selectively separated from the web due to the direction of travel of the web around at least a portion of said peel unit, said unitary peel unit providing a first orientation in which the web travels around a non-peel portion of the outer surfaces such that labels remain on the web as the web passes through the label peel assembly, and said unitary peel unit selectively providing a second orientation in which the web travels around a peel portion of the outer surfaces such that labels are removed from the web, said peel portion of the outer surfaces being contiguous with the non-peel portion of the outer surfaces;

wherein a distance between the pair of idler rollers remains constant when the label peel assembly is in each of the first orientation and the second orientation, and a path length of the web between the pair of idler rollers remains substantially constant when the label peel assembly is in each of the first orientation and the second orientation.

10. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said label peel assembly includes a first generally cylindrical portion having a first diameter, and a second generally cylindrical portion having a second diameter that is substantially smaller than the first diameter.

11. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said second diameter is about seven times smaller than the first diameter.

12. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said label peel assembly rotates about 45 degrees to move from the first orientation to the second orientation.

13. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said label peel assembly is circular about a central axis and is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis that is offset by a non-zero amount from the central axis.

14. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said incorrect label removal system further includes a rejected label web for receiving rejected labels from the label peel assembly.

15. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said rejected label web receives rejected labels from the label peel assembly via a vacuum drum.

16. The incorrect label removal system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said system further includes an incorrect label removed confirmation sensor for detecting whether said rejected label is on the vacuum drum.

17. A method of removing unwanted labels from a label web in a labeling machine, said method comprising the steps of:

causing a web of labels to travel a first distance through a label removal assembly that includes a pair of idler rollers and a unitary peel roll, said labels remaining on the web while the peel roll is maintained in a first orientation such that a non-peel surface of the unitary peel roll is in contact with the web;

detecting an incorrect label on the web of labels in advance of the label removal assembly and providing a detection signal; and

changing the orientation of the unitary peel roll to a second orientation responsive to the detection signal such that a peel surface of the unitary peel roll is in contact with the web causing the incorrect label to be separated from the web of labels when the web of labels passes the peel roll due to the direction of travel of the web around at least a portion the peel surface of said peel roll and such that the web travels a second distance through the label removal assembly that is substantially the same as the first distance, said peel surface being continuous with the non-peel surface.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said label peel assembly includes a first generally cylindrical portion having a first diameter, and a second generally cylindrical portion having a second diameter that is substantially smaller than the first diameter.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the label peel assembly rotates about 45 degrees during the step of changing the orientation of the peel roll to the second orientation.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the label peel assembly is circular about a central axis and is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis that is offset by a non-zero amount from the central axis.