CA2025446C - Bar code label neck ring - Google Patents
Bar code label neck ringInfo
- Publication number
- CA2025446C CA2025446C CA 2025446 CA2025446A CA2025446C CA 2025446 C CA2025446 C CA 2025446C CA 2025446 CA2025446 CA 2025446 CA 2025446 A CA2025446 A CA 2025446A CA 2025446 C CA2025446 C CA 2025446C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- cylinder
- identification device
- label
- skirt
- neck portion
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Landscapes
- Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
Abstract
An annular identification device freely rotatably mounted about the neck of a gas cylinder to facilitate identification of the cylinder. The device is particularly suited for bar code labels and for facilitating the electronic reading of bar code labels mounted on the device.
Description
BAR CODE ~P~T- NECg RING 2 0 2 5 4 4 6 This invention relates to identification devices for containers. More particularly, this invention relates to identification neck rings suitable for housing bar code labels for use as identification devices on containers, such as gas cylinders.
Reusable gas cylinders for transporting and ~iRpen~ing pressurized gases and other products are used in a number of industries. It is often nece~sAry to be able to identify such containers and their contents.
Labelling the containers so as to identify them with respect to weight, contents, destination and other relevant information is a tedious and time-consuming process which can be greatly facilitated by the use of coded labels and electronic data entry.
Transport of labelled cylinders also poses some difficulties. The containers are often stacked horizontally such that cylinder surfaces roll and abrade against each other. As a result, it is possible for valuable labelling information to be obliterated during transport and handling. Furthermore, once the cylinders are stacked identification labels are often hidden and it is not always possible to read the labels until the cylinders are rearranged or moved.
Identification devices for gas cylinders and other similar containers are known in the prior art. In U.S.
Patent No. 2,001,679 (Haughey), an inspection tag for a fire extinguisher is disclosed. In U.S. Patent No.
Reusable gas cylinders for transporting and ~iRpen~ing pressurized gases and other products are used in a number of industries. It is often nece~sAry to be able to identify such containers and their contents.
Labelling the containers so as to identify them with respect to weight, contents, destination and other relevant information is a tedious and time-consuming process which can be greatly facilitated by the use of coded labels and electronic data entry.
Transport of labelled cylinders also poses some difficulties. The containers are often stacked horizontally such that cylinder surfaces roll and abrade against each other. As a result, it is possible for valuable labelling information to be obliterated during transport and handling. Furthermore, once the cylinders are stacked identification labels are often hidden and it is not always possible to read the labels until the cylinders are rearranged or moved.
Identification devices for gas cylinders and other similar containers are known in the prior art. In U.S.
Patent No. 2,001,679 (Haughey), an inspection tag for a fire extinguisher is disclosed. In U.S. Patent No.
2,613,462 (Johnson), a fixed identification metal crown is disclosed for gas cylinders. Other identification devices are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,079,716 (Riuli), U.S. Patent No. 3,787,993 (Lyon), U.S.
4,282,974 (Quandel), U.S. Patent No. 4,640,031 (Hoek) and U.S. Patent No. 4,827,643 (Hearst et al.).
2 2~025446 Of these prior art patents, it appears that the '031 patent of Hoek and the '643 patent of Hearst et al. are the most pertinent to the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
Mechanized automatic reading of identification data (ID data) is now a desired standard in the industry. One known means for such automatic reading of identification data is the use of the well-known bar code label which is readily scanned and decoded by way of a hand-held wand. This process is referred to herein as wanding. Such an identification device is disclosed by Hearst et al ('643), while Hoek et al. ('031) teach a coding means whereby a plurality of magnetic elements is distributed over the circumference of a cylinder container.
Both Hearst et al. and Hoek et al. teach a ringed label mounting device which is permanently mounted upon a gas cylinder by thread means. In both of these patents, the identification label is securely held and fixed in one position relative to the cylinder.
Unfortunately, fixedly securing the label device in this way limits access to the label data once the cylinders are stacked for storage and/or transport, depending on the orientation of the cylinders. As a result, Hearst et al. require the use of a plurality of bar-coded labels evenly distributed about the mounting device, to improve the ability to read the label when in a cylinder stack.
To facilitate inventory control, monitoring of cylinder transport and cylinder reusability, there remains a need for an accessible label device, particularly suited for electronic ID data collection.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided, in combination, an elongate gas cylinder having a threaded neck portion at one end thereof and a sloping shoulder portion adjacent the neck portion; a closure for the container threadedly mounted on the neck portion; and an identification device freely rotatably mounted on the neck portion of the cylinder between the closure and the shoulder portion of the cylinder but not removable therefrom without removing the closure or destroying the integrity of the device, the identification device comprising (a) a skirt having an upper extremity and a lower extremity and flared downwardly and outwardly from the neck portion of the cylinder in a manner approximating the shape of the shoulder portion of the cylinder, (b) the skirt terminating at its lower extremity in a first integral flange which extends first downwardly and then inwardly from the lower extremity to engage the shoulder portion, whereby the identification device rests on the shoulder portion, (c) the skirt terminating at its upper extremity in a second integral flange which extends inwardly from the upper extremity of the skirt towards the neck portion and to be spaced therefrom to permit the identification device to be freely rotated about the neck portion, and (d) a label-mounting region on the skirt for receiving a label having identification data thereon.
In the present invention, therefore, the annular identification device, or bar code neck ring, as sometimes referred to herein, is freely rotatably mounted to the cylinder to permit the annular identification device to be rotated relative to the cylinder to enable ready access to be had to the electronic ID data label and thereby a convenient manner of accessing the data of cylinders in a stack.
The bar code neck ring of the invention is conveniently formed by molding from suitable plastic material and provides a desirable surface for applying identification labels onto containers, such as gas cylinders. Through the use of such a neck ring, the .
., label no longer clutters up an already heavily-labelled cylinder shoulder. The use of such a neck ring permits a standardized label location.
The neck ring is freely rotatable around the neck S of the cylinder but will not fall off because it is located between the cylinder and the base of the neck of the cylinder. This arrangement ensures easy access to the identification data label mounted on the neck ring regardless of the orientation of the cylinder. Only a single bar code label is required, in contrast to the prior art disclosure of Hearst et al ('643), where the neck ring is fixed relative to the cylinder.
The bar code, or similar identification data, label may be rotated into an ideal location for viewing and optional orientation for wanding. The ability to freely rotate the ring around the neck of the cylinder when wanding also decreases wanding time as the label location can be manoeuvred into optimal location. At the same time, since the neck ring is maintained in a fixed location by the cylinder closure, the neck ring cannot be removed or lost, without first removing the cylinder closure or destroying the integrity of the neck ring.
In automated systems, easy access to a bar coded label is of great advantage as stacks of cylinders may be wanded after they are already piled, thereby increasing the efficiency of inventory control.
An important advantage of the present invention is its simplicity and low cost. A bar code neck ring according to the invention is simple to manufacture from plastic material and is readily applied to a gas cylinder or other container, by slipping it around the neck before the cylinder closure is screwed on.
Other and further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a bar code label neck ring of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bar code neck ring taken along line A-A in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bar code neck ring taken along line B-B in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the bar code label neck ring of Figure l; and Figure 5 is a side elevational view and partial cross-sectional view of the neck area of a cylinder illustrating the positioning of the neck ring of Figure 1 thereon.
Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of the bar code label neck ring identification device of the present invention is illustrated therein and is indicated generally by the numeral 10. The device 10 is a one-piece element, which may be made of plastic, usually by molding, or from any other suitable material as would be known to one skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the device 10 is vacuum formed from sheets of 20 mil PVC.
The device 10 has the general shape, when viewed in plan, of an annulus with a central opening 12, the opening being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the neck 14 of a gas cylinder 16 to permit the device 10 to be freely mounted on the neck 14.
Extending outwardly and downwardly (as seen particularly in Figure 2) from the opening 12 is a skirt 18 with a shape approximating that of a shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16.
The skirt 18 has a label mounting region 20 for receipt of a bar code label 22. The label mounting region 20 is outlined partially by a raised bead 24, to assist in locating the bar code label 22 correctly on the skirt 18.
,, The skirt 18 is designed to fit over and generally follow the shape of the shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16 which takes the form of a nape of the neck 14. The shape may be modified to accord with the shape of other containers.
The skirt 18 has an upper extremity 26 and a lower extremity 28. The skirt 18 terminates at its lower extremity 28 in a first integral flange 30 which extends first downwardly and then inwardly from the lower extremity of the downward portion to engage the shoulder 19 and thereby rest on the shaping surface of the cylinder 16. The skirt 18 terminates at its upper extremity 26 in a second integral flange 32 which extends horizontally inwardly from the upper extremity 26 towards the neck. This second integral flange 32 conforms with the shape of the neck 34 of the cylinder but is raised away from it to permit the device 10 to be freely rotatable around the neck 14. In the device 10, the first integral flange 30 enables the device 10 to rest on the shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16. The device 10 is sized such that, when the first flange 30 is resting on the shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16, the bar code neck ring 10 is located adjacent to but free of threads 34 used to mount the cap 36 or other closure on the cylinder 16. When the cap 36 is in place, the bar code neck ring 10 is free to rotate about the cylinder neck 14 but cannot become accidentally dislodged by reason of the presence of the cap 36.
In summary of this disclosure, the present invention provides a novel freely-rotatable neck ring upon which a label may be mounted to facilitate identification and inventory control of gas cylinders or other suitable containers. Modifications are possible within the scope of this invention.
~.
4,282,974 (Quandel), U.S. Patent No. 4,640,031 (Hoek) and U.S. Patent No. 4,827,643 (Hearst et al.).
2 2~025446 Of these prior art patents, it appears that the '031 patent of Hoek and the '643 patent of Hearst et al. are the most pertinent to the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
Mechanized automatic reading of identification data (ID data) is now a desired standard in the industry. One known means for such automatic reading of identification data is the use of the well-known bar code label which is readily scanned and decoded by way of a hand-held wand. This process is referred to herein as wanding. Such an identification device is disclosed by Hearst et al ('643), while Hoek et al. ('031) teach a coding means whereby a plurality of magnetic elements is distributed over the circumference of a cylinder container.
Both Hearst et al. and Hoek et al. teach a ringed label mounting device which is permanently mounted upon a gas cylinder by thread means. In both of these patents, the identification label is securely held and fixed in one position relative to the cylinder.
Unfortunately, fixedly securing the label device in this way limits access to the label data once the cylinders are stacked for storage and/or transport, depending on the orientation of the cylinders. As a result, Hearst et al. require the use of a plurality of bar-coded labels evenly distributed about the mounting device, to improve the ability to read the label when in a cylinder stack.
To facilitate inventory control, monitoring of cylinder transport and cylinder reusability, there remains a need for an accessible label device, particularly suited for electronic ID data collection.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided, in combination, an elongate gas cylinder having a threaded neck portion at one end thereof and a sloping shoulder portion adjacent the neck portion; a closure for the container threadedly mounted on the neck portion; and an identification device freely rotatably mounted on the neck portion of the cylinder between the closure and the shoulder portion of the cylinder but not removable therefrom without removing the closure or destroying the integrity of the device, the identification device comprising (a) a skirt having an upper extremity and a lower extremity and flared downwardly and outwardly from the neck portion of the cylinder in a manner approximating the shape of the shoulder portion of the cylinder, (b) the skirt terminating at its lower extremity in a first integral flange which extends first downwardly and then inwardly from the lower extremity to engage the shoulder portion, whereby the identification device rests on the shoulder portion, (c) the skirt terminating at its upper extremity in a second integral flange which extends inwardly from the upper extremity of the skirt towards the neck portion and to be spaced therefrom to permit the identification device to be freely rotated about the neck portion, and (d) a label-mounting region on the skirt for receiving a label having identification data thereon.
In the present invention, therefore, the annular identification device, or bar code neck ring, as sometimes referred to herein, is freely rotatably mounted to the cylinder to permit the annular identification device to be rotated relative to the cylinder to enable ready access to be had to the electronic ID data label and thereby a convenient manner of accessing the data of cylinders in a stack.
The bar code neck ring of the invention is conveniently formed by molding from suitable plastic material and provides a desirable surface for applying identification labels onto containers, such as gas cylinders. Through the use of such a neck ring, the .
., label no longer clutters up an already heavily-labelled cylinder shoulder. The use of such a neck ring permits a standardized label location.
The neck ring is freely rotatable around the neck S of the cylinder but will not fall off because it is located between the cylinder and the base of the neck of the cylinder. This arrangement ensures easy access to the identification data label mounted on the neck ring regardless of the orientation of the cylinder. Only a single bar code label is required, in contrast to the prior art disclosure of Hearst et al ('643), where the neck ring is fixed relative to the cylinder.
The bar code, or similar identification data, label may be rotated into an ideal location for viewing and optional orientation for wanding. The ability to freely rotate the ring around the neck of the cylinder when wanding also decreases wanding time as the label location can be manoeuvred into optimal location. At the same time, since the neck ring is maintained in a fixed location by the cylinder closure, the neck ring cannot be removed or lost, without first removing the cylinder closure or destroying the integrity of the neck ring.
In automated systems, easy access to a bar coded label is of great advantage as stacks of cylinders may be wanded after they are already piled, thereby increasing the efficiency of inventory control.
An important advantage of the present invention is its simplicity and low cost. A bar code neck ring according to the invention is simple to manufacture from plastic material and is readily applied to a gas cylinder or other container, by slipping it around the neck before the cylinder closure is screwed on.
Other and further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a bar code label neck ring of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bar code neck ring taken along line A-A in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bar code neck ring taken along line B-B in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the bar code label neck ring of Figure l; and Figure 5 is a side elevational view and partial cross-sectional view of the neck area of a cylinder illustrating the positioning of the neck ring of Figure 1 thereon.
Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of the bar code label neck ring identification device of the present invention is illustrated therein and is indicated generally by the numeral 10. The device 10 is a one-piece element, which may be made of plastic, usually by molding, or from any other suitable material as would be known to one skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the device 10 is vacuum formed from sheets of 20 mil PVC.
The device 10 has the general shape, when viewed in plan, of an annulus with a central opening 12, the opening being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the neck 14 of a gas cylinder 16 to permit the device 10 to be freely mounted on the neck 14.
Extending outwardly and downwardly (as seen particularly in Figure 2) from the opening 12 is a skirt 18 with a shape approximating that of a shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16.
The skirt 18 has a label mounting region 20 for receipt of a bar code label 22. The label mounting region 20 is outlined partially by a raised bead 24, to assist in locating the bar code label 22 correctly on the skirt 18.
,, The skirt 18 is designed to fit over and generally follow the shape of the shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16 which takes the form of a nape of the neck 14. The shape may be modified to accord with the shape of other containers.
The skirt 18 has an upper extremity 26 and a lower extremity 28. The skirt 18 terminates at its lower extremity 28 in a first integral flange 30 which extends first downwardly and then inwardly from the lower extremity of the downward portion to engage the shoulder 19 and thereby rest on the shaping surface of the cylinder 16. The skirt 18 terminates at its upper extremity 26 in a second integral flange 32 which extends horizontally inwardly from the upper extremity 26 towards the neck. This second integral flange 32 conforms with the shape of the neck 34 of the cylinder but is raised away from it to permit the device 10 to be freely rotatable around the neck 14. In the device 10, the first integral flange 30 enables the device 10 to rest on the shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16. The device 10 is sized such that, when the first flange 30 is resting on the shoulder 19 of the cylinder 16, the bar code neck ring 10 is located adjacent to but free of threads 34 used to mount the cap 36 or other closure on the cylinder 16. When the cap 36 is in place, the bar code neck ring 10 is free to rotate about the cylinder neck 14 but cannot become accidentally dislodged by reason of the presence of the cap 36.
In summary of this disclosure, the present invention provides a novel freely-rotatable neck ring upon which a label may be mounted to facilitate identification and inventory control of gas cylinders or other suitable containers. Modifications are possible within the scope of this invention.
~.
Claims (5)
1. In combination:
an elongate gas cylinder having a threaded neck portion at one end thereof and a sloping shoulder portion adjacent said neck portion, a closure for said container threadedly mounted on said neck portion, and an identification device freely rotatably mounted on said neck portion of said cylinder between said closure and said shoulder portion of the cylinder but not removal therefrom without removing said closure or destroying the integrity of the device, said identification device comprising:
(a) a skirt having an upper extremity and a lower extremity and flared downwardly and outwardly from said neck portion of said cylinder in a manner approximating the shape of said shoulder portion of said cylinder, (b) said skirt terminating at its lower extremity in a first integral flange which extends first downwardly and then inwardly from said lower extremity to engage said shoulder portion, whereby said identification device rests on said shoulder portion, (c) said skirt terminating at its upper extremity in a second integral flange which extends inwardly from the upper extremity of said skirt towards said neck portion and to be spaced therefrom to permit said identification device to be freely rotated about said neck portion, and (d) a label-mounting region on said skirt for receiving a label having identification data thereon.
an elongate gas cylinder having a threaded neck portion at one end thereof and a sloping shoulder portion adjacent said neck portion, a closure for said container threadedly mounted on said neck portion, and an identification device freely rotatably mounted on said neck portion of said cylinder between said closure and said shoulder portion of the cylinder but not removal therefrom without removing said closure or destroying the integrity of the device, said identification device comprising:
(a) a skirt having an upper extremity and a lower extremity and flared downwardly and outwardly from said neck portion of said cylinder in a manner approximating the shape of said shoulder portion of said cylinder, (b) said skirt terminating at its lower extremity in a first integral flange which extends first downwardly and then inwardly from said lower extremity to engage said shoulder portion, whereby said identification device rests on said shoulder portion, (c) said skirt terminating at its upper extremity in a second integral flange which extends inwardly from the upper extremity of said skirt towards said neck portion and to be spaced therefrom to permit said identification device to be freely rotated about said neck portion, and (d) a label-mounting region on said skirt for receiving a label having identification data thereon.
2. The identification device of claim 1 wherein said label mounting region is bordered, at least in part, by a raised bead.
3. The identification device of claim 2 wherein said label mounting region is generally rectangular to receive a rectangular bar-coded label which is adapted to be electronically read.
4. The identification device of claim 3 wherein a single label mounting region is provided on an outer surface of said skirt.
5. The identification device of claim 4 which is integrally formed by molding a plastic material.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2025446 CA2025446C (en) | 1990-09-14 | 1990-09-14 | Bar code label neck ring |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2025446 CA2025446C (en) | 1990-09-14 | 1990-09-14 | Bar code label neck ring |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2025446A1 CA2025446A1 (en) | 1992-03-15 |
| CA2025446C true CA2025446C (en) | 1998-08-04 |
Family
ID=4145981
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2025446 Expired - Fee Related CA2025446C (en) | 1990-09-14 | 1990-09-14 | Bar code label neck ring |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2025446C (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN109426749A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | Detonator positions scan components |
| CN109426752A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | Detonator positions scanning means |
| CN109426750A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | A kind of dislocation type detonator coding sweep mechanism |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN109426751A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | Detonator positioning scanning fixed mechanism |
| CN109426748A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | Detonator positioning scans fixed device |
| CN113184315A (en) * | 2020-01-14 | 2021-07-30 | 济宁协力特种气体有限公司 | Electronic tags fixing device |
-
1990
- 1990-09-14 CA CA 2025446 patent/CA2025446C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN109426749A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | Detonator positions scan components |
| CN109426752A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | Detonator positions scanning means |
| CN109426750A (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2019-03-05 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | A kind of dislocation type detonator coding sweep mechanism |
| CN109426752B (en) * | 2017-08-28 | 2024-07-02 | 广州本安信息科技有限公司 | Detonator positioning scanning device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2025446A1 (en) | 1992-03-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |