EP2444253B1

EP2444253B1 - Label printer and printing method therefor

Info

Publication number: EP2444253B1
Application number: EP09846126.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masashi Kosuda
Original assignee: Sato Holdings Corp
Current assignee: Sato Holdings Corp
Priority date: 2009-06-18
Filing date: 2009-08-26
Publication date: 2015-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2029-08-26
Also published as: JP2011000790A; WO2010146633A1; EP2444253A1; EP2444253A4

Description

Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-145334, filed June 18,2009 .

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer for printing merchandise information on shelf labels to indicate merchandise information such as names and prices on display shelves in retail stores.

BACKGROUND ART

Previously in retail stores, names, prices and other kinds of merchandise information of various merchandises which are necessary for selling the merchandise have been indicated by holding the shelf label, for example, in a transparent case attached to the display shelf. In many situations, the shelf label can be moved and placed at arbitrary part of the shelf according to the volume of the each displayed merchandise by configuring the width length of the transparent case, at a same width length as the display shelf, some of which are over 15 meters in length. Also, there are situations where transparent cases having a variety of widths are assorted according to the volume of the variety of merchandises displayed on the display shelf.
Meanwhile, regardless of the width of the merchandise storage space of the merchandise displayed on the display shelf, the length or the width of the shelf label itself is fixed in many situations. Therefore, when the crosswise length of the transparent case is the same as that of the display shelf, according to the form of the merchandise display space, the adjacent shelf labels for merchandise may overlap with the other at the transparent case part, and creating a problem in the function of the shelf label for indication of the merchandise information.
In addition, it will be easy to identify each shelf labels by using shelf labels of several different length or width. However, it will also be necessary to arrange for the shelf label sheets according to the different length or width of the shelf labels, and printers and transparent cases for each label sheets as well.
Furthermore, on site of the shelf label issuance, the merchandise price-reduction may also be carried out, so that it is necessary to change the indicated content of the shelf label simultaneously with the price-reduction. However, in the past, the price-reduction indication labels attached to the merchandise and the shelf labels were each issued by separate printers, and that it was necessary to prepare two different types of label sheets, such as labels and tags, and in some situations, two different types of printers. Still furthermore, there is a problem that it takes time and effort to print each type of labels and tags.
Document GB 2 406 308 A reveals a labelling device with a sensor for detecting markers on a label strip; document JP 2007 038 411 A shows a label printer for printing labels of different lengths for shop shelves.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned problems. The object of the present invention is to provide a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer which is capable of producing shelf labels at least having different length in the label sheet transferring direction (short and long different pitch lengths) form one strip-form label sheet.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer which is capable of indicating merchandise price-reduction, and capable of indicating shelf labels of various lengths from one type of label sheet, by improving the printing operation, of which in the past, the labels attached on merchandises and shelf labels were prepared separately and printed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer which does not require separate preparation of a shelf label sheet and a printer according to the length of the shelf label.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer which is, capable of producing shelf labels on site, by regarding the space between the position detection marks, provided in advance on the back surface, etc., of the label sheet, as a standard pitch length, such that, even if the printing extends over integral multiple of the pitch length, it is not identified as an error exceeding the printable region but is identified as a printable region and printable, capable of enabling freely changing the length of the shelf label along the transferring direction, and capable of matching the allowable display space that differs according to the merchandise.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer which is capable of using the same sheet base material as the sheet for price-reduction indication of the merchandise price, such that prompt price-reduction process and shelf label issuance process on site of the price-reduction are possible.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer which does not require keeping several types of sheets for shelf labels and which can reduce the stock to control the cost.

Solution to Problem

The present invention focuses on enabling forming a shelf label having an arbitrary pitch length by selecting only an arbitrary number of a plurality of unit labels configuring a continuous body for a shelf label
A first aspect of the present invention includes: a shelf label printer for printing merchandise information on a shelf label which is to be attached to a merchandise display shelf for indicating merchandise information of the merchandise, the shelf label printer comprising: a supply unit capable of loading a strip-form continuous shelf label configured with a plurality of unit labels provided consecutively with perforations formed at regular interval between each other; a detecting unit capable of detecting a position detecting mark provided at a predetermined pitch on the back surface of each unit label; an input unit adapted for inputting a number of unit labels necessary for forming the shelf label and a printing data of the merchandise information; a printing unit capable of printing the merchandise information over an arbitrary number of unit labels; and a control unit adapted to form the shelf label by printing the merchandise information on the arbitrary number of unit labels at the printing unit according to the number of unit labels necessary for forming the shelf label and the number of position detecting marks.
A second aspect of the present invention relates to printing method of a shelf label printer for printing merchandise information on a shelf label which is attached to a merchandise display shelf for indicating merchandise information of the merchandise, the printing method of the shelf label printer comprising: loading a strip-form continuous shelf label configured with a plurality of unit labels provided consecutively with perforations between each other to a supply unit; inputting the number of unit labels necessary for forming/producing the shelf label and a printing data of the merchandise information by an input unit; detecting a position detecting mark provided at a predetermined pitch on the back surface of each unit label by feeding out the continuous body for the shelf label from the supply unit to a transfer route; and controlling at a control unit to enable forming the shelf label by printing the merchandise information on an arbitrary number of unit labels at the printing unit according to the number of unit labels necessary for forming/producing the shelf label and the number of position detecting marks.
The above control unit is capable of controlling to finish the printing on the unit label by the printing unit, as the number of unit labels input by the input unit is subtracted by one for each of the position detecting mark detection, and when the number of unit labels input by the input unit is decided to have become the same as the number of position detecting mark detected by the detecting unit.
The above continuous shelf label is provided with a strip-form backing sheet; and a label base member temporary attached to the backing sheet; and is capable of forming the perforations through the label base member and the backing sheet.
In this way, even if the printing process is performed over a plurality of unit labels, the unit labels will not separate from each other, and it is possible separate the unit labels at the required portion (perforations).
For example, for a label attached to a merchandise, the label is printed as a unit label at each perforations, and as for the shelf label, it is possible to print over the perforations such that using a plurality of unit labels. Furthermore, in case of a shelf label with the backing sheet, it is possible to hold the label in the transparent case as it is, and by peeling off the backing sheet, it can be attached to a predetermined position as a price-reduction label.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

In a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer of the present invention, it is possible to form a shelf label having an arbitrary pitch length according to the arbitrary number of unit labels of a continuous shelf label. Therefore, depending on the conditions such as different display space and width due to a variety of merchandises on the display shelf, it is possible to freely produce a shelf label having an arbitrary length (variable-length) in the transferring direction from a single strip-form sheet (continuous shelf label), such that it is possible to issue each identifiable shelf labels in a flexible manner. Accordingly, the replacement operation of the sheet on the merchandise display site or the price-reduction site is not required, enabling prompt execution of various operations such as shelf label producing and price-reduction processing. It is also economical since it is not necessary to keep stock of several types of sheets or many sheets.
Particularly, according to the shelf label printer of the first aspect of the invention, the strip-form continuous shelf label is configured with a plurality of unit labels provided consecutively with perforations between each other. Furthermore, the shelf printer is provided with a control unit capable of forming the shelf label by printing the merchandise information on the arbitrary number of unit labels at the printing unit according to the number of unit labels necessary for forming the shelf label and the number of position detecting marks. Therefore, by selecting the number of unit labels, it is possible to produce a shelf label having an arbitrary pitch length.
Particularly, according to a printing method of a shelf label printer of the second aspect of the invention, the number of unit labels necessary for forming the shelf label and a printing data of the merchandise information is input by an input unit. Furthermore, by printing the merchandise information over the arbitrary number of unit labels at the printing unit according to the number of unit labels necessary for forming the shelf label and to the number of position detecting marks, the control unit controls to enable forming of the shelf label. In this way, it is possible to print necessary merchandise information over a plurality of unit labels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view diagram of the shelf label printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view diagram of a continuous shelf label 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a back side view diagram of a continuous shelf label 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a continuous shelf label 2 taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is an explanation diagram showing the produced forms of a price-reduction label 16, the shelf labels 17, 18 from a continuous shelf label 2, and a display shelf 19 of an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a flow chart of the printing method of the shelf label printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is possible to form a shelf label having a necessary pitch length with a plurality of unit labels according to the number input of the unit labels and the detection of the position detecting marks. The present invention achieves a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer which is capable of freely producing shelf labels having arbitrary pitch length and also price-reduction tags (price-reduction labels) as the need arises, which does not require replacement operation of the sheet on site of work, and which can efficiently and reliably perform shelf label indication at the merchandise display shelf.

Embodiment

Hereinafter, a shelf label printer and a printing method of the shelf label printer that is an embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on Figs. 1 through 6.
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view diagram of the shelf label printer. The shelf label printer 1 has a supplying unit 3 of the continuous shelf label 2, a transfer route 4, a detecting unit 5, a printing unit 6, an input unit 7, and a control unit 8.
Fig. 2 is a plan view diagram of a continuous shelf label 2, Fig. 3 is a back side view diagram of a continuous shelf label 2, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a continuous shelf label 2 taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2.
Particularly, as shown in Fig. 4, the continuous shelf label 2 has a strip-form backing sheet 9 having a detachable surface, a label base member 10 temporary attached to the surface of the backing sheet 9, a thermal color forming layer 11 applied on the surface of the label base member 10 and an adhesive layer 12 applied on the back surface of the label base member 10, and position detecting marks 13 formed on the back surface of the backing sheet 9 at a predetermined pitch.
It is needless to mention that, instead of a label base member, a tag base member not having a backing sheet 9 and an adhesive layer 12 may be used as the continuous shelf label 2.
On the continuous shelf label 2, perforations 14 are formed through the label base member 10 and the backing sheet 9 in accordance with the pitch of the position detecting mark 13.
Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 3, by forming a line of slit 15 along the length direction of the continuous shelf label 2 on the backing sheet 9, the operability when detaching the backing sheet 9 from the continuous shelf label 2 can be improved.
Particularly, as shown in Fig. 2, by forming the perforations 14 with a predetermined pitch, the entire continuous shelf label 2 is configured continuously provided with a plurality of unit labels 2A which are each separable by the perforations 14. For example, as shown in the example in Fig. 2, it is possible to produce shelf labels having respective pitch lengths corresponding to the number of the unit labels 2A of pitch lengths "P", "2P", and "3P" (referring to the after-mentioned single piece shelf label or a price-reduction label 16 having a pitch length "P", a shelf label 17 having a pitch length "2P", or a shelf label 18 having a pitch length "3P" in Fig, 5).
Furthermore, the position detecting mark 13 is provided at the rear-end portion of the unit label 2A in the transfer direction.
In addition, the width (W) itself of the continuous shelf label 2 is constant in the length direction of the continuous shelf label 2.
Fig. 5 is an explanation diagram showing the produced forms of a price-reduction label 16, the shelf labels 17, 18 from the continuous shelf label 2, and a display shelf 19. Each unit label 2A has a length in the transferring direction corresponding to the integral multiple of one print row Q (in the diagram, an example of printing four rows on the unit label 2A is shown).
As shown in the diagram, a single piece shelf label or a price-reduction label 16 uses a piece of the unit label 2A. A shelf label 17 having a pitch length of "2P" uses two pieces of unit label 2A, and a shelf label 18 having a pitch length of "3P" uses three pieces of unit label 2A. It is of course possible to produce shelf labels having more than four pieces of unit label 2A pitch lengths.
When attaching such shelf labels 16, 17, and 18 to the merchandise display shelf 19, the merchandise information for the respective merchandises are also indicated. That is, for example, the shelf label 17 having a pitch length of 2P and the shelf label 18 having a pitch length of 3P are held inside a transparent case 20 of the display shelf 19. Furthermore, the single piece shelf label or price-reduction label 16 may be attached to the transparent case 20, or to the shelf 17 having a pitch length of 2P, the shelf label 18 having a pitch length of 3P, or directly to the merchandise as necessary.
Returning to Fig. 1, the supplying unit 3 is capable of loading the strip-shape continuous shelf label 2 configured with a plurality of unit labels 2A consecutively provided with perforations 14 between each other in a roll.
The transfer route 4 is a passage way to transfer the continuous shelf label 2 to the detecting unit 5 and to the printing unit 6 by feeding out the rolled continuous shelf label 2 in a strip-form from the supplying unit 3.
The detecting unit 5 has a mark detection sensor 21 capable of detecting each of the position detecting marks 13 provided at the back surface of each unit labels 2A at a predetermined pitch, and outputs the detection signal to the control unit 8.
The printing unit 6 has a printing mechanism of an arbitrary form, for example, having a thermal head 22 and a platen roller 23. The printing unit 6 holds the continuous shelf label 2 between the thermal head 22 and the platen roller 23. The printing unit 6, together with the rotating drive of the platen roller 23, transfers the continuous shelf label 2 onto the transfer route 4, and by the print signal from the thermal head 22, enables printing the merchandise information over an arbitrary number of unit labels 2A over the perforations 14 of the continuous shelf label 2.
Furthermore, in case the label base member 10 of the continuous shelf label 2 is not applied with a thermal color forming layer 11, a thermal transfer ribbon 24 (shown in virtual line in Fig. 1) may be used.
The input unit 7 inputs the number of unit labels 2A necessary to form the shelf labels 16, 17 and 18, and the print data of the merchandise name and price, and other necessary merchandise information.
As the input unit 7, it is possible to employ a stand-alone type having a key board, a display and any other arbitrary configurations. In addition, as the input unit 7, it is possible to use an external host computer 25 configured with personal computers, etc., and to configure the control unit 8 to receive the input data from the input unit (host computer 25).
The control unit 8 controls the detecting unit 5, the printing unit 6 and the input unit 7 to print the merchandise information at the printing unit 6 on the arbitrary number of unit labels 2A depending on the number of unit labels 2A and position detecting marks 13 necessary to form the shelf labels 16 ,17 and 18.
In other words, as mentioned after in the flow chart of Fig. 6, the control unit 8 subtracts the number of unit labels 2A which was input at the input unit 7 one by one for the each detection of the position detecting mark 13 at the detecting unit 5. Then, the control unit 8 controls to finish the printing to the unit label 2A by the printing unit 6 when it determines that the number of unit labels 2A input by the input unit 7 has become the same as the number of position detecting marks 13 detected by the detecting unit 5.
With a shelf printer 1 and a continuous shelf label 2 of such configuration, the necessary merchandise information is printed on the shelf labels 16, 17 and 18 by the shelf printer 1.
Fig. 6 is flow chart of the printing method of the shelf label printer 1. In step S 1, the merchandise name and price, print format and other necessary merchandise information (print data) are input by the input unit 7 or the host computer 25. In step S2, the control unit 8 sets the size of the shelf labels 16, 17 and 18. Specifically, if the label is a single shelf label or a price-reduction label 16, the pitch length is set as "1", if the label is a shelf label 17 with a pitch length of 2P, the pitch length is set at "2", and if the label is a shelf label 18 with a pitch length of 3P, the pitch length is set at "3". In addition, it will be set in the same manner when using more than four unit labels 2A as one shelf label.
In step S3, the control unit 8 performs printing of one print row Q of the continuous shelf label 2 (printing of one row to the unit label 2A by the printing unit 6). In step S4, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the position detecting mark 13 at the back surface of the continuous shelf label 2 has been detected. If the position detecting mark 13 is not yet detected, the process will return to step S3 and the control unit 8 continues to print the one print row Q.
If the position detecting mark 13 is detected in Step S4, the control unit 8 subtracts only one pitch length in step S5. In step S6, the control unit 8 determines whether the pitch length is "0" or not. If it is not "0", the process returns to step S3 and the above operation is repeated, and if it is "0", the control unit 8 finishes the printing.
In this way, the shelf label printer 1 prints the merchandise information on the arbitrary number of unit label 2A by repeating printing of one print row Q over the perforations 14 depending on the number of unit labels 2A necessary for forming the shelf labels 16, 17 and 18 and the number of position detecting marks 13, and controls at the control unit 8 to enable forming the shelf labels 16, 17 and 18. When necessary number of labels has been printed, the control unit 8 finishes the printing operation.
Therefore, on the work site of the display shelf 19, by using a single continuous shelf label 2 and the shelf printer 1, each time it is possible to produce shelf labels 16, 17 and 18 of required lengths, achieving simple and easy operation of the processes and inexpensive cost.

Reference Signs List

1: shelf label printer (embodiment, Fig. 1)
2: continuous shelf label
2A: unit label of continuous shelf label 2 (Figs. 2 and 5)
3: supplying unit
4: transfer route
5: detecting unit
6: printing unit
7: input unit
8: control unit
9: backing sheet
10: label base member
11: thermal color forming layer
12: adhesive layer
13: position detecting mark
14: perforations formed through backing sheet 9 and label base member 10
15: slit formed on backing sheet 9
16: single piece shelf label or price-reduction label (Fig. 5)
17: shelf label with 2P pitch length
18: shelf label with 3P pitch length
19: display shelf
20: transparent case
21: mark detection sensor (Fig. 1)
22: thermal head
23: platen roller
24: thermal transfer ribbon
25: host computer (input unit)
P: pitch length unit (Fig. 2)
Q: print row of one row (Fig. 5)

Citation List

Patent Literature

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application First Publication No. Hei5 -278296

Claims

A shelf label printer (1) for printing merchandise information on a shelf label (16, 17, 18) which is to be attached to a merchandise display shelf (19) for indicating merchandise information of the merchandise,
the shelf label printer (1) comprising:
a supply unit (3) capable of loading a strip-form continuous shelf label (2) configured with a plurality of unit labels (2A) provided consecutively with perforations (14) between each other;

a detecting unit (5) capable of detecting a position detecting mark (13) provided at a predetermined pitch (P) on the back surface (9) of each unit label (2A);

an input unit (7, 25) adapted for inputting a number of unit labels (2A) necessary for forming the shelf label (16, 17, 18) and a printing data of the merchandise information;

a printing unit (6) capable of printing the merchandise information over an arbitrary number of unit labels (2A); and

a control unit adapted to form the shelf label (16, 17, 18) by printing the merchandise information on the arbitrary number of unit labels (2A) at the printing unit (6) according to the number of unit labels (2A) necessary for forming the shelf label (16, 17, 18) and the number of position detecting marks (13).
The shelf label printer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the printing on the unit label (2A) by the printing unit (6) is controlled to finish, as
the number of unit labels (2A) input by the input unit (7, 25) is subtracted by one for each of the position detecting mark detection (13), and when
the number of unit labels (2A) input by the input unit (7, 25) is decided to have become the same as the number of position detecting marks (13) detected by the detecting unit (5).
The shelf label printer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the continuous shelf label (2) is provided with
a strip-form backing sheet (9); and
a label base member (10) temporary attached to the backing sheet (9); and,
the perforations (14) are formed through the label base member (10) and the backing sheet (9).
A printing method of a shelf label printer (1) for printing merchandise information on a shelf label (16, 17, 18) which is attached to a merchandise display shelf (19) for indicating merchandise information of the merchandise,
the printing method of the shelf label printer (1) comprising:
loading a strip-form continuous shelf label (2) configured with a plurality of unit labels (2A) provided consecutively with perforations (14) between each other to a supply unit (3);

inputting the number of unit labels (2A) necessary for forming the shelf label (16, 17, 18) and a printing data of the merchandise information by an input unit (7, 25);

detecting a position detecting mark (13) provided at a predetermined pitch (P) on the back surface (9) of each unit label (2A) by feeding out the continuous body for the shelf label (16, 17, 18) from the supply unit (3) to a transfer route (4); and

controlling at a control unit (8) to enable forming the shelf label (16, 17, 18) by printing the merchandise information on an arbitrary number of unit labels (2A) at the printing unit (6) according to the number of unit labels (2A) necessary for forming the shelf label (16, 17, 18) and the number of position detecting marks (13).