GB2317262A - Floor labelling system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for applying labels such as bar code plates to the floors of warehouses, factories and the like. A concrete floor is drilled using a core drill to prepare a circular channel in the concrete, and the concrete lying within the perimeter of the channel is scabbled out to a depth substantially less than the depth of the channel. A floor plate is introduced into the prepared hole, the cylindrical wall 2 of the plan being received into the channel and a closed, top end of the cylinder covering the scabbled area. The top end of the cylinder includes a recess 4 for receiving a label plate. The bottom end of the cylinder is open. The label plate may be adhered into the recess. The floor plate can be fixed in place by the use of screws or bolts, with or without the use of adhesive.

Description

FLOOR LABELLING SYSTEM The present invention relates to labelling systems, and in particular to methods and apparatus for providing labelling on floor surfaces such as in warehouses and the like.

It is now common practice to fix labelling systems to floors of warehouses and factories in order to provide reference or identification markers at predetermined locations within the warehouse or factory. Such markers are often provided in the form of bar codes or other machine readable codes which enable mobile systems to determine their position, or to verify the identity of the storage location at which they are situated.

Such codes may be read by manually or automatically controlled vehicles such as forklift trucks, or may be read by hand-held equipment carried by warehouse staff, for example.

Existing labelling systems have been installed in several ways.

A first technique simply involves adhering or screwing label plates (eg. rectangular, 0.5 mm thick, printed aluminium plates) to the surface of the floor. A common problem in the use of this technique is that the labels are proud of the surface of the floor, and in typical working environments, this often leads to damage to, displacement of, or destruction of the labels. This is particularly so in, for example, warehouses where vehicles and other traffic pass over the floor, and crates, boxes and other heavy or large objects are slid over the floor surface.

Any action which results in non-readability of the labels can have serious consequences for complex, expensive automated inventory control or manufacturing systems.

Another technique used has been to recess the label plates into the floor surface to offer a degree of protection against shear forces on the labels. This also allows the use of slightly thicker plates (eg. 1.5 mm) which are less prone to damage. Recessing the label plates is, however, a very inconvenient and expensive operation. It is typically effected by scabbling out a rectangular recess in the concrete floor into witch the label plate can be placed with an underlying layer of epoxy resin. Resin typically oozes up around the plate and fills in any gaps formed between the edges of the label plate and the edges of the scabbled out recess.

Various finishing techniques may be used to smooth the resin filling the gap between the edges of the recess and the label plate.

Whilst this technique reduces the vulnerability of the labels to damage or loss, it is a very labour intensive operation and is therefore expensive. It is also difficult to control the depth and surface finish of the scabbled portion, thus resulting in labels which are set into the floor at slightly variable depths and angles. It is also very difficult to remove the label plate to replace it in the event of damage or to reconfigure codes printed thereon.

The present invention seeks to overcome some or all of the disadvantages of known floor labelling systems.

In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a floor label fixing system comprising a floor plate in the shape of a substantially circular, hollow cylinder having an open bottom end and a closed top end, the closed top end providing an upper surface which includes a recess portion for receiving a label.

In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a method of labelling a floor comprising the steps of: a) core drilling the floor to produce a substantially circular channel therein; b) inserting into the channel the wall of a substantially circular, hollow cylinder having an open bottom end and a closed top end such that the closed top end lies uppermost; c) affixing the cylinder to the floor; and d) providing a label on the upper surface of the closed top end.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a floor plate according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the floor plate of figure 1 on line A-A; Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of the floor plate of figure 1 on line B-B; Figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional diagram of a floor suitably prepared for receiving the floor plate of figures 1 and 2, with core drill for preparation thereof; Figure 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional diagram of the floor with floor plate installed therein.

With reference to figures 1 and 2 there is shown a floor plate 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The floor plate comprises a circular, hollow cylinder having an open bottom end and a closed top end. Cylinder wall 2 extends down from the closed top end 3, preferably having wall height of approximately 15 mm, and wall thickness of 2 mm. The top end 3 preferably comprises a disc of diameter 150 mm with thickness of 2 mm. The top end 3 includes a rectangular recess portion 4 which is recessed approximately 3 mm below the top surface of the top end 3. The recess preferably includes a pair of apertures 5 and 6 extending through the top end 3. The apertures preferably have a countersunk profile best seen in figures 2 and 3.

The recess is formed in an appropriate shape to match the size and shape of label plates which are to be inserted therein. Label plates, are however, typically rectangular and of standardized sizes according to the machines on which they are made. A typical dimension is approximately 100 mm by 75 mm, and the recess portion 4 is formed slightly oversize to accommodate the label plate.

Preferably, the recess portion 4 includes at least one rebate 7 or 8 in a wall thereof to facilitate the removal of a label plate fixed into the recess portion 4 of the floor plate 1.

It will be understood that the dimensions indicated in this description and on the drawings are exemplary, and may be varied to suit the particular application. In preferred embodiments, the cylinder wall 2 height may lie in the range 10 to 25 mm, the cylinder diameter may lie in the range 100 to 200 mm and the thickness of the cylindrical wall and of the closed top end may lie in the range 1 to 5 mm.

With reference to figures 4 and 5, the preferred fixing method will now be described.

A typical warehouse floor is constructed using a power float finish having a depth of approximately 200 mm, with a reinforcement mesh of fabric or steel at a depth of approximately 25 mm. It is thus desirable that this reinforcement mesh is not disturbed during any label installation.

A core drill bit 20 of known type for drilling concrete has a pair of diamond cutting edges 21 and 22 and a piloting point 23. The drill is used to create a circular channel 25 in the floor 24, preferably to a depth of approximately 20 mm if underlying reinforcement mesh is to be avoided. With the exception of a pilot hole 26, the rest of the floor remains largely undisturbed as indicated by the dashed line profile 27.

The floor surface within the boundary of the circular channel 25 is scabbled out to a depth of approximately 10 mm, as shown by line 28.

This provides a prepared floor surface into which the floor plate 1 can be installed.

A layer of epoxy resin 30 or other suitable compound is applied to the floor surface 28 or to the underside of the floor plate 1 which is then pressed into place in the circular channel 25. Resin 30 which oozes through the countersunk apertures 5 or 6 can be left to set, and the excess resin 31 knocked off. The profile of the countersink aperture ensures that, in addition to the adhesive properties of the resin on the underside of the floor plate, a plug of resin 30 retains the plate in place by its action on the countersink walls.

Excess resin 32 may also fill any gaps around the periphery of the floor plate. Alternatively, or in addition to the resin 32, mastic, polysulphide or the like may be extruded from a dispenser in known manner to form a bead 33 of sealant around the edge of the floor plate.

Preferably, the floor plate 1 lies slightly below the surface of the floor 24, to a depth of approximately 3 mm.

It will be noted that the above method provides quick, accurate and efficient placement of labels onto a floor. In particular, the critical surfaces of the floor are machine processed by the core drill: that is to say, the depth of the channel 25, and the diameter of the outer side walls of the channel 25 are determined by the drilling operation which provides a smooth finish. The less critical surfaces, ie. the surface 28 which is scabbled away, is concealed beneath the floor plate 1 and irregularities therein are absorbed by the epoxy resin 30.

Because the outer wall of the channel is machine cut, the gap between the outer wall of the channel and the cylindrical wall 2 of the floor plate 1 is precisely controllable and minimized. Similarly, the depth of the channel is also precisely controllable, avoiding damage to structural reinforcement layers below the floor surface. Because the most significant quantity of floor material is removed by the drilling operation, with only limited scabbling required, the method is faster than prior art methods.

The rectangular label plates themselves (not shown) are adhered to a machine prepared surface, ie. the label recess portion 4 of the floor plate. Thus, adhesion of the label plate to the floor plate can be easily effected, for example by double sided tape, without risk of pressure on the label causing leverage and lift of one side of the label because of irregularities below. The replacement of labels requires only the breaking of the adhesive tape bond, readily effected by insertion of a screwdriver or similar implement into the rebate 7 or 8.

The present invention recognizes that the use of rectangula labels is preferred owing to availability and manufacturing convenience: however, use of drilling techniques to prepare circular holes in the floor is preferred from the point of view of speed and quality control. The present invention reconciles these two aspects.

It will be understood that the floor plate can be fixed to the floor using screws or bolts passing through countersunk apertures 5 or 6, with or without epoxy resin. The apertures for screw or bolt fixing could be provided elsewhere in the top end 3 of the floor plate. Where sufficient adhesion of the floor plate 1 to the floor can be obtained solely by epoxy resin, apertures 5 and 6 can be completely omitted.

The cylinder wall 2 need not extend all the way down to the base of the channel 25. A spacer ring could be provided in the base of the channel.

In one embodiment, the floor plate 1 is constructed from aluminium. However, any suitable material may be used, in particular moulded 30% glass-fibre filled rigid nylon which is hot and cold temperature resistant, impact resistant, and can be coloured according to requirements.

In another embodiment, the core drill bit 20 may include a plurality of cutting edges 21, 22 extending along the diameter of the drill bit. In this instance, no separate scabbling operation is necessary: the appropriate floor surface profile as indicated by line 28 in figure 4 is obtained directly by the drilling operation. In accordance with the profile of the drill, the cylinder wall 2 height may be reduced to 10 mm or less.

Claims (11)

1. A floor label fixing system comprising a floor plate in the shape of a substantially circular, hollow cylinder having an open bottom end and a closed top end, the closed top end providing an upper surface which includes a recess portion for receiving a label.

2. A floor label fixing system according to claim 1 in which the recess portion includes at least one edge wall having a label removal rebate provided therein.

3. A floor label fixing system according to claim 1 in which the closed top end of the floor plate includes at least one fixing aperture passing through the closed top end, which aperture has a countersink profile and lies in the recess portion.

4. A floor label fixing system according to any preceding claim in which the cylinder wall height lies in the range 10 to 25 mm.

5. A floor label fixing system according to claim 4 in which the cylinder diameter lies in the range 100 to 200 mm, and in which the wall thickness of the cylindrical wall and the top end lies in the range 1 to 5 mm.

6. A method of labelling a floor comprising the steps of: a) core drilling the floor to produce a substantially circular channel therein; b) inserting, into the channel, the wall of a substantially circular, hollow cylinder having an open bottom end and a closed top end such that the closed top end lies uppermost; c) affixing the cylinder to the floor; and d) providing a label on the upper surface of the closed top end.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein step a) includes the step of scabbling out a portion of the floor within the substantially circular channel to a depth at least as great as the thickness of the closed top end of the cylinder.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein step d) includes the step of providing a recess portion in the closed top end for receiving a label, and inserting a label plate into the recess.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein step c) includes the steps of providing at least one aperture having countersunk profile through the closed top end of the cylinder; allowing adhesive material beneath the closed end of the cylinder to be forced through the aperture by pressing the cylinder onto the floor; and covering the aperture with the label plate.

10. A floor label fixing system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying figures.

11. A method of labelling a floor substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying figures.