JP2008273613A - Label sticking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To arbitrarily change the orientation of a label to an article and to improve versatility. <P>SOLUTION: A label sticking apparatus is equipped with a sucking plate 10 for sucking the label L fed from a label feeding part 1, a forwarding and retreating driving mechanism 20 for forwarding and retreating the sucking plate 10 to two positions such as a retreating position X and a forwarding position Y, and sticking the label L sucked on the sucking plate 10 on the article W at the forwarding position Y, a rotationally driving mechanism 30 for rotating the sucking plate 10 around its own axis or around a rotating shaft 31 along its forwarding and retreating direction, and moving the sucking plate 10 to two positions that are a sucking position J for sucking the label L fed from the label feeding part 1 at the retreating position X and a sticking position K for sticking the label L to the article W at the forwarding position Y, and an angle changing means 50 for making the range of an angle θ of the rotation of the sticking position K to the sucking position J of the sucking plate 10 changeable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a label affixing device that affixes a label to an article, and more particularly to a label affixing apparatus that can change the orientation of a label with respect to an article.

Generally, a label sticking device is equipped with a suction plate that sucks a label supplied from a label supply unit. The suction plate is moved forward and backward to two positions, a retracted position and an advanced position. There is known one in which a label adsorbed at a position is attached to an article.
By the way, since the direction of the label sucked by the suction plate at the retracted position is unambiguous, the conditions such as the shape of the article are limited, or the label sticking direction is specified. In such a case, the direction of the label adsorbed at the retracted position with respect to the article must be changed and affixed.
Therefore, conventionally, in the process from the retracted position to the advanced position, the suction plate that has adsorbed the label is rotated by a predetermined angle (for example, 180 degrees), and the orientation of the label with respect to the article is changed at the advanced position. In addition, a label attaching apparatus that can attach a label to an article has also been developed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-178888).

JP 2005-178888 A

By the way, in this conventional label sticking apparatus, the suction plate is rotated to change the direction of the label with respect to the article so that the sticker can be stuck. However, the rotation angle is set only to a predetermined angle (for example, 180 degrees). Therefore, for example, when it is necessary to change the direction of the label relatively frequently, such as changing the direction of the label for each lot of articles, there is a problem that it is difficult to cope with it.
The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a label sticking device that can arbitrarily change the orientation of a label with respect to an article and improve versatility.

  In order to solve such a problem, the label sticking device of the present invention includes a suction plate that sucks a label supplied from a label supply unit, and moves the suction plate forward and backward to two positions of a retracted position and an advanced position. A label affixing device having an advancing / retreating drive mechanism for affixing the label adsorbed to the adsorbing plate to an article, wherein the adsorbing plate rotates or revolves around a rotation axis along the advancing / retreating direction, and the label is moved to the retracted position. A rotation driving mechanism for moving the suction position to the suction position where the label supplied from the supply section is sucked and a sticking position where the label is stuck to the article at the advance position; and a rotation angle range of the sticking position of the suction plate with respect to the suction position And a variable angle means for making the variable variable.

Thereby, the rotation angle range of the suction plate is set in advance by the angle varying means according to the specification of the article. When the label is pasted, the suction plate is positioned at the retracted position by the forward / backward driving mechanism and is positioned at the pasting position by the rotation driving mechanism, and in this state, the label from the label supply unit is attracted.
Next, the suction plate is moved from the suction position to the sticking position by the rotation drive mechanism by the advance / retreat drive mechanism, and is moved from the retreat position to the advance position by the advance / retreat drive mechanism. Thereby, the label adsorbed on the adsorption plate is affixed to the article. In this case, since the sticking position of the suction plate is rotated by the rotation angle set with respect to the suction position, the label orientation has been changed to the required orientation, and the label orientation that matches the specification of the article Affixing is performed.

  Also, when applying labels with different label orientations due to changes in the lot of articles, the rotation angle range of the suction plate is set according to the specifications of the articles by the angle variable means as described above. To do. For this reason, since the orientation of the label with respect to the article can be easily changed to an arbitrary position, versatility is improved.

  And, if necessary, the rotational drive mechanism comprises a fixed body, and a movable body that is rotated around the rotational axis with respect to the fixed body and has the suction plate attached to the outer edge side, and An angle variable means is provided on the fixed body side and faces a predetermined circumference centered on the rotation axis, and is provided on the movable body side and faces the predetermined circumference and faces the stopper at the pasting position. The stopper includes a stopper for stopping and stopping the movable body, and an interval changing mechanism capable of changing the interval between the stopper and the stopper. The angle varying means can be configured with a simple mechanism that allows the interval between the stopper and the stopper to be changed.

  Further, if necessary, the gap changing mechanism is provided with a bolt projecting from the stop body and a long hole in a direction along the predetermined circumference through which the bolt of the stop body formed in the movable body passes. And a nut for screwing the bolt through the long hole and positioning the stopper at a desired position of the long hole by tightening. Since it is a simple operation that is performed by loosening and tightening with a nut and moving the stopper along the long hole, the setting operation is very easy.

  Furthermore, if necessary, the nut is provided with a manual handle for rotating the nut. The nut can be loosened and tightened by operating the handle, and the operation is further simplified, and the setting operation is very easily performed.

  According to the label sticking apparatus of the present invention, the rotation angle range of the sticking position with respect to the suction position of the suction plate can be set in advance according to the specification of the article by the angle varying means, and this rotational angle range can be easily and arbitrarily set. Since it can change, it can respond easily to the change of the specification of articles | goods, and can improve versatility.

Hereinafter, based on an accompanying drawing, a label sticking device concerning an embodiment of the invention is explained in detail.
In the label sticking device according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the label L to be stuck is rectangular. In addition, the article W to which the label L is attached is a plastic product formed in a circular basin shape in which a circular opening Wa is formed at the center, and the label L is specified around the opening Wa. Affixed. This article W is placed on the conveyor C (FIG. 5B), conveyed, and stopped at a predetermined position. And the sticking position of the label L is set with the mounting attitude | position with respect to the goods W conveyor C according to the specification, and the direction of the label L is set with this apparatus according to the specification.

  The basic configuration of the label sticking device according to the embodiment of the present invention is based on the label supply unit 1 provided on the machine base 2 installed on the side of the conveyor C and the article W conveyed by the conveyor C. The suction plate 10 to which the label L supplied from the label supply unit 1 is attached, the advance / retreat drive mechanism 20 for moving the suction plate 10 back and forth, the rotation drive mechanism 30 for rotating or revolving the suction plate 10, and the rotation of the suction plate 10 Angle varying means 50 for varying the angle range is provided.

  The label supply unit 1 peels off the label L from the belt-like mount D to which the label L is temporarily attached and sends out the label L. The label L is peeled off from the belt-like mount D supplied from the supply reel 3 to the transport path by the release plate 4. Then, the belt-like mount D from which the label L is peeled off is taken up by a take-up reel (not shown). The peeling plate 4 folds the belt-like mount D supplied with the transport path, peels off the label L having a higher rigidity than the belt-like mount D from the belt-like mount D, and sends out and supplies the label L. 1 and 5, reference numeral 5 denotes a thermal head for printing on a label L, and 6 denotes a platen.

The suction plate 10 is moved forward and backward to two positions, a retracted position X (FIGS. 1 and 5A) and an advanced position Y (FIGS. 1 and 5B). At the position J, the surface side of the label L peeled off by the peeling plate 4 is sucked, and the sucked label L is stuck on the article W at the advancing position Y, which will be described later. The suction plate 10 is provided with a plurality of small holes (not shown) for sucking air for sucking the surface of the label L. The suction plate 10 is urged toward the article W by a spring 11 and supported by the support member 12.
Further, in the vicinity of the peeling plate 4, an air ejection pipe 13 (FIGS. 1 and 5A) that assists the suction of the label L by the suction plate 10 is provided at the retracted position X of the suction plate 10. The air ejection pipe 13 ejects air from the back side of the label L peeled from the peeling plate 4 toward the suction plate 10 side.

  The advancing / retracting drive mechanism 20 moves the suction plate 10 forward and backward to the retreat position X and the advance position Y, and affixes the label L adsorbed at the advance position Y to the article W, and is an air cylinder composed of a cylinder 21a and a piston 21b. The device 21 is configured. A cylinder 21 a of the air cylinder device 21 is supported by the machine base 2, and a base 22 that supports the suction plate 10 is attached to the tip of the piston 21 b via a rotation drive mechanism 30. As a result, the suction plate 10 has a retracted position X (FIG. 1, FIG. 5A) for sucking the label L by the air cylinder device 21 and an advance position Y (FIG. 1, FIG. 1) where the label L is attached to the article W. 5 (b)).

The rotation drive mechanism 30 rotates or revolves (revolves in the embodiment) around the rotation shaft 31 along the advancing and retreating direction of the suction plate 10, and is supplied from the label supply unit 1 at the retreat position X. The position is moved to two positions: a suction position J for sucking L and a sticking position K for sticking the label L to the article W at the advance position Y.
Specifically, the rotation drive mechanism 30 is a plate-like fixed body 32 and is rotated about the rotation shaft 31 with respect to the fixed body 32, and the suction plate 10 is attached to the outer edge side via the support member 12. A plate-shaped movable body 33 and an actuator 40 that is fixed to the base 22 and has the rotating shaft 31 and rotates the rotating shaft 31 are configured. As shown in FIG. 3, the fixed body 32 is formed in a disk shape having an insertion hole 32 a through which the rotary shaft 31 is rotatably inserted, and is fixed to the lower surface of the actuator 40.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the actuator 40 includes a main body 42 fixed to the base 22, a rod 44 connected to the rotary shaft 31 supported rotatably on the main body 42 via a bearing 43, 42, a pair of cylinders 46 that face the pinion gears 45 formed on the rods 44 and have axes parallel to each other, and a piston 48 that is provided in each cylinder 46 so as to be able to advance and retreat and has a rack 47 that meshes with the pinion gears 45. The pistons 48 are alternately advanced and retracted by alternately supplying air into the respective cylinders 46 from the air ports 46a of the respective cylinders 46, and the rods 44 are rotated via the racks 47 and the pinion gears 45, thereby rotating. The shaft 31 is rotated. The actuator 40 is fixed to the base 22 so that the rotation start end of the rod 44 (rotating shaft 31) can position the suction plate 10 at the suction position J.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the angle varying means 50 makes the range of the rotation angle θ of the sticking position K with respect to the suction position J of the suction plate 10 variable, and is provided on the fixed body 32 side and provided on the rotating body 31. A stopper 51 that faces on a predetermined circumference Q (FIG. 4) centering on the movable body 33 and a movable body 33 that faces the predetermined circumference Q provided on the movable body 33 side and stops at the sticking position K. The stopper 52 and the interval changing mechanism 53 capable of changing the interval in the direction along the predetermined circumference Q of the stopper 52 are configured.

  The interval changing mechanism 53 includes a bolt 54 protruding from the stop body 52, a long hole 55 formed in the movable body 33 through the bolt 54 of the stop body 52 and extending along a predetermined circumference Q. A nut 56 is provided that is screwed into a bolt 54 penetrating the long hole 55 and positions the stopper 52 at a desired position of the long hole 55 by tightening. The nut 56 is provided with a manual handle 57 that rotates the nut 56. The length of the long hole 55 is set so that the rotation angle θ is within 180 degrees that is the rotation angle range of the rod 44 of the actuator 40.

  Further, the stopper 51 is provided with a detection sensor 58 such as an optical sensor for detecting the stop of the stop body 52. Based on this detection, the above-described advance / retreat drive mechanism 20 is controlled by a control unit (not shown). Drive controlled. The control unit also controls the rotation drive mechanism 30. For example, when the suction plate 10 is attracted at the retracted position X and suction position J of the suction plate 10, the control unit operates the actuator 40 to move the suction plate 10 from the suction position J to the sticking position K, When the detection sensor 58 is detected, the air cylinder device 21 is operated to move the suction plate 10 from the retracted position X to the advanced position Y. When the label L is pasted at the advanced position Y, the air cylinder device 21 and the actuator 40 are operated to return the retracted position X and the suction position J from the advanced position Y and the pasted position K.

Therefore, in the label sticking device according to the embodiment, the range of the rotation angle θ of the suction plate 10 is set in advance according to the specification of the article W. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the interval changing mechanism 53 of the angle varying means 50, the handle 56 of the nut 56 is operated to loosen the nut 56 and the stopper 52 is moved along the long hole 55. Then, at a required position, the nut 56 is tightened, and the stop body 52 is fixed to the movable body 33.
In this case, since the nut 56 is loosened and tightened by the operation of the handle 57 and the stopper 52 is simply moved along the elongated hole 55, the setting operation is performed very easily.

  And when sticking the label L with the label sticking apparatus which concerns on this embodiment, it becomes as follows. First, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 (a) and 5 (a), the suction plate 10 is positioned at the retracted position X by the air cylinder device 21, and the interval changing mechanism 53 of the angle varying means 50. Thus, the position of the pasting position K is set in advance. In this state, when the label L is conveyed by the label supply unit 1, the mount is folded back by the release plate 4, and the label L is peeled off, the suction plate 10 sucks the label L.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 (b) and 5 (a), the actuator 40 is operated, and the suction plate 10 is moved from the suction position J to the sticking position K. In this case, the movable body 33 is rotated, and the stopper 52 moves along the elongated hole 55 until it stops against the stopper 51. When the stop body 52 hits the stopper 51, the movable body 33 is stopped, and the suction plate 10 is positioned at the sticking position K.

  When the stop body 52 hits the stopper 51, the detection sensor 58 detects this, and based on this detection, the air cylinder device 21 is actuated as shown in FIGS. 10 is moved from the retreat position X to the advance position Y. Thereby, the label L adsorbed on the adsorbing plate 10 is affixed to the article W. In this case, since the sticking position K of the suction plate 10 is rotated by the rotation angle θ set with respect to the suction position J, the direction of the label L is changed to a required direction, and the specification of the article W is satisfied. Affixing is performed in the direction of the matching label L.

  When the label L is pasted at the advanced position Y, the air cylinder device 21 and the actuator 40 are operated, and the suction plate 10 is returned from the advanced position Y and the pasted position K to the retracted position X and the attracted position J. L is repeatedly applied.

In addition, when the label L is pasted by changing the direction of the label L due to a change in the lot of the article W, the range of the rotation angle θ of the suction plate 10 according to the specification of the article W as described above. Set. Also in this case, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the interval changing mechanism 53 of the angle varying means 50, the nut 56 is loosened by operating the handle 57 of the nut 56, and the stopper 52 is moved along the long hole 55. The nut 56 is tightened at a required position, and the stopper 52 is fixed to the movable body 33.
In this case, since the nut 56 is loosened and tightened by the operation of the handle 57 and the stopper 52 is simply moved along the long hole 55, the setting operation can be performed very easily.
For this reason, since the direction of the label L with respect to the article W can be easily changed to an arbitrary position, versatility is improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the suction plate 10 is revolved with respect to the rotating shaft 31. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and may be rotated and may be changed as appropriate. .
Further, the angle varying means 50 according to the above embodiment is configured to adjust the angle by moving the position of the stopper 52, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the position of the stopper 51 is moved. The angle may be adjusted by adjusting the angle, or the angle may be adjusted by moving both the stopper 51 and the stopper 52, and may be changed as appropriate.

In addition, although the positioning of the suction position J of the suction plate 10 is set to the rotation start end position of the actuator 40, it is not necessarily limited to this. For example, another stopper for stopping the stopper body 52 is used. It may be provided to position the suction position J of the suction plate 10 and may be changed as appropriate.
In the above embodiment, the angle variable means 50 is mechanically adjusted by using the stopper 51 and the stopper 52, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the rotational position is changed. The rotational position sensor to be detected may be used to control the actuator 40 to stop at a required position by detecting the rotational position, and may be changed as appropriate. The actuator 40 is not limited to the above-described one, and may be configured using an electric motor, and may be changed as appropriate.
Furthermore, in the said embodiment, the thing (air jet system) of the system (air jet system) which blows off and sticks the label L toward the articles | goods W may be used as the adsorption plate 10, for example, and it may change suitably.

It is a perspective view which shows the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the principal part of the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the angle variable means of the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The angle variable means of the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a top view which shows the state of the suction position of a suction plate, (b) is a top view which shows the state of the sticking position of a suction plate is there. It is a figure which shows the effect | action of the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) is a front view which shows the state of the retraction position of a suction plate and a suction position, (b) is the advance position and sticking position of a suction plate. It is a front view which shows the state. It is a figure which shows an example of a rotational drive mechanism in the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) is a plane sectional view, (b) is an AA sectional view taken on the line in (a).

Explanation of symbols

W Article L Label D Strip Mount C Conveyor 1 Label Supply Unit 2 Machine Stand 4 Peeling Plate 10 Suction Plate 11 Spring 12 Support Member 13 Air Jet Pipe 20 Advance / Retreat Drive Mechanism X Retreat Position Y Advance Position 21 Air Cylinder 22 Base 30 Rotation Drive Mechanism 31 Rotating shaft J Adsorption position K Pasting position 32 Fixed body 33 Movable body 40 Actuator 50 Angle variable means θ Rotation angle Q Predetermined circumference 51 Stopper 52 Stopping body 53 Spacing change mechanism 54 Bolt 55 Long hole 56 Nut 57 Manual handle 58 Detection sensor

Claims (4)

An adsorbing plate for adsorbing a label supplied from a label supply unit; and an advancing / retreating drive mechanism for moving the adsorbing plate forward and backward to two positions, a retracted position and an advanced position, and sticking the label adsorbed on the attracting plate at the advanced position to an article In a label sticking device comprising:
A suction position where the suction plate is rotated or revolved around a rotation axis along its forward / backward direction to attract the label supplied from the label supply unit at the retracted position, and a sticking position where the label is pasted to the article at the advanced position A label sticking device comprising: a rotation drive mechanism for moving the suction plate to the two positions; and an angle varying means for varying a rotation angle range of the sticking position of the suction plate with respect to the suction position. The rotational drive mechanism includes a fixed body, and a movable body that is rotated around the rotation shaft with respect to the fixed body and has the suction plate attached to the outer edge side.
The angle varying means includes a stopper provided on the fixed body side and facing a predetermined circumference centered on the rotation axis, and provided on the movable body side and facing the predetermined circumference and the stopper at the affixing position. The label affixing device according to claim 1, further comprising: an impacting body that stops the movable body by stopping at a distance; and an interval changing mechanism that can change an interval between the stopper and the stopping body. .   The spacing changing mechanism includes a bolt projecting from the stop body, a long hole formed in the movable body through which the bolt of the stop body passes and along the predetermined circumference, and the long hole A labeling device comprising: a nut that is screwed into a bolt that has been passed through and clamped to position the stopper at a desired position of the elongated hole.   The label sticking device according to claim 3, wherein the nut is provided with a manual handle for rotating the nut.

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