JP2008285245A - Recording information update device of rewritable label and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording information update device of a rewritable label capable of updating the recording information of the rewritable label of a plurality of conveying containers without requiring much manpower and time by moving the information update device in such a state that the conveying container applying the rewritable label is stacked into a plurality of stages. <P>SOLUTION: The recording information update device of the rewritable label (10) attached to a reusable conveying container (9) is equipped with a device body which stores and fixes the reusable conveying container stacked into a plurality of stages and an information update means (2) which sequentially moves to the position of the rewritable label attached to all of the reusable conveying container stored and fixed to the device body, and executes the update of the recording information of the rewritable label. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a rewritable label record information update device for a reusable transport container (also referred to as a returnable box) in a physical distribution system, and more particularly to an apparatus for executing rewritable label record information update in a stacked state.

A typical example of using a returnable box in a distribution system is a picking instruction system.
The following labels are known as reusable labels. (See Patent Document 1)
“As a reversible thermal paper using a reversible thermal recording material, for example, a leuco-based rewritable thermal paper using an electron donating dye precursor has been developed. When the acid atmosphere is removed, the lactone ring closes and returns to a colorless state.The leuco rewritable thermal paper contains this electron-donating dye precursor and a reversible developer. A reversible color developer is one that reacts with an electron-donating dye precursor to develop reversibility of color development / decoloration, and has a long-chain alkyl group, for example. Phenol compounds are used.

  FIG. 7 is a characteristic explanatory diagram of the above-described reversible thermal paper. In this figure, the horizontal axis indicates the temperature, and the vertical axis indicates the color density. As shown by the arrows in this figure, when a reversible thermosensitive recording layer (for example, comprising an electron donating dye precursor and a reversible developer) in a decolored state (A) is heated, both melt and become a colored state (B). When this is rapidly cooled, it solidifies in a state close to the molten state and maintains the solid color state (C). On the contrary, when it is gradually cooled from the molten state (B), the electron-donating dye precursor and the reversible developer are phase-separated to return to the original decolored state (A). Further, in the solid color development state (C), there is a property of transitioning to the original decoloring state (A) when held for a certain time in a temperature range slightly lower than the molten state. This temperature region (a temperature region slightly lower than the melting temperature) is referred to as a “decoloring temperature region”.

In addition, the present applicant has already filed a patent application (Patent Document 2) as a record information update device for a label attached to a reusable transport container using the above-described reversible thermal paper label (hereinafter referred to as a rewritable label). See).
The patent application discloses the following matters.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a system for updating record information of a label attached to a reusable transport container.
In FIG. 8, reference numeral 21 denotes a recording information update device. The recording information update device includes an information erasing unit 22 having a heating roller 22a as recording information erasing means and a thermal head 23a as information writing means. The unit 23 is provided.
The information erasing unit and the information writing unit are mounted so as to be movable in the arrow direction so as to be in close contact with a label 24 described later.
In FIG. 8, the arrow indicating the moving direction is shown only in the horizontal direction, but it may be configured to move in the vertical direction according to the position of the label.
In FIG. 8, the information erasing unit and the information writing unit are formed separately, but the information erasing unit and the information writing unit may be integrally formed.
The label 24 is affixed to the side surface of a reusable transport container (for example, a return box) 25 that moves on a conveyor 26, and is composed of reversible thermal paper that can erase and write recorded information. .

Next, the operation of FIG. 8 will be described below.
When the reusable transport container 25 on the conveyor 26 moves and the recording information update device approaches by a detection device (not shown), first, the heating roller 22a attached to the information erasing unit 22 is brought into close contact with the label 24, By heating the reversible thermosensitive recording layer of the label (for example, consisting of an electron donating dye precursor and a reversible developer) by the heating roller, the colored state C in FIG. 7 is changed to the molten state (B) in FIG. When this is slowly cooled, the electron-donating dye precursor and the reversible developer are phase-separated to return to the original decolored state (A), so that the old recorded information recorded on the label can be erased.
Next, the thermal head 23a attached to the information recording unit 23 is moved in close contact with the label from which the old recorded information has been erased by the heating roller, and the label in the decolored state (A) in FIG. When the reversible thermosensitive recording layer (for example, consisting of an electron donating dye precursor and a reversible developer) is heated, both melt and develop into a colored state (B). Since the state (C) is maintained, new information can be recorded.
In FIG. 8, a heating roller is used as the erasing means, but a metal plate heated to a specific temperature can also be used.

As the information recorded on the label 24 by the thermal head, not only characters and symbols but also various information such as a barcode and a two-dimensional barcode can be used.
Further, instead of recording with the thermal head, it is also possible to record in a non-contact state with the laser beam.
The laser beam is shown in FIG.
9 is the same as FIG. 8 except that 27 is a laser oscillator and 28 is a laser beam.
Furthermore, by using together with the conventional contactless information reading (RFID) using an IC card, it is possible to achieve both a large amount of data handling and visualization using a label.

The recording information before the recording information was written by the laser beam in FIG. 9 was erased by a thermal head as shown in FIG.
JP, 2002-215038, A (0015), (0018) JP 2007-76122 A

However, in the conventional rewritable label recording information updating apparatus, the reusable transport container is an empty reusable transport container after the article is put in the transport container and transported to a store or the like. Are stacked on a cart and returned to be reused.
And when reusing, another item can be put in the reusable transport container or transported to another store, so the rewritable label affixed to the reusable transport container However, in the conventional apparatus, the rewritable label recording information erasing / writing means are arranged along the belt conveyor, so that the reusable transport container returned from the carriage to the belt There is a problem that it takes a lot of manpower and time because it needs to be transferred to the conveyor and passed in front of the erasable / writable means of the rewritable label record information of the reusable transport container on the belt conveyor. It was.

  Problem (object) of the present invention, recording information of rewritable labels of a plurality of reusable transport containers by moving an information updating device in a state where a plurality of reusable transport containers with rewritable labels attached are stacked. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recordable information update apparatus (method) for rewritable labels that can be updated without much manpower and time.

In order to solve the above problem, a rewritable label recording information update device affixed to a reusable transport container,
An apparatus main body for storing and fixing the reusable transport container in a stacked state; and
It comprises information updating means for sequentially moving to the position of the rewritable label affixed to all the reusable transport containers housed and fixed in the apparatus main body, and updating the record information of the rewritable label. And (Claim 1)

In the embodiment described below, the information updating unit is composed of one laser beam irradiation unit common to the erasing unit and the writing unit. However, the erasing unit and the writing unit may be configured separately. It is.
In this case, the erasing means irradiates a plurality of rewritable labels in a state where hot air or the like is stacked (at the time of erasing, it is not always necessary to have one rewritable level), and the recording information of all rewritable labels After erasing, it is also possible to write it while being fixed in the main unit as in the embodiment.

Further, in the embodiment described below, the information updating means is configured by stacking reusable transport containers of the same size, and the attached rewritable labels are arranged above and below substantially the same position. However, by photographing the position of the rewritable label with an imaging means (not shown) and transmitting the position information to a computer (server) (not shown), there is a variation in the position of the rewritable label, It is possible to cope with the case where there is a difference in the size of the reusable transport container.
In that case, the position information of the rewritable labels of the reusable transport containers one by one is obtained from the computer, and the information updating means moves up, down, left and right.

  Further, in the above configuration, only the update of the record information of the rewritable label affixed to the reusable transport container is executed, but the reusable transport container has an RFID separately from the rewritable label. When the (tag) is provided, it is desirable to update the record information of the RFID (tag) together with the update of the record information of the rewritable label.

A method for updating record information of a rewritable label affixed to a reusable transport container,
Storing and fixing the reusable transport container in a stacked state in a plurality of stages at a predetermined position of the apparatus body;
Moving the information updating means to the position of a rewritable label affixed to a reusable transport container housed and fixed in the apparatus body;
Updating the record information of the rewritable label;
And updating the record information of all the rewritable labels. (Claim 2)

  In the step of moving the information updating means, the reusable transport containers of the same size are stacked and the attached rewritable labels are arranged above and below substantially the same position in accordance with the embodiment described below. Presupposes things.

However, in the configuration of claim 2, the arrangement state of the rewritable label affixed to the reusable transport container stacked in a plurality of stages by an imaging means or the like (not shown) is photographed and rewritable to a computer (server) (not shown). Sending the label location information;
The information updating means moves and controls the rewritable label position information of each reusable transport container one by one based on the position information of the rewritable label from the computer. It is possible to cope with a case where there is a variation in the position of the container or a case where there is a difference in the size of the reusable transfer container.

A recording information update method for updating rewritable label recording information affixed to a reusable transport container with a laser beam,
Storing and fixing the reusable transport container stacked in a plurality of stages at a predetermined position;
Moving the focus of the laser beam to the erasure position of the rewritable label to be updated;
Erasing the record information of the rewritable label to be updated;
Moving the focus of the laser beam to the writing position of the rewritable label to be updated;
The step of writing the record information on the rewritable label to be updated, and sequentially updating the record information of all the rewritable labels,
And updating the RFID information provided in the reusable transport container separately from the rewritable label. (Claim 3)

According to the above configuration, the erasing unit and the writing unit as the information updating unit can be configured by a common laser beam irradiation unit.
This erasing position is a position where the focal point of the laser beam is greatly deviated from the surface of the rewritable label (several tens of mm). In this state, the laser beam is spread on the surface of the rewritable label. By scanning with a laser, the surface of the rewritable label can be heated to a temperature in the “decoloring temperature region” (temperature region slightly lower than the melting temperature) shown in FIG. 7, and information recorded on the rewritable label Can be erased.

  This writing position is a position where the focal point of the laser beam is formed on the surface of the rewritable label. In this state, the laser beam is focused on the surface of the rewritable label. ), The surface of the rewritable label can be heated to the melting temperature shown in FIG. 7, and new information is recorded on the rewritable label.

  According to the first to third aspects of the invention, the information update device is moved in a state where a plurality of transport containers having rewritable labels attached thereto are stacked, thereby updating the record information of the rewritable labels of the plurality of transport containers. It is possible to realize a rewritable label recording information updating apparatus (method) that can be performed without much manpower and time.

The configuration of the rewritable label recording information updating apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is an external view of a device main body of a rewritable label recording information updating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, one column of the gantry is shown in a broken state so that other parts can be easily seen.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a frame (basic skeleton) of an apparatus main body for storing and fixing the reusable transport container 9 in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages on a cart 14 with casters shown in FIG. In the apparatus, a cover or the like is attached to the outside.
In FIG. 3, reusable transport containers are stacked on a cart with a plurality of casters, but it is not essential to stack on a cart with casters. It may be stacked.

Reference numeral 2 denotes information update means for executing update of the record information of the rewritable label which can be moved up and down (and left and right as required), which is a feature of the rewritable label record information update apparatus of the present invention.
The information update means includes a laser beam irradiation means for erasing information recorded on a rewritable label attached to a reusable transport container and recording new information, and the reusable transport container. RFID information updating means for changing the recorded content of the RFID attached to the carrier is placed on the carrier 3.
The RFID information updating means for changing the recorded content of the RFID can be omitted depending on circumstances.

The carrier 3 is installed so as to be movable up and down via a movable shaft 5 at a position corresponding to a reusable rewritable label which is an information update target by a motor 4 attached to the gantry 1.
Although not clearly shown in FIG. 1, the carrier 3 can be moved left and right according to a position corresponding to a reusable rewritable label that is a subject of information update by a motor different from the motor 4. It is desirable that it is installed.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a fixed guide (reference guide) for storing and fixing the reusable transport container in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages on a cart with casters in an apparatus main body surrounded by the gantry.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a movable guide for fixing the reusable transfer container in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages on the cart 14 with casters while being housed in the apparatus body surrounded by the gantry.
The movable guide 7 is fixed by an actuator 8 as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a guide guide for moving the reusable transport container in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages on the cart with casters 14 in the direction of A in order to store and discharge the container in the apparatus main body.

  13 is a detection sensor, which recognizes the height and stacking pattern of reusable transport containers in a state where the reusable transport containers stacked in a plurality of stages on the cart 14 with casters are housed in the apparatus main body. It is a sensor, The drive of the said recording update means is controlled according to the detection output of this sensor.

In addition, in FIG. 1, the information updating unit is configured by stacking reusable transport containers of the same size, and the attached rewritable labels are arranged above and below substantially the same position. If the position of the rewritable label varies, it can be reused by photographing the position of the rewritable label with an imaging means and transmitting the position information to a computer (server) (not shown). It is possible to deal with cases where there is a difference in the size of the transport container.
In that case, the position information of the rewritable labels of the reusable transport containers one by one is obtained from the computer, and the information updating means moves up, down, left and right.

  FIG. 2 shows the reusable transfer container in a state where a plurality of stages are stacked on the carriage or the like by the actuator 8 provided on the movable guide 7 when viewed from the upper surface in a state where the container is housed and fixed in the apparatus body surrounded by the mount. The reusable transport container 9 is housed and fixed in the apparatus main body by driving the fixed guide 6 and the movable guide 7 by an actuator 8.

In FIG. 2, 10 is a rewritable label affixed to the reusable transport container, and 11 is an RFID (tag).
RFID (RADIO-FREQUENCY-IDENTIFICATION) (tag) is, for example, a function of writing new information to the card and reading the information by contacting the card with a signal such as a microwave (ultra-high frequency) It has a function to display on.

The reason why the reusable transport container is reliably housed and fixed in the apparatus main body by driving the actuator 8 with the fixed guide 6 and the movable guide 7 is to reliably update the information on the rewritable label. .
The reusable transport container is housed and fixed in the apparatus main body in addition to the structure shown in FIG. 1, the rewritable label affixed to the reusable transport container and the information update means are relative to each other. Other configurations can be employed as long as the configuration can reliably maintain the target positional relationship.

Next, the reusable transport container in a state where a plurality of stages are stacked on the caster-mounted carriage 14 will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 3, the rewritable label 10 and the RFID (tag) 11 attached to each of the reusable transport containers in a state where a plurality of reusable transport containers 9 are stacked on the cart 14 with casters. It is lined up and down.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the apparatus main body of the rewritable label recording information updating apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 4 as well, one side of the gantry is shown in a broken state to make it easier to see other parts.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a frame (basic skeleton) of an apparatus main body for storing and fixing the reusable transport container 9 in a state where a plurality of stages are stacked on a cart 14 with casters shown in FIG. In the apparatus, a cover or the like is attached to the outside.
In FIG. 6, reusable transport containers are stacked on a cart 14 with a plurality of casters, but it is not essential to stack on a cart 14 with a caster. Only a plurality of layers may be stacked.

Reference numeral 2 denotes information update means for executing update of the record information of the rewritable label which can be moved up and down (and left and right as required), which is a feature of the rewritable label record information update apparatus of the present invention.
The information update means includes a laser beam irradiation means for erasing information recorded on a rewritable label attached to a reusable transport container and recording new information, and the reusable transport container. Two RFID information update means for changing the recorded content of the RFID affixed to each are placed on the carrier.
The RFID information updating means for changing the recorded content of the RFID can be omitted depending on circumstances.

The carrier 3 is installed so as to be movable up and down via a movable shaft 5 at a position corresponding to a reusable rewritable label which is an information update target by a motor 4 attached to the gantry 1.
Further, although not clearly shown in FIG. 4, the carrier 3 can be moved to the left and right according to the position corresponding to the reusable rewritable label which is the information update target by a motor different from the motor 4. It is desirable that it is installed.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a fixed guide (reference guide) for storing and fixing the reusable transport container in a state where a plurality of stages are stacked on the cart 14 with casters, etc., in the apparatus main body surrounded by the mount.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a movable guide for fixing the reusable transfer container in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages on the cart or the like while being accommodated in the apparatus body surrounded by the gantry.
The movable guide 7 is fixed by an actuator 8 as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a guide guide for moving the reusable transport container in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages on a cart with casters in the direction of A in order to store and discharge the container in the apparatus main body.

  13 is a detection sensor, which recognizes the height and stacking pattern of reusable transport containers in a state where the reusable transport containers stacked in a plurality of stages on the cart 14 with casters are housed in the apparatus main body. It is a sensor, The drive of the said recording update means is controlled according to the detection output of this sensor.

Further, in FIG. 4, the information update means is configured by stacking reusable transport containers of the same size, and the attached rewritable labels are arranged above and below substantially the same position. If the position of the rewritable label varies, it can be reused by photographing the position of the rewritable label with an imaging means and transmitting the position information to a computer (server) (not shown). It is possible to deal with cases where there is a difference in the size of the transport container.
In that case, the position information of the rewritable labels of the reusable transport containers one by one is obtained from the computer, and the information updating means moves up, down, left and right.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which the reusable transport containers stacked in a plurality of stages on the carriage or the like by the actuator 8 provided on the movable guide 7 are stored and fixed in the apparatus body surrounded by the gantry for two rows. As seen from above, the reusable transport container 9 is housed and fixed in the apparatus main body by driving the fixed guide 6 and the movable guide 7 with an actuator 8.

Reference numeral 10 in FIG. 5 denotes a rewritable label attached to the reusable transport container.
Although the RFID (tag) is not attached in FIG. 5, it is possible to use the RFID (tag) together.

The reason why the reusable transport container is reliably housed and fixed in the apparatus main body by driving the actuator 8 with the fixed guide 6 and the movable guide 7 is to reliably update the information on the rewritable label. .
The reusable transport container is housed and fixed in the apparatus main body in addition to the structure as shown in FIG. 4, the rewritable label affixed to the reusable transport container and the information update means are relative to each other. Other configurations can be employed as long as the configuration can reliably maintain the target positional relationship.

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, two rows of reusable transport containers in a state where a plurality of stages are stacked on the caster-mounted carriage 14 will be described.
In FIG. 6, a plurality of reusable transport containers 9 are stacked in two rows on a cart 14 with casters, and the rewritable labels 10 attached to the respective reusable transport containers are arranged substantially vertically. It has been.

  According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, the recording information of the rewritable labels of a plurality of transport containers is updated by moving the information update device in a state where the transport containers having the rewritable labels attached are stacked in a plurality of stages on a cart or the like Therefore, the rewritable label recording information updating apparatus (method) can be realized without requiring a lot of human labor and time, so that the industrial applicability is extremely large.

1 is an external view of an apparatus main body of a rewritable label recording information updating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which looked at the reusable conveyance container of the state piled up on the caster trolley | bogie from the upper surface of the state accommodated and fixed to the apparatus main body surrounded by the stand. It is a figure which shows the reusable conveyance container in the state piled up in multiple steps | paragraphs on the cart with a caster. It is an external view of 2nd Embodiment of the apparatus main body of the recording information update apparatus of the rewritable label of this invention. It is the figure which looked from the upper surface of the state which accommodated and fixed the reusable conveyance container of the state piled up on the trolley | bogie in the apparatus main body surrounded by two rows. It is a figure which shows the reusable conveyance container of 2 rows of the state piled up on the trolley | bogie with a caster. It is explanatory drawing explaining the characteristic of reversible thermal paper. It is a perspective view of the system which updates the recording information of the label affixed on the reusable conveyance container with a thermal head. It is a perspective view of the system which updates the recording information of the label affixed on the reusable conveyance container with a laser beam.

Explanation of symbols

1: Stand 2: Information update means 3: Carrier 4: Motor 5: Movable shaft 6: Fixed (reference) guide 7: Movable guide 8: Actuator 9: Reusable transport container (return box)
10: Rewritable label 11: RFID (tag)
12: Guide 13: Detection sensor 14: Dolly with casters

Claims (3)

A rewritable label record information update device affixed to a reusable transport container,
An apparatus main body for storing and fixing the reusable transport container in a stacked state; and
Information update means for sequentially moving to the position of the rewritable label affixed to all the reusable transport containers stored and fixed in the apparatus main body, and updating the record information of the rewritable label;
A rewritable label recording information updating apparatus comprising: A method for updating record information of a rewritable label affixed to a reusable transport container,
Storing and fixing the reusable transport container in a stacked state in a plurality of stages at a predetermined position of the apparatus body;
Moving the information updating means to the position of a rewritable label affixed to a reusable transport container housed and fixed in the apparatus body;
Updating the record information of the rewritable label;
And renewing the record information of the rewritable label, wherein the record information of the rewritable label is updated. A recording information update method for updating rewritable label recording information affixed to a reusable transport container with a laser beam,
Storing and fixing the reusable transport container stacked in a plurality of stages at a predetermined position of the apparatus main body; and
Moving the focus of the laser beam to the erasure position of the rewritable label to be updated;
Erasing the record information of the rewritable label to be updated;
Moving the focus of the laser beam to the writing position of the rewritable label to be updated;
The step of writing the record information on the rewritable label to be updated, and sequentially updating the record information of all the rewritable labels,
Updating the RFID information provided in the reusable transport container separately from the rewritable label,
A recorded information update method comprising:

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