JP2009202911A - Label detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a label detecting device capable of detecting the position of the label easily. <P>SOLUTION: A labeling machine 100 has a contact type displacement sensor 106 which detects a plurality of the labels 320 to be temporarily spaced apart labeled on a pasteboard 310, is arranged on a transfer passage for transferring label paper 300 comprising the pasteboard 310 and the labels 320, extends in the direction approximately perpendicular to the thickness direction of the labels 320, and is expandable and contractible in the extending direction while the tip end portion contacting the labels 320 and the pasteboard 310; and a position detecting function 104 in a controller 102 which detects the position of the labels 320 based on the amount of the extension and contraction of the contact type displacement sensor 106. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a label detection apparatus that detects a plurality of labels temporarily attached to a mount at intervals.

  A so-called label printer performs printing on a plurality of labels that are temporarily attached to the mount at intervals. In such a label printer, it is necessary to detect the position of the label so that printing can be performed at an appropriate position of the label. In such label position detection, a sensor generally detects the color level of the mount and the label. However, when the label is transparent, there is no color level difference between the mount and the label. For this reason, it is necessary to use a highly sensitive sensor, resulting in an increase in cost.

  In order to solve such a problem, a method has been proposed in which the position of the label is detected by detecting the level difference between the label portion and the mount portion caused by the thickness of the label. For example, in the label sensor described in Patent Document 1, one end of a leaf spring that extends substantially parallel to the transport direction is supported on the main body above the transport path of the base sheet on which the label is temporarily attached and becomes a fixed end. A scanner having a magnet core and a winding is attached in the vicinity of the free end which is the other end. Further, a metal peeling blade is provided at a position facing the scanner across the label and the mount. In this label sensor, a leaf spring is formed, and a scanner attached to a free end of the leaf spring is brought into contact with the label portion and the mount portion while moving up and down. At this time, the distance between the magnet core and the metal peeling blade differs depending on whether the scanner is in contact with the label portion or the mount portion, and the winding voltage changes. Therefore, the position of the label, specifically, the position of the end of the label temporarily attached to the mount can be detected based on the change in voltage.

JP-A-6-56137

  However, in the label sensor described in Patent Document 1 described above, the extending direction of the leaf spring is orthogonal to the moving direction of the free end. In such a structure, strictness is required in the extending direction of the leaf spring. In other words, even when the leaf spring spring extends slightly upward from the fixed end toward the free end, a gap is created between the scanner and the label or mount, and the scanner contacts only the label, or the scanner is labeled In addition, there is a case in which the position of the end portion of the label cannot be detected. For this reason, it takes time to adjust the extending direction of the leaf spring, which hinders simple label position detection.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and provides a label detection apparatus that can easily detect the position of a label.

  According to the present invention, the label detection apparatus for detecting a plurality of labels temporarily attached to the mount with a gap is disposed on a transport path on which the mount on which the label is temporarily attached is transported, and the thickness of the label The position of the label is detected based on the expansion / contraction mechanism extending in the direction and extending / contracting in the extending direction while the front end portion is in contact with the label and the mount and the expansion / contraction amount of the expansion / contraction mechanism A position detection unit.

  According to this configuration, the expansion / contraction mechanism extends substantially parallel to the thickness direction of the label, and the front end portion expands and contracts in the extending direction while contacting the label and the mount. Based on this, the position of the label is detected. In such a configuration of the expansion / contraction mechanism, if the expansion / contraction mechanism is arranged so that the extending direction thereof is substantially parallel to the thickness direction of the label, the distal end portion can be obtained without strictly adjusting the extending direction. Can contact both the label and the mount, and the position of the label can be easily detected.

  From the same viewpoint, the label detection device according to the present invention has a signal generation unit that generates an expansion / contraction amount change signal indicating a change when the expansion / contraction amount of the expansion / contraction mechanism changes, and the position detection unit includes: You may make it detect the position where the front-end | tip of the said expansion-contraction mechanism contact | abuts at the timing which the said expansion-contraction amount change signal produced | generated as a position of the edge part of the said label.

  Further, in the label detection device according to the present invention, when the expansion / contraction amount of the expansion / contraction mechanism changes, the signal generation unit generates the expansion / contraction amount change signal having a voltage corresponding to the degree of the change. The part may detect the position where the tip of the expansion / contraction mechanism is in contact at the timing when the absolute value of the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount as the position of the end of the label.

  According to this configuration, when the expansion / contraction amount change signal of the absolute value voltage corresponding to the degree of change of the expansion / contraction amount of the expansion / contraction mechanism is generated, the absolute value of the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is less than the predetermined amount. If there is, it is regarded as an error in the amount of expansion / contraction, and only when the amount is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount, the position where the tip of the expansion / contraction mechanism is in contact at that timing is detected as the position of the end of the label. It is possible to suppress the erroneous detection of the position of the end portion of the label due to and to perform the detection more reliably.

  In the label detection device according to the present invention, the expansion / contraction mechanism may have a rotating member that contacts the tip and the mount while rotating on the label and the mount.

  According to this configuration, the friction between the front end portion of the expansion and contraction mechanism and the surface of the label and the mount that contacts the front end portion is reduced, and the surface of the label and the mount is prevented from being damaged.

  According to the present invention, even if the extending direction of the expansion / contraction mechanism is not strictly adjusted, the tip portion thereof can abut on both the label and the mount, and the position of the label can be easily detected.

  Hereinafter, a label detection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a label applicator having a label detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external view of the label sticking machine. 1 and 2, a label 320 temporarily attached to a strip-like mount (release paper) 310 in a label sheet 300 is peeled off from the mount 310 and attached to an object 140. .

  The label sticking machine 100 includes a control unit 102, a contact displacement sensor 106, an amplifier 108, a peeling / sticking unit 110, an operation panel 112, a take-up reel 114, a supply reel 120, transport rollers 121, 122, 123, and a peeling plate 124. , And a belt conveyor 130. Among these, the control unit 102 has a position detection function 104 for the label 320.

  A label paper 300 wound in a roll shape is mounted on the supply reel 120. Of the label paper 300 pulled out from the supply reel 120, the leading end of the mount 310 is mounted on the take-up reel 114 via a conveyance path that passes through conveyance rollers 121, 122, 123 and a peeling plate 124. The take-up reel 114 includes a stepping motor (not shown). By driving the stepping motor, the take-up reel 114 rotates, and the supply reel 120 and the transport rollers 121, 122, and 123 rotate according to the rotation. Then, after the label paper 300 pulled out from the supply reel 120 reaches the peeling / sticking unit 110 via the transport path, the label 320 is peeled off by the peeling / sticking part 110, and the remaining mount 310 is transferred to the transport path. Is gradually wound around the take-up reel 114.

  The control unit 102 controls the entire label sticking machine 100. Specifically, the control unit 102 displays an operation screen on the operation / display panel 112. Furthermore, when the user supports the peeling of the label 320 and the sticking to the object 400 by an action such as touching the operation screen, the take-up reel 114 is rotated in accordance with the instruction. 110 is operated and the belt conveyor 130 is driven.

  The contact displacement sensor 106 is provided between the conveyance roller 123 and the peeling plate 124 in the conveyance path of the label paper 300. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the contact-type displacement sensor 106. The contact displacement sensor 106 shown in FIG. 3 includes a main body 151, a shaft 152, and a rotating member 153.

  The main body 152 is a cylindrical member. The shaft 152 is attached to the main body 151 so as to be movable in the extending direction (the arrow direction in FIG. 3), and one end is accommodated in the main body 151. Here, the extending direction of the shaft 152 is substantially parallel to the thickness direction of the conveyed label 320. A rotating member 153 is provided at the tip of the shaft 152 opposite to the main body 151 side. The rotating member 153 is, for example, a ball bearing or a roller.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the contact-type displacement sensor 106. The rotating member 153 provided at the tip of the shaft 152 can rotate in parallel with the conveyance direction of the label paper 300 and abuts on the mount 310 and the label 320 of the label paper 300. At this time, the portion of the shaft 152 exposed from the main body 151 increases or decreases, and the contact displacement sensor 106 as a whole expands and contracts.

  Specifically, in FIG. 4A, the mount 310 is located immediately below the shaft 152. In this case, the rotating member 153 contacts the mount 310, and the length of the exposed portion of the shaft 152 in the extending direction (hereinafter referred to as “expansion / contraction amount”) is L1. On the other hand, in FIG. 4B, the label 320 is located immediately below the shaft 152. In this case, the rotating member 153 provided at the tip of the shaft 152 abuts on the label 320, and the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 is L2 shorter than L1 described above.

  Thus, the amount of expansion / contraction of the shaft 152 differs between when the rotating member 153 contacts the mount 310 and when it contacts the label 320. The contact displacement sensor 106 generates an expansion / contraction amount change signal when the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 changes. The contact displacement sensor 106 can detect, for example, a change in the amount of expansion / contraction 10 times per second and can detect a change in the amount of expansion / contraction of 1 micrometer. The voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal increases as the change in the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 increases, and the polarity differs depending on whether the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 decreases or increases.

  Various configurations for generating the expansion / contraction amount change signal are conceivable. As an example, an exciting coil is provided on the inner wall of the cylindrical main body 151, a magnet is provided at one end of the shaft 152 on the side accommodated in the main body 151, and when the shaft 151 moves, the magnet becomes hollow in the exciting coil. It is possible to enter the part. With such a configuration, when the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 changes, the magnet enters or leaves the hollow portion of the excitation coil, and thus a voltage is generated in the excitation coil. The voltage generated in the exciting coil has a larger absolute value as the change in the amount of expansion / contraction of the shaft 152 is larger, and the polarity varies depending on whether the amount of expansion / contraction of the shaft 152 decreases or increases. And can be used as an expansion / contraction amount change signal. In the following description, it is assumed that the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is positive when the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 decreases and negative when the change is increasing.

  Again, referring back to FIG. 1 and FIG. The expansion / contraction amount signal generated by the contact displacement sensor 106 is output to the amplifier 108. The amplifier 108 amplifies the input expansion / contraction amount change signal and outputs it to the control unit 102.

  When the position detection function 104 in the control unit 102 receives the expansion / contraction amount change signal from the amplifier 108, the position detection function 104 determines whether or not the absolute value of the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. In some cases, the position where the rotating member 153 is in contact at that timing is detected as the position of the end of the label 320. Specifically, when the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is positive and the value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the expansion / contraction amount change signal indicates that the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 is decreased by a predetermined amount or more. Is shown. In this case, it can be considered that the contact position of the rotating member 153 is switched from the mount 310 to the label 320, and the position detection function 104 in the control unit 102 determines the position where the rotating member 153 is in contact with the label 320. It can be detected as the position of the front end in the transport direction. On the other hand, when the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is negative and the absolute value thereof is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the expansion / contraction amount change signal indicates that the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 is increased by a predetermined amount or more. ing. In this case, it can be considered that the contact position of the rotating member 153 is switched from the label 320 to the mount 310, and the position detection function 104 in the control unit 102 determines the position where the rotating member 153 is in contact with the label 320. It can be detected as the position of the rear end in the transport direction.

  When the position of the end portion of the label 320 is detected, the control unit 102 further conveys the label 320 based on the subsequent rotation amount of the stepping motor in the take-up reel 114 and immediately below the peeling / paste unit 110. It is determined whether or not it has been reached, and if it has been reached, the peeling / sticking unit 110 is instructed to peel the label 320 from the mount 310 and stick it to the object 140.

  The peeling / sticking unit 110 is disposed at a position facing the transport roller 124 with the label paper 300 interposed therebetween, and has a configuration capable of sucking and ejecting air. In the label sheet 300, the mount 310 is folded back by the peeling plate 124, and the label 320 is fed out to the suction plate 111 by its rigidity. The suction plate 111 sucks air through a plurality of suction ports (not shown) provided in the suction plate 111 and sucks the label 320 at the timing when the label 320 is fed out. Thereafter, timing is applied to the object 140 conveyed by the conveyor 130, air is blown out from the suction port of the suction plate 111, and a label 320 is blown toward the object 140 and pasted.

  Next, operations at the time of position detection, peeling, and sticking of the label 320 by the control unit 102 will be described with reference to a flowchart. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by the control unit 102 when the position of the label 320 is detected, peeled off, and pasted. This flowchart shows the operation at the time of position detection, peeling and sticking for one label 320, and this operation is performed in parallel for each label 320.

  When the amount of expansion / contraction of the shaft 152 changes, the contact type displacement sensor 106 increases in absolute value as the change in the amount of expansion / contraction increases, and in the case of a change that increases positively when the amount of expansion / contraction decreases. The expansion / contraction amount change signal having a negative voltage is generated. The generated expansion / contraction amount change signal is amplified by the amplifier 108 and input to the control unit 102 (S101).

  When the position detection function 104 in the control unit 102 receives the expansion / contraction amount change signal from the amplifier 108, the position detection function 104 determines whether or not the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is equal to or higher than a predetermined value (S102). When the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is less than the predetermined value, the operations after the input of the amplitude amount change signal (S101) generated again by the contact displacement sensor 106 and amplified by the amplifier 108 are repeated.

  On the other hand, when the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the position detection function 104 in the control unit 102 determines the position where the rotating member 153 is in contact at that timing as the front end of the label 320 in the conveyance direction. (S103).

  Next, the control unit 102 monitors the rotation amount of the stepping motor in the take-up reel 114 after detecting the position of the front end portion of the label 320 in S103, and determines whether or not the rotation amount has reached a predetermined amount. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the label 320 whose front end position has been detected in S103 has been transported and the amount of rotation has reached just below the peeling / sticking unit 110 (S104).

  When the rotation amount of the stepping motor in the take-up reel 114 reaches a predetermined amount, the control unit 102 reaches the position immediately below the peeling / paste unit 110 after the label 320 whose front end position has been detected in S103 is conveyed. (S105), and instructs the peeling / sticking unit 110 to peel the label 320 from the mount 310 and stick it to the object 140 (S106). In accordance with this instruction, the peeling / pasting unit 110 removes the label 320 directly from the mount 310 by sucking the air by sucking air, and further moves the label 320 directly above the object 140 to remove the air. Is affixed to the object 140 conveyed by the belt conveyor 130.

  In step S103, the position detection function 104 of the control unit 102 determines the position where the rotating member 153 is in contact at the timing when the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. When the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is negative, when the absolute value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the position of the label 320 where the rotating member 153 is in contact at that timing is detected. It can also be detected as the position of the rear end in the transport direction.

  As described above, the label sticking machine 100 having the label detection device of the present embodiment has an extension of the shaft 152 that occurs when the rotating member 153 of the contact displacement sensor 106 abuts on the mount 310 and when it abuts on the label 320. The end of the label is detected on the basis of the change in the amount of expansion and contraction in the current direction. The extending direction of the shaft 152 is substantially parallel to the thickness direction of the label 320 to be conveyed and expands and contracts in the extending direction. Therefore, the rotating member can be rotated without adjusting the extending direction of the shaft 152. 153 can be in contact with both the label 320 and the mount 310, and the position of the label can be easily determined based on the amount of expansion / contraction of the shaft 152 that is different between when the rotating member 153 is in contact with the label 320 and when it is in contact with the mount 310. Can be detected.

  By the way, although embodiment mentioned above demonstrated the case where the label sticking machine 100 had a label detection apparatus, this invention is applicable similarly when another apparatus has a label detection apparatus.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a label printer having a label detection device. The printer 200 shown in FIG. 6 has a thermal head 110 instead of the peeling / sticking unit 110 as compared with the label sticking machine 100 shown in FIG.

  In this label printer 200, the contact displacement sensor 106 is composed of a main body 151, a shaft 152, and a rotating member 153 as shown in FIG. 3, and the shaft 152 is substantially the same as the thickness direction of the label 320. The voltage extends in parallel and expands and contracts in the extending direction, and the absolute value increases as the change in the amount of expansion / contraction of the shaft 152 increases, and the amount of expansion / contraction of the shaft 152 decreases. An expansion / contraction amount change signal of a voltage that is positive in the case of a change and negative in the case of an increasing change is generated.

  The position detection function 104 in the control unit 102 receives the expansion / contraction amount change signal generated by the contact displacement sensor 106 and amplified by the amplifier 108 as described above. Further, in the position detection function 104 in the control unit 102, when the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is positive and the value is a predetermined value or more, the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 is decreased by a predetermined amount or more. And the contact position of the rotating member 153 is regarded as being switched from the mount 310 to the label 320, and the position where the rotating member 153 is in contact is detected as the position of the front end portion of the label 320 in the conveying direction. On the other hand, the position detection function 104 in the control unit 102 increases the expansion / contraction amount of the shaft 152 by a predetermined amount or more when the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is negative and the absolute value thereof is a predetermined value or more. It is determined that the contact position of the rotating member 153 is switched from the label 320 to the mount 310, and the position where the rotating member 153 is in contact is detected as the position of the rear end portion in the conveyance direction of the label 320.

  When the position of the end portion of the label 320 is detected, the control unit 102 further conveys the label 320 and reaches directly below the thermal head 210 based on the amount of rotation of the stepping motor in the take-up reel 114 thereafter. In the case of reaching, the print data is output to the thermal head 210 and printing on the label 320 is instructed.

  The thermal head 210 prints information corresponding to print data from the control unit 102 (for example, information that can be visually recognized or optically recognized such as characters, barcodes, and two-dimensional codes) on the surface of the label 320.

  As described above, the label detection apparatus according to the present invention can easily detect the position of the label and is useful as a label detection apparatus.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the label sticking machine which has a label detection apparatus. It is an external view of the label sticking machine which has a label detection apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of a contact-type displacement sensor. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of a contact-type displacement sensor. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of label position detection, peeling, and sticking by a control part. It is a figure which shows the structure of the label printer which has a label detection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Label sticking machine 102 Control part 104 Position detection function 106 Contact-type displacement sensor 108 Amplifier 110 Peeling and sticking part 111 Suction plate 112 Operation and display panel 114 Take-up reel 120 Supply reel 121,122,123 Conveying roller 124 Peeling plate 130 Belt Conveyor 140 Object 151 Main body 152 Shaft 153 Rotating member 210 Thermal head 300 Label paper 310 Mount 320 Label

Claims (4)

A label detection device that detects a plurality of labels temporarily attached to a mount with a space between them,
It is disposed on a transport path on which the mount on which the label is temporarily attached is transported, extends substantially parallel to the thickness direction of the label, and the extending direction while the tip portion is in contact with the label and the mount A telescopic mechanism that can be stretched,
A label detection apparatus comprising: a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the label based on an expansion / contraction amount of the expansion / contraction mechanism. When the expansion / contraction amount of the expansion / contraction mechanism changes, it has a signal generation unit that generates an expansion / contraction amount change signal indicating the change,
The label detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position detection unit detects a position at which a tip of the expansion / contraction mechanism abuts at a timing when the expansion / contraction amount change signal is generated as a position of an end of the label. When the expansion / contraction amount of the expansion / contraction mechanism changes, the signal generation unit generates the expansion / contraction amount change signal having a voltage corresponding to the degree of the change,
The position detection unit detects, as a position of an end portion of the label, a position where the tip of the expansion / contraction mechanism is in contact at a timing when the absolute value of the voltage of the expansion / contraction amount change signal is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The label detection device according to 1.   4. The label detection device according to claim 1, wherein the expansion and contraction mechanism has a rotating member that rotates and contacts the label and the mount at the tip portion. 5.

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