JP2021031140A - Head mechanism of label pasting device, label pasting device and label pasting method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a head mechanism of label pasting device capable of pasting a label evenly on a pasting surface of an inclined object with a simple constitution, to provide a label pasting device and a label pasting method.SOLUTION: A head mechanism 100 of a label pasting device includes: a label holding tool 110 for holding a label to be pasted to an object; a shaft 120 whose tip is fixed to the label holding tool 110, and which extends in the direction being separated from the label holding tool 110; a pressing plate 130 in which a through-hole 131 where the shaft 120 is inserted is formed, in which the diameter of the through-hole 131 is larger than the diameter of the shaft 120, and which supports the shaft 120 so that it can be inclined; and an energizing member 140 for energizing the label holding tool 110 so that the label holding tool 110 is separated from the pressing plate 130.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a head mechanism of a label sticking device, a label sticking device, and a label sticking method.

A label containing information such as a control number is affixed to the end face of a steel material manufactured at a steel mill or the like, which is useful for efficient management of the steel material. Since the end face of the steel material is cut by a cut-and-sew, a laser cutter, or the like, it is not always a smooth surface suitable for attaching a label, and there may be a partial inclination.

Therefore, even when the end face of the steel material has a partial inclination, a label sticking device for uniformly sticking the label to the end face of the steel material is being developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a label affixing device that detects the position and orientation of an end face of a steel material from a camera image, moves four welding electrodes based on the result, and welds a metal label to the end face of the steel material. Has been done.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-117295

In the labeling device of Patent Document 1, each device such as a camera and an air cylinder is connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via wiring or the like, and each device is normally connected even when it is close to the end face of a steel material in a high temperature state. It is also necessary to take measures against heat so that it works. Therefore, the configuration is complicated, and there is room for improvement in terms of manufacturing cost and ease of maintenance. Then, such a problem exists not only when the label is attached to the end surface of the steel material but also when the label is attached to the affixed surface of another object.

The present invention has been made based on such a background, and is a head mechanism of a label sticking device capable of uniformly sticking a label on a sticking surface of an object having an inclination while having a simple structure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a label affixing device and a label affixing method.

In order to achieve the above object, the head mechanism of the labeling device according to the first aspect of the present invention is
A label holder that holds the label to be attached to the object,
A shaft whose tip is fixed to the label holder and extends in a direction away from the label holder.
A through hole through which the shaft is inserted is formed, and the diameter of the through hole is larger than the diameter of the shaft.
An urging means for urging the label holder so that the label holder is separated from the pressing plate.
To be equipped.

A regulating means provided on the base end side of the shaft, which comes into contact with the pressing plate when the shaft moves to the tip end side and restricts the further movement of the shaft to the tip end side may be provided.

The regulating means is provided with a through hole through which the shaft can be inserted, and by moving the regulating means in the longitudinal direction of the shaft while the shaft is inserted into the through hole of the regulating means, the regulating means is referred to the shaft. It may be configured so that the position of the shaft in the longitudinal direction can be adjusted.

The pressing plate includes a chamfered portion around the through hole of the pressing plate.
The regulating means may be formed in a shape complementary to the shape of the chamfered portion, and may include a stopper that comes into contact with the chamfered portion when the shaft moves toward the tip end side.

The chamfered portion is formed in a conical shape.
The stopper may be formed in a conical shape complementary to the shape of the chamfered portion.

The label holder is
A plate fixed to the tip of the shaft and
A pad that is fixed to the flat surface of the plate, can adsorb the label, and deforms according to the surface of the object when pressed against the object.
May be provided.

The tiltable angle of the shaft with respect to the pressing plate is set to be equal to the absolute value of the maximum tilt angle of the sticking surface of the object or larger than the absolute value of the maximum tilt angle of the sticking surface of the object. May be good.

In order to achieve the above object, the labeling device according to the second aspect of the present invention is
With the head mechanism
A moving mechanism that supports the head mechanism and moves the label holder of the head mechanism so as to press it against an object.
A controller that is communicably connected to the moving mechanism and controls the operation of the moving mechanism.
To be equipped.

In order to achieve the above object, the labeling method according to the third aspect of the present invention is
A holding process in which the label holder holds the label to be attached to the surface to which the object is attached,
By pressing the label holder whose label is held by the holding step in a posture that follows the inclination of the sticking surface of the object, the label held by the label holder is stuck on the sticking surface of the object. Process and
A pulling step of pulling the label holder away from the object to which the label is stuck by the sticking step, and a pulling step.
including.

According to the present invention, when the pressing plate is pressed against the sticking surface of the object, the label holder follows the inclination of the sticking surface of the object. Therefore, it is possible to provide a head mechanism of a label sticking device, a label sticking device, and a label sticking method capable of uniformly sticking a label on a sticking surface of an object having an inclination while having a simple structure.

It is a side view which shows the structure of the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of the label sticking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the head mechanism which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the relationship between the shaft and the pressing plate which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view which shows the relationship between the regulation member and a pressing plate when the label holder which concerns on embodiment of this invention is pressed against an end face of a steel material. It is an enlarged view which shows the relationship between the regulation member and a pressing plate when the label holder which concerns on embodiment of this invention is tilted following an end face of a steel material. It is an enlarged view which shows the relationship between the regulation member and a pressing plate when the label holder which concerns on embodiment of this invention is not pressed against an end face of a steel material. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the label sticking process which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the head mechanism of the label sticking device, the label sticking device, and the label sticking method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the embodiment, the transport direction of the conveyor that transports the steel material is the X-axis direction, and the directions (front-back direction) that are on the same horizontal plane as the X-axis direction and orthogonal to the X-axis direction are the Y-axis direction, the X-axis direction, and the Y-axis. The direction orthogonal to the direction (vertical direction) is defined as the Z-axis direction. Further, the direction from the label sticking device in the Y-axis direction toward the steel material is expressed as "forward", and the direction from the steel material toward the label sticking device is expressed as "backward". Hereinafter, a steel material will be described as an example of a label affixing object, but the label affixing object is not limited to the steel material.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of the label sticking device 1 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the label sticking device 1. In FIG. 2, the steel material 3 is not shown for ease of understanding.

The label affixing device 1 is a device for affixing a label to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. The steel material 3 includes, for example, unrolled steel pieces such as slabs, coils, billets, and blooms, cast products, and shaped steels such as L-shaped steel and angle steel. The steel material 3 is not limited to the one in the normal temperature state, and includes the one in the high temperature state of about 400 ° C. to about 900 ° C.

The label is, for example, a heat-resistant label having heat resistance that does not stain even when attached to a high-temperature steel material 3. Information such as characters, symbols or various codes (for example, bar code, two-dimensional code) indicating the type and control number of the steel material 3 is described on the label. The label is printed by the printer 2 installed on the side of the label sticking device 1, placed on the tray 2c of the transport device 2b traveling on the rail 2a, and transported from the printer 2 to the label sticking device 1 by the transport device 2b. Label.

The label affixing device 1 is installed on the side of the conveyor that conveys the steel material 3. Each steel material 3 is placed on the conveyor so that its longitudinal direction faces the direction perpendicular to the conveyor transport direction (X-axis direction) (Y-axis direction), and is sequentially conveyed toward the label affixing device 1. After receiving the label from the tray 2c of the transport device 2b, the label affixing device 1 moves the label to a position facing the end face 3a of the stationary steel material 3 on the conveyor, and presses the label against the end face 3a of the steel material 3. As a result, a label is attached to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3.

The label affixing device 1 supports a head mechanism 100 for affixing a label to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 and a head mechanism 100, and the head mechanism 100 is placed at a home position, a position for receiving a label from a conveyor 2b (label receiving position), and a steel material. A moving mechanism 200 that moves the label to the position where the label is attached to the end surface 3a of the third (label affixing position), an end face detection sensor 300 that detects the position of the end face 3a of the steel material 3 conveyed by the conveyor, and an end face detection sensor 300. A controller 400 that controls the operation of the head mechanism 100 and the moving mechanism 200 based on the detection result of the above.

The head mechanism 100 is connected to a negative pressure source via, for example, a tube, and by operating the negative pressure source, the label is attracted and held.

The moving mechanism 200 moves the head mechanism 100 in each of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction, and rotates the head mechanism 100 around the AX axis extending in the X-axis direction as shown by the arrow A in FIG. Further, the moving mechanism 200 advances or retracts the head mechanism 100 that is swiveled at an arbitrary angle around the AX axis. The moving mechanism 200 includes a push-pull cylinder 210, a swivel cylinder 220, a horizontal moving mechanism 230, a front-back moving mechanism 240, a vertical moving mechanism 250, and a base 260.

The push-pull cylinder 210 supports the base end portion of the head mechanism 100 at its tip end portion, and pushes and pulls the head mechanism 100 in the longitudinal direction as shown by an arrow B in FIG. The swivel cylinder 220 supports the push-pull cylinder 210 at its tip, and as shown by the arrow A in FIG. 1, the push-pull cylinder 210 extends downward in the Z-axis direction and forward in the Y-axis direction. It is configured to be able to turn 90 ° around the AX axis so as to take.

The horizontal movement mechanism 230 supports the swivel cylinder 220 and moves the swivel cylinder 220 horizontally in the X-axis direction. The front-back movement mechanism 240 supports the horizontal movement mechanism 230 and moves the horizontal movement mechanism 230 in the Y-axis direction. The vertical movement mechanism 250 supports the front-back movement mechanism 240 and moves the front-back movement mechanism 240 in the Z-axis direction. The horizontal movement mechanism 230, the front-back movement mechanism 240, and the vertical movement mechanism 250 include servomotors for operating the respective mechanisms.

The base 260 is a long member installed on a floor surface or the like and extending upward in the Z-axis direction from the floor surface, and supports the vertical movement mechanism 250 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction. The base 260 includes, for example, a flange having a through hole formed on the bottom surface side. The base 260 is fixed to the floor surface or the like by inserting an implant bolt fixed to the floor surface or the like through a through hole of the flange and tightening a nut against the implant bolt.

The end face detection sensor 300 is communicably connected to the controller 400 and detects the position of the end face 3a of the steel material 3, for example, the center position of the end face 3a of the steel material 3. The end face detection sensor 300 includes, for example, a reflection type laser range finder. The end face detection sensor 300 irradiates the end face 3a of the steel material 3 with the laser light from the reflection type laser range finder, receives the reflected light, detects the position of the end face 3a of the steel material 3, and controls the detection result. Provide to 400.

The controller 400 receives the label placed on the tray 2c of the transfer device 2b and attaches it to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3, so that the printer 2, the transfer device 2b, the negative pressure source connected to the head mechanism 100, and the moving mechanism 200 Controls the operation of the push-pull cylinder 210, the swivel cylinder 220, and the servomotor.

The controller 400 is, for example, a programmable logic controller that supplies control signals to a servo amplifier that controls a servomotor based on feedback from an encoder, a push-pull cylinder 210, a swivel cylinder 220, a servo amplifier, and the like of the moving mechanism 200. It includes a controller (Programmable Logic Controller: PLC). The PLC includes, for example, a memory for storing a program and a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes processing according to the program.
The above is the configuration of the label affixing device 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of the head mechanism 100 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 3, the label held by the head mechanism 100 is pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3, but the label is not shown for ease of understanding. Further, FIG. 3 illustrates a case where the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 is tilted with respect to the reference surface (XZ plane).

The head mechanism 100 includes a label holder 110 that holds the label, a shaft 120 that is fixed to the label holder 110 and extends in a direction away from the label holder 110, and a through hole through which the shaft 120 is movably inserted in the longitudinal direction. The pressing plate 130 on which the 131 is formed, the urging member 140 extending along the longitudinal direction of the shaft 120 and urging the label holder 110 in the direction away from the pressing plate 130, and the base end portion of the shaft 120 are provided. A regulating member 150 that comes into contact with the pressing plate 130 and regulates the movement of the shaft 120 when the shaft 120 moves toward the tip end is provided.

The label holder 110 attracts the label placed on the tray 2c of the transport device 2b and presses it against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 to attach the label to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. The label holder 110 includes a plate 111 fixed to the tip of the shaft 120, and a pad 112 fixed to the surface of the plate 111 opposite to the surface to which the shaft 120 is fixed and in contact with the label.

The plate 111 is, for example, a metal plate having a flat surface portion. The plate 111 is formed with a plurality of suction through holes that penetrate the plate 111. The suction through hole is connected to the negative pressure source via a flexible tube.

The pad 112 is formed so as to be easily deformed according to the inclination, unevenness, etc. of the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 to which the label is attached, and to be able to suck in air from the outside. Since the pad 112 comes into contact with the steel material 3 in a high temperature state, it is preferably formed of a heat-resistant material. Since the pad 112 can suck air from the outside, the label can be sucked and held by operating a negative pressure source connected to the suction through hole.

The shaft 120 is, for example, a metal cylindrical member. At the base end of the shaft 120, a male screw portion 121 into which a female screw hole provided in the stopper 151 of the regulation member 150 and the adjustment nut 152 can be screwed is formed. For example, four shafts 120 are fixed to the label holder 110 at distant positions.

The pressing plate 130 is fixed to the tip of the push-pull cylinder 210 of the moving mechanism 200, and supports each shaft 120 so as to be movable with respect to the pressing plate 130. The pressing plate 130 is configured to press the label holder 110 against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 when the pressing force F is applied by the pressing cylinder 210.

The pressing plate 130 includes four through holes 131 through which each shaft 120 is inserted. The through holes 131 are each formed in a circular shape according to the shape of the shaft 120. The diameter of the through hole 131 is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 120, and there is a clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 120 and the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 131. Therefore, the shaft 120 can be tilted to a predetermined tiltable angle with respect to the central axis of the through hole 131.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the relationship between the shaft 120 and the pressing plate 130 according to the embodiment. The clearance Δd, which is the difference between the diameter φD of the through hole 131 and the diameter φd of the shaft 120, is Δd, where t is the thickness of the pressing plate 130 and θ is the tiltable angle of the shaft 120 with respect to the reference plane (XY plane). There is a relationship of = φD−φd = t · tan θ. Therefore, the following equation (1) is obtained.
θ = tan ^-1 (Δd / t) = tan ^-1 ((φD−φd) / t)… (1)

The thickness t of the pressing plate 130, the diameter φD of the through hole 131, and the diameter φd of the shaft 120 are the load applied to each member of the head mechanism 100, the characteristics of the materials constituting each member, the temperature and humidity of the place where they are installed. In consideration of the above, the tiltable angle θ of the equation (1) may be set to be equal to or larger than the absolute value of the maximum value ± θmax of the tilt angle of the end face 3a of the steel material 3.

Returning to FIG. 3, a chamfered portion 132 having a shape corresponding to the stopper 151 of the regulating member 150 is formed on the base end surface of the through hole 131 of the pressing plate 130. The chamfered portion 132 is formed so as to come into contact with the stopper 151 on a surface, for example. When the stopper 151 has a conical shape, the chamfered portion 132 also has a corresponding conical shape.

The urging member 140 is, for example, a spring such as a compression coil spring. The urging member 140 is arranged so as to surround the shaft 120 along the longitudinal direction of the shaft 120 so as to come into contact with the label holder 110 and the pressing plate 130 so that the label holder 110 separates from the pressing plate 130. This is an example of a urging means for urging.

The regulating member 150 is an example of a regulating means that contacts the pressing plate 130 to regulate the movement of the shaft 120, and is mounted on the shaft 120 so as to be in contact with the stopper 151 mounted on the shaft 120 and the base end surface of the stopper 151. The adjustment nut 152 is provided. The stopper 151 has a shape complementary to the chamfered portion 132. When the chamfered portion 132 is formed in a conical shape, the stopper 151 is also formed in a conical shape that allows surface contact with the chamfered portion 132.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing the relationship between the regulating member 150 and the pressing plate 130 when the label holder 110 according to the embodiment is pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. In FIG. 5, for ease of understanding, the label holder 110 and the urging member 140 are omitted, and the steel material 3 is shown by a dotted line at a position adjacent to the shaft 120.

The stopper 151 is formed with a female screw hole 151a that penetrates the central shaft thereof and is engageable with the male screw portion 121 of the shaft 120. The position of the stopper 151 with respect to the shaft 120 can be appropriately adjusted by rotating the stopper 151 with respect to the shaft 120 in a state where the female screw hole 151a of the stopper 151 is tightened with the male screw portion 121 of the shaft 120.

The stopper 151 is urged toward the pressing plate 130 and comes into contact with the chamfered portion 132 to restrict further movement of the shaft 120 toward the tip end side. On the other hand, when the label holder 110 is pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 against the urging force, the label holder 110 is pushed toward the pressing plate 130 by the reaction force. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the stopper 151 Separates from the chamfered portion 132. Then, since there is a gap between the shaft 120 and the through hole 131, the shaft 120 can be tilted with respect to the pressing plate 130.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing the relationship between the regulating member 150 and the pressing plate 130 when the label holder 110 according to the embodiment is tilted following the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. In FIG. 6, the steel material 3 is shown by a dotted line at a position adjacent to the shaft 120 for easy understanding. The stopper 151 comes into contact with the chamfered portion 132 when the label holder 110 is tilted following the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 by adjusting the position with respect to the shaft 120. Therefore, the stopper 151 can adjust the tiltable angle of the label holder 110 with respect to the pressing plate 130.

Therefore, when the label holder 110 is pushed in so that the stopper 151 does not interfere with the chamfered portion 132, the inclination of the label holder 110 with respect to the pressing plate 130 is from the thickness t of the pressing plate 130 to the thickness of the chamfered portion 132. It is regulated by the tiltable angle θ of the shaft set by the difference obtained by subtracting, the diameter φD of the through hole 131, and the diameter φd of the shaft 120. Further, when the label holder 110 is pushed only to the extent that the stopper 151 interferes with the chamfered portion 132, that is, when the label holder 110 is hardly pushed, the inclination of the label holder 110 with respect to the pressing plate 130 is determined. It is constrained by the stopper 151.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the relationship between the regulating member 150 and the pressing plate 130 when the label holder 110 according to the embodiment is not pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. When no pressing force is applied to the label holder 110, the label holder 110 is urged away from the pressing plate 130. Therefore, the stopper 151 is fitted into the chamfered portion 132, and the label holder 110 can be arranged at a fixed position.

The adjusting nut 152 of the regulating member 150 is tightened to the male threaded portion 121 of the shaft 120 and is attached so as to come into contact with the base end surface of the stopper 151. The adjusting nut 152 is provided on its central shaft and includes a female screw hole 152a that is fastened to the male screw portion 121 of the shaft 120. By tightening the adjusting nut 152 to the male threaded portion 121 of the shaft 120 so as to come into contact with the base end surface of the stopper 151, loosening of the stopper 151 tightened to the male threaded portion 121 can be prevented.

Next, a label sticking method executed by the label sticking device 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Hereinafter, the steel material 3 is placed on the conveyor and conveyed one after another to the label sticking position of the label sticking device 1.

First, when the controller 400 detects that the steel material 3 conveyed by the conveyor has passed a predetermined position, it supplies a control signal to the printer 2 to print a label to be attached to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 (step S1). .. The label printed by the printer 2 is placed on the tray 2c of the transport device 2b.

Next, the controller 400 supplies a control signal to the transport device 2b, and transports the label received from the printer 2 to the label receiving position of the label affixing device 1 (step S2). The transport device 2b travels on the rail 2a extending in the Y-axis direction to transport the label to the label receiving position of the label affixing device 1.

Next, the controller 400 controls the moving mechanism 200 to move the head mechanism 100 from the home position to the label receiving position (step S3). Specifically, the controller 400 first moves the head mechanism 100 directly above the label receiving position by operating the servomotor of the moving mechanism 200. Next, by turning the swivel cylinder 220 around the AX axis as shown by the arrow A in FIG. 1, the label holder 110 is arranged so as to face downward in the Z-axis direction as shown by the dotted line in FIG.

Next, the controller 400 pushes out the push-pull cylinder 210 to bring the tip surface of the label holder 110 closer to the label placed on the tray 2c of the transport device 2b, and the negative pressure connected to the label holder 110. By operating the source to generate a negative pressure between the label holder 110 and the label, the label is attracted and held by the label holder 110 (step S4; holding step).

Next, the controller 400 determines whether or not the steel material 3 on the conveyor has moved to the labeling position based on the signal from the end face detection sensor 300 (step S5). When it is determined that the steel material 3 has moved to the label sticking position (step S5; Yes), the controller 400 proceeds to the process in step S6. On the other hand, when it is determined that the steel material 3 has not moved to the label sticking position (step S5; No), the process waits until the steel material 3 moves to the label sticking position.

In the case of Yes in step S5, the controller 400 controls the moving mechanism 200 to move the head mechanism 100 from the label receiving position to the label sticking position (step S6). Specifically, the controller 400 first raises the head mechanism 100 in the Z-axis direction by operating the push-pull cylinder 210, and then activates the servomotor of the horizontal movement mechanism 230 to X the head mechanism 100. Move in the axial direction. Next, by swiveling the swivel cylinder 220 around the AX axis as shown by the arrow A in FIG. 1, the label holder 110 faces the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 in the Y-axis direction as shown by the solid line in FIG. Place it so that it faces.

Next, the controller 400 controls the moving mechanism 200 to press the label holder 110 against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 as shown by the arrow B in FIG. 1 (step S7). Specifically, the controller 400 pushes the tip surface of the label holder 110 against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 by advancing the push-pull cylinder 210. The controller 400 starts the timekeeping process at the same time as the process in step S7 starts.

When the label holder 110 is pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 in the process of step S7, the shaft 120 is supported so as to be inclined with respect to the pressing plate 130, and the label holder 110 is pressed by the urging member 140. Since the label holder 110 is urged away from the 130, the label holder 110 follows the inclination of the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 as shown in FIG. Further, the pad 112 is deformed according to the unevenness of the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. Therefore, the label holder 110 can apply a uniform pressing force to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3.

Next, the controller 400 determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed from pressing the label holder 110 against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 (step S8). The predetermined time is the time required for attaching the label to the end face 3a of the steel material 3, and is appropriately set according to the characteristics of the end face 3a of the steel material 3, the specification of the label, the temperature and humidity of the place where the steel material 3 is installed, and the like.

When it is determined that a predetermined time has elapsed from pressing the label holder 110 against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 (step S8; Yes), the label affixing step is completed, so the process proceeds to step S9. On the other hand, when it is determined that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the label holder 110 was pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 (step S8; No), a predetermined time has elapsed since the label holder 110 was pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. Wait for processing until

In the case of Yes in step S8, the controller 400 controls the moving mechanism 200 to pull the label holder 110 away from the end face 3a of the steel material 3 (step S9; pulling step), and moves the head mechanism 100 from the label sticking position to the home position. It is moved (step S10), and the process returns to the process of step S1. Specifically, the controller 400 pulls the label holder 110 away from the end face 3a of the steel material 3 by shortening the push-pull cylinder 210 as shown by the arrow B in FIG. 1, and then pulls the servomotor of the moving mechanism 200. By operating the label holder 110, the label holder 110 is returned to the home position.

By pulling the label holder 110 away from the end surface 3a of the steel material 3, the urging member 140 compressed by the label holder 110 and the pressing plate 130 is stretched again. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the stopper 151 of the regulating member 150 comes into contact with the chamfered portion 132 of the pressing plate 130, and the label holder 110 returns to the fixed position. Therefore, in the process of step S1, the label holder 110 can be easily positioned when receiving the label from the tray 2c of the transport device 2b.
The above is the flow of the label sticking method executed by the label sticking device 1.

As described above, the head mechanism 100 according to the embodiment includes a label holder 110 that holds the label, a shaft 120 whose tip is fixed to the label holder 110 and extends in a direction away from the label holder 110, and a shaft. A through hole 131 through which the 120 is inserted is formed, and the pressing plate 130 whose diameter of the through hole 131 is larger than the diameter of the shaft 120 and the label holder 110 are urged so that the label holder 110 is separated from the pressing plate 130. It includes an urging member 140. Therefore, even when the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 has an inclination, the label holder 110 can follow the inclination of the end surface 3a of the steel material 3, and the label is uniformly attached to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. be able to.

The head mechanism 100 according to the embodiment is provided at the base end portion of the shaft 120 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 120, and the shaft 120 is urged toward the tip side by the urging member 140 to the pressing plate 130. A regulatory member 150 that comes into contact is provided. Therefore, by adjusting the position of the regulating member 150 with respect to the shaft 120 so that the regulating member 150 contacts the chamfered portion 132 before the shaft 120 contacts the through hole 131, the label holder 110 is tilted with respect to the pressing plate 130. The possible angle can be adjusted.

In the head mechanism 100 according to the embodiment, the regulating member 150 and the chamfered portion 132 of the pressing plate 130 are formed in a shape complementary to each other. Therefore, when the pressing force is not applied to the label holder 110, the regulating member 150 fits into the chamfered portion 132, so that the label holder 110 can be returned to the fixed position with a simple configuration. Positioning is facilitated when the label is attracted to the label holder 110.

The head mechanism 100 according to the embodiment includes a pad 112 capable of sucking a label and deforming according to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 when pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. Therefore, the pad 112 is deformed according to the unevenness of the end surface 3a of the steel material 3, and the label can be more uniformly attached to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the modifications described below are also possible.

(Modification example)
In the above embodiment, the label holder 110 holds the label by sucking the label, but the present invention is not limited to this. The label holder 110 may have any structure as long as it has a structure for sucking and holding the label. "Adsorption" includes adsorbing a label or the like by a method such as suction, adhesion, or magnetization. For example, the label may be held by the label holder 110 by using the adhesive force of rubber or the like. Further, the label may be held by the label holder 110 by providing a magnet on the surface of the label holder 110 and mixing the magnet powder with the label.

In the above embodiment, the label holder 110 is composed of the plate 111 and the pad 112, but the present invention is not limited to this. Whether or not the label holder 110 is provided with the pad 112 is optional. For example, the label holder 110 may be composed of only the metal plate 111.

In the above embodiment, the number of shafts 120 is four, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of shafts 120 may be 3 or less, or 5 or more.

In the above embodiment, the compression coil spring, which is the urging member 140, is arranged so as to cover the periphery of the shaft 120, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the compression coil spring, which is the urging member 140, may be arranged away from the shaft 120. Further, the number of the compression coil springs of the urging member 140 and the number of the shaft 120 do not have to be the same, and the number of the compression coil springs may be larger or smaller than the number of the shaft 120.

In the above embodiment, a spring such as a compression coil spring is used as the urging member 140, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any urging means may be used as long as the label holder 110 is urged away from the pressing plate 130 and does not prevent the label holder 110 from tilting with respect to the pressing plate 130. For example, an elastic member such as an air spring or a rubber spring other than the compression coil spring may be used as the urging member 140.

In the above embodiment, the stopper 151 and the chamfered portion 132 have a conical shape corresponding to each other, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any shape may be used as long as the stopper 151 can be inserted into the chamfered portion 132 when the stopper 151 is pressed against the chamfered portion 132, and may be spherical, pyramid-shaped, or the like. However, considering that the stopper 151 enters the chamfered portion 132, it is preferable that the stopper 151 has a shape that gradually narrows toward the tip.

In the above embodiment, the male screw portion 121 is provided at the base end portion of the shaft 120, and the stopper 151 and the adjusting nut 152 are provided with female screw holes 151a and 152a that can engage with the male screw portion 121, respectively. Is not limited to this. For example, the stopper 151 is provided with a through hole through which the shaft 120 can be inserted, a female screw hole is provided so as to penetrate from the outside toward the through hole in a direction perpendicular to the through hole, and a bolt is tightened in the female screw hole to allow the stopper 151 to be inserted into the shaft 120. It may be fixed to.

In the above embodiment, the stopper 151 and the adjusting nut 152 are attached to the base end portion of the shaft 120, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when it is unlikely that the stopper 151 tightened to the male threaded portion 121 of the shaft 120 will loosen, the adjusting nut 152 may not be attached to the male threaded portion 121 of the shaft 120.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the plate configured so that the moving mechanism 200 can be translated and moved in the orthogonal three-axis directions. For example, the moving mechanism 200 may be configured to be translationally movable in the orthogonal three axes and to be able to turn around the orthogonal three axes.

In the above embodiment, the label is printed and the label is held before the steel material 3 is placed at the label sticking position, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when different types of steel materials 3 are mixed and conveyed on a conveyor, after the steel materials 3 are placed at the label sticking position, the type of the steel material 3 is detected and the label is printed, and then the label is printed on the steel material. It may be attached to the end face 3a of 3.

In the above embodiment, the pressing of the label holder 110 against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3 is maintained until a predetermined time elapses from the pressing of the label holder 110 against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3. Not limited. For example, depending on the degree of adhesiveness of the label, the label holder 110 may be pulled away immediately after the label holder 110 is pressed against the end surface 3a of the steel material 3.

In the above embodiment, the label is attached to the end surface 3a of the steel material 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. The object to which the label is attached is not limited to the steel material 3, and for example, the label may be attached to the end face of the aluminum material. Further, the object to which the label is attached is not limited to the metal product, and the label may be attached to the end face of the plastic product or the ceramic product.

The above-described embodiment is an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and various embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the claims. The components described in each embodiment and modification can be freely combined. The present invention also includes inventions equivalent to those described in the claims.

1 Labeling device 2 Printer 2a Rail 2b Conveying device 2c Tray 3 Steel material 3a End face 100 Head mechanism 110 Label holder 111 Plate 112 Pad 120 Shaft 121 Male thread 130 Pushing plate 131 Through hole 132 Chamfering section 140 Biasing member 150 Regulator Stoppers 151a, 152a Female screw hole 152 Adjusting nut 200 Moving mechanism 210 Push-pull cylinder 220 Swivel cylinder 230 Horizontal moving mechanism 240 Forward / backward moving mechanism 250 Vertical moving mechanism 260 Base 300 End face detection sensor 400 Controller

Claims (9)

A label holder that holds the label to be attached to the object,
A shaft whose tip is fixed to the label holder and extends in a direction away from the label holder.
A through hole through which the shaft is inserted is formed, and the diameter of the through hole is larger than the diameter of the shaft.
An urging means for urging the label holder so that the label holder is separated from the pressing plate.
The head mechanism of the label affixing device. A regulating means provided on the base end side of the shaft, which comes into contact with the pressing plate when the shaft moves to the tip side and regulates the further movement of the shaft to the tip side is provided.
The head mechanism of the label affixing device according to claim 1. The regulating means is provided with a through hole through which the shaft can be inserted, and by moving the regulating means in the longitudinal direction of the shaft while the shaft is inserted into the through hole of the regulating means, the regulating means is referred to the shaft. The shaft is configured so that the position in the longitudinal direction can be adjusted.
The head mechanism of the label affixing device according to claim 2. The pressing plate includes a chamfered portion around the through hole of the pressing plate.
The regulating means is formed in a shape complementary to the shape of the chamfered portion, and includes a stopper that comes into contact with the chamfered portion when the shaft moves toward the tip end side.
The head mechanism of the labeling device according to claim 2 or 3. The chamfered portion is formed in a conical shape.
The stopper is formed in a conical shape complementary to the shape of the chamfered portion.
The head mechanism of the label affixing device according to claim 4. The label holder is
A plate fixed to the tip of the shaft and
A pad that is fixed to the flat surface of the plate, can adsorb the label, and deforms according to the surface of the object when pressed against the object.
To prepare
The head mechanism of the label affixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The tiltable angle of the shaft with respect to the pressing plate is set to be equal to the absolute value of the maximum tilt angle of the sticking surface of the object or larger than the absolute value of the maximum tilt angle of the sticking surface of the object. ,
The head mechanism of the label affixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The head mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
A moving mechanism that supports the head mechanism and moves the label holder of the head mechanism so as to press it against an object.
A controller that is communicably connected to the moving mechanism and controls the operation of the moving mechanism.
Labeling device. A holding process in which the label holder holds the label to be attached to the surface to which the object is attached,
By pressing the label holder whose label is held by the holding step in a posture that follows the inclination of the sticking surface of the object, the label held by the label holder is stuck on the sticking surface of the object. Process and
A pulling step of pulling the label holder away from the object to which the label is stuck by the sticking step, and a pulling step.
Labeling method including.

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