JP2968228B2 - Double write protection mechanism in information writer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information writing apparatus for writing information in a predetermined area of a moving object, and a double write protection mechanism for preventing information from being written on the same object in a superimposed manner. About.

[0002]

In general, various information such as the date of manufacture and the number of lots is displayed on beverages, foods and other products which are mass-produced in a manufacturing stage.

The display of such various kinds of information is performed, for example, by writing on a label attached to a product in order to display the contents, or by writing directly on a product container. .

For example, for bottle products such as beverages,
When a label is attached to a bottle container filled with contents in the manufacturing stage, necessary information is written in a predetermined area of the label by laser light or ink jet immediately before the attachment.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional information writing apparatus for writing required information on a label attached to such a bottle product.

In FIG. 5, a writing device A 'is attached to a labeling machine B.

The labeling machine B includes a plurality of pallets 2 rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of a rotary table 1, a glue roller 3 for applying glue to the pallets 2, and a label R on the pallets 2. Label magazine 4 to supply one by one
And a gripper 5 for receiving the label R from the pallet 2 and affixing the label R to the bottle W conveyed by the belt conveyor V.

[0008] Then, the writing device A 'is
And a laser oscillator 6 disposed outside the outer periphery of the rotary table 1 so as to face the pallet 2 circulating with the rotation of the rotary table 1.
The laser light Lw is applied to the laser print area of the label R sequentially moved while being held on the pallet 2 and the coloring ink layer formed in this print area is colored to write information. Has become.

The laser oscillator 6 of the writing device A '
Laser light is emitted toward the pallet 2 based on a laser emission command signal Sc input from the system controller 7. Then, the system controller 7 counts the counting pulses Pa output from the encoder 8 attached to the rotary shaft 1A of the rotary table 1 of the labeling machine B, and when the count reaches the set number, the laser oscillator 6 A laser emission command signal Sc is output.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 9 denotes a label R which has a writing error when a reject signal Sr from the system controller 7 is received when information writing to the label R by the laser oscillator 6 is not performed normally. Is a reject mechanism to which the bottle W is removed from the belt conveyor V.

As described above, the conventional writing apparatus A 'is configured to count the counting pulses Pa output from the encoder 8 attached to the rotary shaft 1A of the rotary table 1 by the system controller 7, thereby obtaining the laser oscillator. 6 controls the laser irradiation timing.

That is, the encoder 8 outputs a counting pulse Pa to the system controller 7 every time the rotary shaft 1A rotates by a predetermined angle, and the system controller 7 rotates by a built-in counter as shown in FIG. Each time the pallets 2 arranged at equal angular intervals on the outer periphery of the table 1 pass the writing position facing the laser oscillator 6 with the rotation of the rotary table 1, the counting pulse Pa is repeatedly counted. P
It is determined whether or not the count number of “a” has reached a preset count number (set to 500 in this example) corresponding to the center angle between the pallets 2 adjacent to each other.

Thus, the system controller 7
Detects whether the next pallet 2 has been moved to the writing position facing the laser oscillator 6, and
Is detected to be moved to the writing position, a laser emission command signal Sc is output to the laser oscillator 6 to write information on the label R held on the pallet 2.

Here, the rotary table 1 is rotated by a drive motor via a speed reducer (not shown), but the rotation of the rotary table 1 of the labeling machine B is accelerated / decelerated or emergency stopped due to a production line accident or the like. If
A backlash formed between the drive side gear and the driven side gear of the speed reducer may cause the rotary table 1 to rotate back and forth from the drive side gear position.

In such a case, for example, after the count number of the counting pulse Pa in the counter of the system controller 7 reaches the set value of 500 and the laser is emitted from the laser oscillator 6, the rotation of the turntable 1 is stopped immediately. When the turntable 1 is retracted from the stop position due to the backlash, the count number of the counting pulse Pa in the counter of the system controller 7 is decremented. When the rotation of the turntable 1 is restarted, the counting pulse P from the encoder 8 is output.
By the input of a, the count number in the counter of the system controller 7 is added.

Therefore, in the conventional writing apparatus A ', when the rotation of the turntable 1 is stopped or when the rotation is restarted, the pallet 2 holding the label R for which the information has been written is moved backward or forward. After moving to the writing position again, the count number in the counter of the system controller 7 is subtracted or added, and the set value of 50 is set.
When the value becomes 0, the laser is irradiated toward the label R on which the information has already been written, and a problem occurs that the information is written in duplicate.

The occurrence of such a problem is caused by the writing device A '
The same applies to the case where an ink jet is used in place of the laser oscillator 6 in the above. The same applies not only to the case of writing information on a label, but also to the case of writing information directly to a conveyed container or the like. .

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional information writing device. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a double write prevention mechanism that can prevent information from being double written on a writing target in an information writing device.

[0019]

In order to achieve the above object, a double writing prevention mechanism in an information writing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention provides an information writing area for writing information on an object to be written conveyed by a conveying means. Information writing means for performing writing, counting pulse output means provided on a transport means for transporting a writing object, and outputting a counting pulse each time the transport means moves the writing object by a predetermined distance; Control that counts the count pulses output from the pulse output means and outputs an information write command signal to the information writing means when the count reaches a set count number corresponding to the information writing position of the information writing means. Means, the counting pulse output means is provided with a counting pulse in the control means. Each time the count number of the count reaches a predetermined count number, an origin signal is output to the control means, and the set count number of the count pulse from which the information write command signal is output from the control means is smaller than a predetermined specified number. The count value is set to a range that is smaller than the predetermined count number at which the origin signal is output from the count pulse output means by a specified number, and the control means sets the count number of the count pulse input from the count pulse output means. When the count reaches the set count, if the origin signal has been input after the previous information write command signal was output, an information write command signal is output to the information writing means, and the origin signal is output after the previous information write command signal was output. It is characterized in that an information writing command signal is not output to the information writing means when it is not input.

The double write prevention mechanism in the information writing apparatus according to the first invention is characterized in that the control means is provided when the information writing object is sequentially conveyed to the writing position of the information writing apparatus at equal intervals by the conveyance means. Counting the count pulses output from the count pulse output means attached to the transport means, and when the count reaches the set count, it is determined that the transported writing object has been positioned at the write position. At this time, when the origin signal is input from the counting pulse output means after the output of the previous information writing command signal, the control means determines that the information writing is the first information writing to the writing object. Means to output the information write command signal and write the information, but after outputting the previous information write command signal When the origin signal is not input, as a double writing of information, without outputting the information write command signal to the information writing means, the writing of information to the write object not line.

As described above, according to the double writing prevention mechanism in the information writing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the writing object is transported at regular intervals by the transport means in the normal operation state, and In the case where the writing object is sequentially positioned at the writing position, a predetermined number of counting pulses are output from the counting pulse output means in a process in which the writing object next to the writing object whose information has been written is conveyed to the writing position. Since the origin signal is output to the control means every time the information is output, the information is written by the output of the information write command signal when the count number of the counting pulse reaches the set count number in the control means.
The count pulse corresponding to the maximum moving distance when the transport means moves due to the backlash is set to the specified number of count pulses that regulates the set range of the count pulse at which the information write command signal is output. By setting it to a number larger than the number of outputs of
For example, in the case where the information writing device is urgently stopped and the transporting means retreats from the stop position due to the backlash of the drive unit, and further, the transporting means returns to the original stop position by resuming operation, and so on. When the count number of the pulse for use returns to the set count again, the origin signal is not output from the pulse output means for counting within the movement range due to the backlash of the transport means. No information write command signal is output to the same write target, thereby preventing double writing of information to the same write target.

In order to achieve the above object, a double writing prevention mechanism in an information writing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, further comprises an outer peripheral portion provided with the transport means rotated around a central axis. A rotating table having a holding portion for holding a writing object at an equal angular interval position, wherein the counting pulse output means is attached to a rotating shaft of the rotating table, and a counting pulse is output every time the rotating table is rotated by a predetermined angle. An encoder for outputting the information write command signal, wherein the specified number that regulates the set range of the set count number that outputs the information write command signal is a pulse of a count pulse corresponding to the maximum rotation angle when the turntable rotates due to its backlash. It is characterized by being more than the number.

The double writing prevention mechanism in the information writing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention provides a double writing prevention mechanism which is held by a holding portion of a rotary table, and rotates when a writing object is sequentially conveyed to a writing position with rotation of the rotary table. When the count number of the counting pulse output from the encoder attached to the rotary shaft of the table reaches the set count number and the origin signal is input from the encoder,
The information writing device writes information to the object to be written. However, in the case where the rotary table is rotated from the stop position due to backlash after being stopped due to an emergency stop or the like, the specified number regulating the setting range of the set count number for outputting the information write command signal is determined by the rotation table. The rotation table is rotated by the backlash so that the number of output of the counting pulse corresponding to the maximum rotation angle at the time of rotation due to backlash is set to be greater than the number of output. If the count number becomes the set count number again, the origin signal is not output within the rotation range of the turntable due to the backlash, and therefore, the information is written twice to the same writing object. Can be prevented.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to an information writing apparatus for writing information with a laser in a laser printing area of a label attached to a bottle, similarly to the conventional writing apparatus A 'of FIG. It is shown.

The labeling machine B in the embodiment of FIG.
Has a rotary table 1, a pallet 2, a glue roller 3, a label magazine 4 and a gripper 5, and has the same structure as the conventional one shown in FIG.

A writing device A is a laser oscillator 6 for writing information by irradiating a laser to a label R held on a pallet 2 of a labeling machine B, similarly to the conventional device shown in FIG.
And a reject mechanism 9 for rejecting a bottle W to which a write failure label has been affixed based on a reject signal Sr input from a system controller to be described later, and these have the same reference numerals as those in FIG. Is attached.

The writing device A is further mounted on a rotary shaft 1A of the rotary table 1 so that the rotary table 1
The encoder 10 outputs a counting pulse Pa each time the .phi. Rotates a predetermined angle and outputs an origin signal Pr described later. The encoder 10 is connected to the encoder 10 and counts the counting pulse Pa input from the encoder 10. And a system controller 11 for outputting a laser emission command signal Sc to the laser oscillator 6 to perform laser emission.

As shown in FIG. 2, the encoder 10 outputs to the system controller 11 two types of A-phase and B-phase counting pulses Pa and an origin signal Pr.

The A-phase counting pulse Pa is a pulse output when the rotary table 1 is rotated in the normal rotation direction, and the B-phase counting pulse Pa is a pulse output when the rotary table 1 is rotated in the reverse rotation direction. As will be described later, the counter 11A of the system controller 11 is added when the A-phase counting pulse Pa is input, and when the B-phase counting pulse Pa is input, the system controller 11 counters 1
1A is subtracted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the encoder 10 has a center angle (1) between two adjacent pallets 2 in which the rotary table 1 of the labeling machine B is arranged at equal angular intervals on the outer periphery thereof. When rotated in the forward direction by the same angle as pitch), the phase-A counting pulse Pa is set to 50.
It is set to output 0 pulse.

The origin signal Pr is supplied to a counter 11A and a gate closing circuit 11 of a system controller 11, which will be described later.
D is a signal for resetting D, and is set so as to be output to the system controller 11 every time the rotary table 1 of the labeling machine B is rotated by one pitch in the forward direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the system controller 11 sends the counting pulse Pa
Is input to the counter 11A, which counts the number of pulses of the count pulse Pa, and compares the count number of the count pulse Pa in the counter 11A with a preset set count to compare the count pulse P
A comparison circuit 11B that outputs a laser emission command signal Sc when the count number of a reaches the set count number, a setting circuit 11C that sets the set count number in the comparison circuit 11B, and a comparison circuit 11B that is output from the comparison circuit 11B. The laser emission command signal Sc is passed and output from the output gate g to the laser oscillator 6. The laser emission command signal Sc is passed and the output gate g is then moved to the origin signal Pr.
And a gate closing circuit 11D that closes until a signal is input.

The set count number in the comparison circuit 11B is set between 20 and 480 (250 in the example of FIG. 3) by the setting circuit 11C, and the count pulse Pa input from the encoder 10 is counted. When the number reaches 250, a laser emission command signal Sc is output from the comparison circuit 11B to the laser oscillator 6 via the gate closing circuit 11D.

As described above, the set count number of the counting pulse Pa for emitting the laser emission command signal Sc from the system controller 11 to the laser oscillator 6 is set to 20 to 480.
The rotation table 1 is reversely rotated by the backlash due to an emergency stop or the like after the laser emission command signal Sc is output to the laser oscillator 6 as described later, and the B-phase count is set. Counter 11A of the system controller 11 according to the input of the application pulse Pa
In order to prevent the origin signal Pr from being input from the encoder 10 to the system controller 11 during the reverse rotation due to the backlash of the rotary table 1 when the count number is subtracted and the count number becomes the set count number again. It is.

Then, the count number that regulates the set range of the set count number of the counting pulse Pa is counted number 5
The reason why the number of pulses is 20 before and after 00 is that, in this example, the number of pulses of the counting pulse Pa corresponding to the maximum rotation angle due to backlash of the turntable 1 is 17,
For safety, a larger range is set as the output regulation range of the laser emission command signal Sc.

Next, the operation of the writing device A will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 3 and the flowchart of FIG.

The labeling machine B sequentially applies glue to a plurality of pallets 2 rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the rotary table 1 by a glue roller 3, and applies the label magazine to the pallet 2 coated with the glue. 4 to supply and hold the labels R one by one.

The label R held on the pallet 2 is transferred to the pallet 2 by rotation of the turntable 1.
Sequentially passes through the information writing position of the writing device A,
Required information preset in the laser oscillator 6 is written by the laser emitted from the laser oscillator 6 of the writing device A, and then attached to the bottle W conveyed on the belt conveyor V by the gripper 5. .

At this time, the encoder 10 outputs an A-phase counting pulse Pa to the system controller 11 every time the rotary table 1 rotates by a predetermined angle.

In FIG. 4, the system controller 11
The encoder 10 is controlled by a built-in counter 11A.
The number of pulses of the counting pulse Pa input from is counted (step a).

Then, the system controller 11 determines in the comparison circuit 11B whether or not the count number of the counting pulse Pa in the counter 11A has reached 250 which is the set count number set by the setting circuit 11C (step b). When the count number of the counting pulse Pa reaches the set count number of 250,
The laser emission command signal Sc is output from the comparison circuit 11B to the gate closing circuit 11D.

The gate closing circuit 11D includes a comparing circuit 11B
When the output of the laser emission command signal Sc is the first output, and when the origin signal Pr is input from the encoder 10 after the output of the previous laser emission command signal Sc, the output gate g is The laser emission command signal Sc input from the comparison circuit 11B is passed (step c) due to being opened, and the laser emission command signal Sc is output to the laser oscillator 6 (step d).
To write information to

The output gate g of the gate closing circuit 11D is closed by passing the laser emission command signal Sc from the comparing circuit 11B.

However, after the previous output of the laser emission command signal Sc, the encoder 1 is connected to the gate closing circuit 11D.
When the origin signal Pr is not input from 0, the output gate g is closed, so that the laser emission command signal Sc is not output from the gate closing circuit 11D to the laser oscillator 6 (step c). , Counter 11
The counting of the counting pulse Pa by A is continued (step a).

In this step c, the count number of the counter 11A of the system controller 11 is 25.
The case where the origin signal Pr is not input when the value becomes 0 is as follows.

That is, when the labeling machine B is stopped by an emergency stop or the like after the count number of the counter 11A of the system controller 11 once becomes 250 and the laser emission command signal Sc is output to the laser oscillator 6, etc. When the stop position of the turntable 1 is within the backlash range of the turntable 1 from the write position of the writing device A (the position where the count number of the counting pulse Pa is 250), the stop position of the turntable 1 is caused by the backlash. When the counter pulse is input from the encoder 10 and the count pulse Pa is input from the encoder 10, the count number in the counter 11A is reduced to 250 again, or the count number becomes 250 or less. After the subtraction, the operation of the labeling machine B is resumed, and Is subject to the count number of the motor 11A, a case such as the count number becomes 250 again.

As described above, even when the turntable 1 is stopped after the output of the laser emission command signal Sc and moves back and forth across the stop position due to the backlash, the output of the laser emission command signal Sc is not changed. The set count number of the counting pulse Pa to be performed is equal to the origin signal Pr.
Is output, the count number 500 of the counting pulse Pa
Of backlash across the position (count number ±
By setting the rotation table 1 between 20 and 480 excluding the range including the range of 17), when the turntable 1 is stopped by an emergency stop or the like and rotated by the backlash, the count pulse Pa in the counter 11A is used.
When the count number returns to the set count number again, since the count number does not reach 500, the origin signal Pr is not input from the encoder 10 to the system controller 11.

Therefore, even when the turntable 1 is emergency-stopped and the backlash causes the count number of the counting pulse Pa in the counter 11A to return to the set count number again, at that time, the previous laser emission command signal Sc Since the origin signal Pr has not been input to the gate closing circuit 11D after the output of the output signal g, the output gate g remains closed, so that the laser emission command signal Sc output from the comparison circuit 11B may pass through the gate closing circuit 11D. Since the information cannot be output to the laser oscillator 6, no information is written over the same label R.

In the above, the setting range of the count number of the counting pulse Pa for outputting the laser emission command signal Sc in the system controller 11 corresponds to the rotation range of the rotary table 1 of the labeling machine B due to backlash. Needless to say, it is set arbitrarily.

In the above embodiment, each time the rotary table 1 is rotated by one pitch (the center angle between the pallets 2), the encoder 10 attached to the rotary shaft of the rotary table 1 makes one rotation and the counting pulse is turned on. Pa is output for 500 pulses,
The encoder may make one rotation each time it rotates. In this case, the set count number in the comparison circuit 11B is plural (8 pallets 2 in the example of FIG. 1).
8) are set in correspondence with.

In the above description, the case where the present invention is applied to an information writing apparatus for writing information by laser has been described as an example. However, the present invention writes information by using an ink jet instead of a laser. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to an information writing device.

Furthermore, in the above, the present invention relates to:
Although an example in which the present invention is applied to an information writing apparatus that writes information on a label that is sequentially moved to a writing position of information by a rotary table has been described, the present invention is directed to a pack container or the like conveyed at equal intervals by a belt conveyor. It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to an information writing device in which information is written directly on the outer surface by laser or ink jet. In this case, double writing of information can be prevented, for example, when the belt conveyor moves from the stop position due to backlash of the drive wheels at the time of emergency stop or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a system controller in the same example.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an output state of each signal in the same example.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control of a system controller in the same example.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing an output state of each signal in the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rotating table (conveying means) 1A ... Rotating axis 2 ... Pallet (holding part) 6 ... Laser oscillator (information writing means) 10 ... Encoder (counting pulse output means) 11 ... System controller (control means) 11A ... Counter 11B ... Comparison circuit 11C ... Setting circuit 11D ... Gate closing circuit Pa ... Counting pulse Sc ... Laser emission command signal (information writing command signal) Pr ... Original signal A ... Write device (information writing device) B ... Labeling machine

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takeo Nakajima 58 Koshizawa Ozuda Honmachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture Inside Shibuya Kogyo Co., Ltd. (JP, A) JP-A-51-74600 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G05B 19/00 B65C 3/06 B65C 9/40

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An information writing means for writing information in an information writing area of a writing object conveyed by a conveying means, and a conveying means for conveying the writing object, wherein the conveying means transfers the writing object. A count pulse output means for outputting a count pulse every time a predetermined distance is moved; and a count pulse output from the count pulse output means. The count corresponds to the information write position of the information write means. And a control means for outputting an information write command signal to the information writing means when the count reaches the set count value, wherein the count pulse output means sets the count number of the count pulse in the control means to Each time a predetermined count is reached, an origin signal is output to the control means. The range in which the set count number of the count pulse from which the signal is output is larger than a preset specified number and smaller than the predetermined count number at which the origin pulse signal is output from the count pulse output means by a specified number. When the control means sets the count number of the count pulse input from the count pulse output means to the set count number, and when the origin signal has been input after the output of the previous information write command signal, The information writing device outputs an information writing command signal to the information writing device, and does not output the information writing command signal to the information writing device when the origin signal has not been input after the output of the previous information writing command signal. Heavy write protection mechanism. 2. The rotary table according to claim 1, wherein said conveying means is rotated about a central axis and has a holding portion for holding a writing object at equal angular intervals on an outer peripheral portion, and said counting pulse output means rotates said rotary table. An encoder that is attached to a shaft and outputs a counting pulse every time the rotary table is rotated by a predetermined angle, and the specified number that regulates a set range of a set count number for outputting the information write command signal is the rotary table. 2. The double writing prevention mechanism in the information writing device according to claim 1, wherein the number is equal to or greater than the number of counting pulses corresponding to the maximum rotation angle when rotating due to backlash.