JP4313063B2 - Labeling machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a label sticking machine that includes a sticking unit for sticking a label to a product conveyed on a conveyor in a conveying path of the conveyor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In supermarket backyards, etc., packs of fresh food products etc. are conveyed by a conveyor, and a label printed with product-related information such as price on the products conveyed on the conveyor by a sticking unit fixed above the conveyor. A labeling machine to be used is used. In such a label sticking machine, the product is transported at a predetermined position in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor, and the label attached to the product is positioned by keeping the conveyor speed constant.
[0003]
By the way, the above-mentioned packed products and the like are often produced in a variety of small quantities, and the products to be produced are often changed. When the product to be produced is changed, the size of the tray or label, the label application position, and the angle will be different, so if you place the product at a predetermined position on the conveyor and keep the conveyor speed constant, It is necessary to change the position (position in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the transport direction, position in the height direction, position in the horizontal turning direction). In order to perform this setup change quickly, when product production information such as tray size and label size is input, a labeling machine equipped with an automatic adjustment mechanism that changes the position of the pasting unit to a position suitable for the product to be produced. Is provided. However, in practice, there are many cases where a label sticking machine that manually changes the position of the sticking unit is used because of the equipment introduction cost.
[0004]
In a label sticking machine of a type in which the position is manually changed, first, an operator temporarily positions the sticking unit based on experience or the like. Next, the product is actually transported on the conveyor and a label is pasted. Based on the checked label pasting state, the position of the pasting unit is readjusted (finely adjusted), and the main positioning is performed. If the label cannot be applied at an appropriate application position even after readjustment, repeated adjustment is performed, and it may take a long time to change the setup. Moreover, it is necessary to redo the packaged product for which the label could not be attached at an appropriate position from the packaging. Therefore, productivity has been sacrificed in the manual position adjustment type labeling machine.
[0005]
Focusing on such problems, a label applicator has been proposed that facilitates the positioning operation. In this label sticking machine, a guide member connected to a sticking unit is brought into contact with a side end face of a product placed on a conveyor so that the positional relationship between the sticking unit and the side end face can be indexed (for example, Patent Documents). 1).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-57-125131 [0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this label sticking machine, it is necessary to operate the guide member at the time of positioning work so as to contact the product placed on the conveyor or to retract the guide member. Also, since it is necessary to check whether or not the application position suitable for the combination of the contents, trays and labels of the packed product must be set each time, it takes a long time for the work, and it is an unfamiliar work. It was difficult for the person to respond.
[0008]
In view of such circumstances, the present invention is capable of responding to various trays, label shape or size changes, label application positions or angle changes while the position change of the application unit is manual. It is an object of the present invention to provide a labeling machine that can quickly and easily change the setup.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention of claim 1 is a label affixing machine provided with an affixing unit for affixing a label on a product conveyed on a conveyor in a conveyance path of the conveyor, and the position of the affixing unit relative to the conveyor can be manually changed. and adjusting means, a storage for storing the scale display to identify the location of the sticking unit which is moved by the adjusting means, an input means for inputting information about the product to produce, the information which are entered by said input means means, calculating means for calculating the position of the sticking unit in the case of moving the sticking unit as label based on the information that will be stored in the storage means is attached to an appropriate attaching position, the operational There is provided a label sticking machine comprising: display means for displaying the position of the sticking unit calculated by the means in a format corresponding to the scale display.
[0010]
According to invention of Claim 1, there exist the following effects. Based on the information about the product to be produced, the calculation unit automatically calculates the position of the affixing unit where the label is affixed to the appropriate affixing position suitable for the product to be produced. It is only necessary to perform an adjustment operation for changing the position to the calculated position, and the setup can be changed quickly and easily. In addition, since the appropriate position of the pasting unit to be calculated is displayed in a format corresponding to the scale display, the setup can be changed more easily using the scale display as a guide.
[0011]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the adjusting means can change the position of the sticking unit in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor, and the scale display is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor of the sticking unit. The label applicator according to claim 1, wherein the position in the front-rear direction can be specified.
[0012]
According to invention of Claim 2, in addition to the effect of invention of Claim 1, there exist the following effects. Since the position of the affixing unit can be adjusted in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the transport direction, the position and the front-rear direction of the affixing unit required for changing the size and shape of the tray and label and the affixing position can be easily changed. Can do. In addition, since the appropriate position in the front-rear direction of the pasting unit to be calculated is displayed in a format corresponding to the scale display, it is possible to change the setup more easily using the scale display as a guide.
[0013]
In the invention of claim 3, the adjusting means can move the position of the sticking unit in the height direction with respect to the conveyor, and the scale display can specify the position of the sticking unit in the height direction. A labeling machine according to claim 1 or 2 is provided.
[0014]
According to invention of Claim 3, in addition to the effect of invention of Claim 1 or 2, there exist the following effects. Since the position of the affixing unit can be adjusted in the height direction, it is possible to easily change the position in the height direction of the affixing unit, which is required when the tray, the size and shape of the label, and the affixing position are changed. Further, since the appropriate position in the height direction of the pasting unit to be calculated is displayed in a format corresponding to the scale display, it is possible to change the setup more easily using the scale display as a guide.
[0015]
The invention of claim 4 provides the label sticking machine according to claim 3, wherein the position of the sticking unit in the height direction is calculated based on the product production information and the conveying speed of the conveyor.
[0016]
According to invention of Claim 4, in addition to the effect of invention of Claim 3, there exist the following effects. Since the height position of the affixing unit is automatically calculated so that the label is affixed at an appropriate position based on the product production information and the conveying speed of the conveyor, the setup change can be performed more easily.
[0017]
In the invention of claim 5, the adjusting means can change the turning position of the sticking unit in the horizontal direction with respect to the conveyor, and the scale display can specify the position of the sticking unit in the turning direction. A label applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is provided.
[0018]
According to invention of Claim 5, in addition to the effect of the invention in any one of Claim 1 to 4, there exist the following effects. Since the position of the sticking unit can be adjusted in the turning direction, it is possible to easily change the position of the sticking unit in the turning direction required when the sticking angle of the label is changed. Moreover, since the appropriate position in the turning direction of the sticking unit to be calculated is displayed in a format corresponding to the scale display, the setup can be changed more easily using the scale display as a guide.
[0019]
The invention according to claim 6 is the label sticking machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the display means displays the position computed by the computing means in association with a three-dimensional image simulating a label sticking machine. I will provide a.
[0020]
According to invention of Claim 6, in addition to the effect of the invention in any one of Claims 1-5, there exist the following effects. Since the position of the sticking unit calculated by the calculation means is displayed in association with a three-dimensional image simulating a label sticking machine, even an unfamiliar operator can easily understand the work contents of the setup change, and work mistakes Can be prevented.
[0021]
A seventh aspect of the present invention provides the label sticking according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the display means displays the position calculated by the calculating means in correspondence with the scale display.
[0022]
According to invention of Claim 7, in addition to the effect of the invention in any one of Claims 1-6, there exist the following effects. Since the position of the affixing unit calculated by the calculation means is displayed in correspondence with the scale display, even an unfamiliar operator can easily understand the work content of the setup change and can prevent work mistakes. Is.
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0024]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire label sticking machine 1 according to the present invention. The label applicator 1 mainly includes a fixed base 3 on which the conveyor 2 is mounted, a support column 4 that is fixed to the fixed table 3 and extends upward, an arm 5 that is supported by the support column 4 so as to be vertically slidable, and an arm 5 A swivel unit 6 supported so as to be horizontally slidable, a pasting unit 7 supported so as to be horizontally swivelable by the swivel unit 6, a touch panel display 8 capable of inputting product production information such as a tray size used for production, The control part 9 (FIG. 2) which calculates the product production information input is provided. In this embodiment, the packed product G to which the printed label L is affixed is produced by placing fresh food products on the resin tray T and wrapping the tray T with a film. Etc., etc.
[0025]
The conveyor 2 is mounted on the upper surface of the fixed base 3 and conveys the packed product G placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 21 by feeding the conveyor belt 21 at a predetermined speed set in the direction of arrow Y. The lower part of the sticking unit 72 disposed in the middle of the transport path is passed. A photoelectric sensor 22 is disposed on the front side of the sticking part 7 in the middle of the transport path, and the passage of the packed product G can be detected.
[0026]
The support column 4 is fixed to the fixed base 3 and is installed adjacent to a midway portion in the transport direction of the transport path. A height scale display 41 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the side surface of the support column 4.
[0027]
The arm 5 includes an arm slide 51 fitted to the support column 4 so as to be vertically slidable, an arm main body 52 extending in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveyance path of the conveyor 2 from the arm slide 51, and a longitudinal direction of the arm main body 52. It consists of a slider 53 that can slide horizontally. An indicator 511 for reading the scale of the height scale display 41 is provided on the side surface of the arm slide 51 so that the position of the arm slide 51 in the height direction can be read. A front / rear scale indicator 521 extending in the front / rear direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor is provided on a side surface of the arm main body 52. An indicator 531 for reading the front / rear scale display 521 is provided on the side surface of the slider 53 so that the position of the slider 53 in the front / rear direction can be read.
[0028]
In the swivel unit 6, the swivel unit main body 61 is connected and fixed to the slider 53, and a swivel shaft 62 that can be swung within a predetermined angle range with respect to the swivel unit main body 61 is connected to the conveyor belt 21 from the lower surface of the swivel unit main body 61. It extends in the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the. A turning scale display 611 (not shown) is provided on the lower surface of the turning section main body 61 along the outer peripheral surface of the turning shaft 62, while an indicator 621 for reading the turning scale display 611 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the turning shaft 62. (Not shown) is provided, and the position (angle) in the horizontal turning direction can be read.
[0029]
The sticking unit 7 includes a label printer 71 connected and fixed to the turning shaft 62 and a sticking unit 72 fixed adjacent to the label printer 71. The label printer 71 uses, for example, a product name, a expiration date, a processing date, and a price as product related information corresponding to the packed product G conveyed on the conveyor to the label paper drawn from the label roll 711 that is rotatably supported. The seller name, product management bar code, and the like are printed, and the printed label L is supplied to the adhering unit 72 adjacent thereto. In the pasting unit 72, the supplied label L is temporarily held by a vacuum clamp, and then pressed by the pasting arm 721 to be pasted on the surface of the packed product G that passes below. The label L is pressed by lowering the sticking arm 721 at a predetermined timing after the passage of the front end or the rear end of the packed product G is detected by the photoelectric sensor 22 described above.
[0030]
The affixing unit 72 is supported on the fixed base 3 via the support column 4, the arm slide 51, the slider 53, the turning shaft 62, and the label printer 71 as described above. Therefore, the pasting unit 72 is the same as the height direction indicated by the arrow Z, the front-rear direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor 2 indicated by the arrow X, and the arrow R with respect to the conveyor 2 similarly supported by the fixed base 3. It can be moved in the horizontal turning direction shown. Further, the positions in the X, Y, and R directions of the pasting unit 72 are specified by the indication positions of the height scale display 41, the front and rear scale display 521, and the turning scale display 611 by the indicators 511, 531, and 621.
[0031]
The touch panel display 8 is an information input unit to the memory 91 as a storage unit of the control unit 9 and can input product production information through the input screens shown in FIGS. First, a product to be produced is selected and entered from an initial input screen 81 (not shown) that displays a list in which many product names are described. When the product to be produced is determined, the pasting position (upper right corner, lower left corner, etc. with respect to the tray) is determined according to the product type, and as shown in FIG. 3, the size of the tray to be used, A screen 82 for registering and inputting the shape is displayed. The tray set corresponding to the confirmed product is selected from a list displayed by pressing the tray list button 821. By pressing the paste position detail button 822, the paste position can be confirmed on the screen 83 shown in FIG. 4, and by pressing the paste position take-in button 831, the paste position is input and confirmed. Further, by selecting the shape and size of the label to be used on the label setting screen 84 shown in FIG. 5, and setting and inputting the product related information to be printed on the label on the format setting screen 85 shown in FIG. The input operation of the production information to the memory 91 is completed.
[0032]
The control unit 9 stores the input product production information in the memory 91, and the CPU 92 as a calculation means is an application suitable for applying a label to an appropriate application position based on the input product production information. The position of the unit 72 is calculated.
[0033]
For example, the front-rear position in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction among the positions of the pasting unit 72 is calculated as follows. As shown in FIG. 7A, the packed product G is conveyed in the center in the direction orthogonal to the conveyor (the one-dot chain line O indicates the center line of the conveyor), and a label L is pasted on the lower side of the packed product G. In this case, the front / rear position X1 of the label L is calculated by (conveyor width Xc / 2) − (tray width Xt / 2) −front / rear pasting position Xa−label length Xl. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the packed product G is conveyed in the center in the direction orthogonal to the conveyor and the label L is pasted above the packed product G, the front-rear position X1 of the label L is: It is calculated by (conveyor width Xc / 2) − (tray width Xt / 2) + front and rear sticking position Xb.
[0034]
In addition, as described above, the pressing of the label L by the sticking arm 721 is performed at a certain timing after the front end or the rear end of the packed product G detected by the photoelectric sensor 22 has passed. In order to change in the Y direction (for example, changing to the right end, the center, the left end, etc.), it is necessary to move the height position of the sticking unit 72 and adjust the timing at which the sticking arm 721 presses the label L against the packed product G. There is. Therefore, based on the tray T, the size of the label L, and the like, and the conveyance speed of the conveyor 2, the position in the height direction of the sticking unit 72 is calculated so that the label L is stuck at an appropriate sticking position.
[0035]
Furthermore, when the label L is stuck in the vertical direction, it is necessary to change the sticking direction, so the horizontal turning position of the sticking unit 72 is changed based on the product production information.
[0036]
The CPU 92 further sets the pasting unit 72 at a position (position in the front-rear direction, position in the height direction, position in the horizontal turning direction) for pasting the label determined as described above at an appropriate position. At this time, the indication position (reference position) of the height scale display 41, the front and rear scale display 521, and the turning scale display 611 by the indicators 511, 531 and 621 is calculated, and in the state as shown in FIG. Are displayed on the screen 86 of the touch panel display 8. According to the display of the screen shown in FIG. 8, the label of the label is set by setting the instruction of the height scale display 41 to 40 mm, the instruction of the front and rear scale display 521 to 132 mm, and the instruction of the turning scale display 611 to be 0 degree. L is set so as to be attached to an appropriate position on the packed product G.
[0037]
The label sticking machine of the above embodiment has the following features.
[0038]
First, since the CPU 92 calculates the position of the sticking unit 72 where the label L is stuck at an appropriate sticking position suitable for the product to be produced based on the product production information, the operator It is only necessary to perform adjustment work for changing 72 to the calculated position, and the setup can be changed quickly and easily.
[0039]
Secondly, the position of the pasting unit 72 can be adjusted by the slider 53 in the front-rear direction (arrow X direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 2, and the reference position of the adjustment is the indicated position of the front-rear scale display 521 by the indicator 531 Therefore, it is possible to easily change the position of the pasting unit 72 in the front-rear direction, which is required when the size and shape of the tray T and the label L and the pasting position are changed.
[0040]
Thirdly, the position of the pasting unit 72 can be adjusted in the height direction (arrow Z direction) by the arm slide 51, and the reference position of the adjustment is the indicated position (reference position) of the height scale display 41 by the indicator 511. Since it is displayed on the touch panel display 8, it is possible to easily change the position in the height direction of the pasting unit 72 that is required when the size and shape of the tray T and label L and the pasting position are changed.
[0041]
Fourth, the position of the pasting unit 72 can be adjusted in the turning direction (arrow R direction) by the turning shaft 62, and the reference position of the adjustment is displayed on the touch panel display 8 as the indicated position of the turning scale display 611 by the indicator 621. For this reason, it is possible to easily perform a change operation of the position of the sticking unit 72 in the turning direction, which is necessary when the sticking angle of the label L is changed.
[0042]
Fifth, since the height position of the attaching unit 72 is automatically calculated so that the label is attached at an appropriate position based on the product production information and the conveyance speed of the conveyor 2, the setup change is further facilitated. Can be done.
[0043]
Sixth, since the touch panel display 8 displays the position calculated by the CPU corresponding to each scale display, even an unfamiliar operator can easily understand the work contents of the setup change, and the work mistake Can be prevented.
[0044]
In the above embodiment, the position of the sticking unit 72 calculated by the CPU is displayed in a plane as shown in FIG. 8, but is displayed in association with a three-dimensional image imitating a label sticking machine. Anyway. By doing so, even an unfamiliar worker can more easily understand the work contents of the setup change, and it can be expected to prevent work mistakes.
[0045]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the label is exclusively attached to the upper surface of the product has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to the case where the label is attached to the lower surface of the product.
[0046]
In addition, the label sticking machine of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the label applicator according to claims 1 to 6 of the present invention, the operator only needs to perform the adjustment work for adjusting to the automatically determined fixed position, and the burden is quick and burdensome. It is possible to change the setup without feeling. Since the determined fixed position is displayed in a format corresponding to the scale display, the burden on the operator is further reduced.
[0048]
Since the fixed position can be adjusted in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, the tray and label size and shape can be changed, and the pasting area can be changed easily. Further, since the fixed position can be adjusted in the height direction, an appropriate sticking timing, that is, a sticking position can be set according to changes in the conveyor speed and the label printing speed. Furthermore, it is possible to easily cope with changes in production speed. In addition, since the horizontal angle of the fixed position can be adjusted, the operation of changing the label sticking angle can be easily performed.
[0049]
In addition, since the fixed position determined by the calculation means is displayed in association with a three-dimensional image simulating a label sticking machine, even an inexperienced worker can easily understand the work contents of the setup change, The outstanding effect that a mistake can be prevented can be produced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an entire label applicator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control unit.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a tray registration screen.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a tray detail registration screen.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a label setting screen.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a label format setting screen.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a procedure for calculating the position of the sticking unit in the front-rear direction. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a screen that displays a guide position of the sticking unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Label sticking machine 2 Conveyor 3 Fixing stand 4 Support | pillar 41 Height scale display (scale display)
5 Arm 51 Arm slide (Adjustment means)
521 scale display (scale display)
53 Slider (Adjustment means)
6 Turning part 611 turning scale display (scale display)
62 Rotating axis (Adjustment means)
7 sticking part 72 sticking unit 8 touch panel display (input means / display means)
9 Control unit 91 Memory (storage means)
92 CPU (calculation means)

Claims (7)

A labeling machine provided with a pasting unit for pasting a label on a product conveyed on a conveyor in a transport path of the conveyor,
Adjustment means capable of manually changing the position of the sticking unit relative to the conveyor;

A scale display for specifying the position of the pasting unit moved by the adjusting means;
An input means for inputting information about the product to be produced ;
Storage means for storing information which are entered by said input means,
Calculating means for calculating the position of the sticking unit in the case of moving the sticking unit as label based on the information that will be stored in the storage means is attached to an appropriate attaching position,
Display means for displaying the position of the pasting unit computed by the computing means in a format corresponding to the scale display;
A labeling machine comprising: The adjusting means can change the position of the sticking unit in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor, and the scale display specifies the position of the sticking unit in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor The label applicator according to claim 1, which is possible. The said adjustment means can move the position of the said sticking unit to a height direction with respect to the said conveyor, The said scale display can specify the position of the height direction of the said sticking unit. The labeling machine described. The label sticking machine according to claim 3, wherein a position in a height direction of the sticking unit is calculated based on the product production information and a conveying speed of the conveyor. The adjustment means can change the turning position of the sticking unit in a horizontal direction with respect to the conveyor, and the scale display can specify the position of the sticking unit in the turning direction. Crab labeling machine. The label sticking machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the display means displays the position computed by the computing means in association with a three-dimensional image simulating a label sticking machine. The label sticking machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the display means displays the position calculated by the calculating means in correspondence with the scale display.

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