JP4769145B2 - Labeling device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a labeling device, and more particularly to a labeling device that communicates with an RFID to write or read information.

A conventional labeling apparatus and RFID label will be described with reference to FIGS.
The RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) includes an IC chip 41 and an IC antenna 42. The IC chip 41 is provided with a memory for storing information.
For such RFID, an RFID label 47 provided on a label 44 having an adhesive 45 has been actively used. The label 44 has a printing surface 49 on the surface opposite to the surface having the adhesive 45.
The RFID label 47 can be loaded into a labeling device to be described later with a plurality of RFID label continuums 48 which are temporarily attached to a strip-shaped mount 40 having a release agent 46 such as silicone at a predetermined interval.

The label sticking device 50 includes a supply part 51, a printing part 52, a peeling part 53, an adsorption sticking part 54, and a winding part 55.
The supply unit 51 is provided with a supply shaft 56 for rotatably loading an RFID label continuous body 48 in a roll shape from the RFID label continuous body 48. The fed RFID label continuum 48 is transferred to the printing unit 52, and after printing on the label 44 in the printing unit 52, the RFID label 47 is peeled off from the belt-like mount 40 by the peeling unit 53. The RFID label 47 is sucked by the suction disk 57 provided in the suction sticking part 54 and the belt-like mount 40 turned by the peeling part 53 is wound up by the winding part 55.

The RFID label 47 sucked by the suction sticking unit 54 communicates with the RFID IC chip 41 via the IC antenna 42 by the reader / writer 58 provided on the suction disk 57 of the suction sticking unit 54 to write information or After reading, the RFID label 47 is attached to the adherend P conveyed by a separate conveyor C.
The reader / writer unit 58 can write or read information to or from the IC chip 41 via the IC antenna 42 by an electromagnetic induction method or a microwave method.
That is, the reader / writer 58 performs a process of writing predetermined information (electronic data or RFID data) to the IC chip 41 and a process of reading predetermined information (electronic data or RFID data) written to the IC chip 41. be able to.

  In the label affixing device 50 having such a configuration, a bar code or other predetermined information is printed on the label 44 of the RFID label 47 by the printing unit 52, and the IC chip of the RFID label 47 by the reader / writer unit 58 provided in the suction affixing unit 54. It is possible to write information to 41 or read information from the IC chip 41.

However, although the position of the IC antenna 42 provided on the RFID label 47 is provided at various positions depending on the usage state of the RFID label 47, the reader / writer unit 58 provided on the suction plate 57 and the sucked RFID label are provided. When communication is impossible due to deviation from the relative position of the 47 IC antenna 42, there is a problem that writing or reading of information becomes difficult and communication cannot be performed.
Further, due to the positional relationship between the reader / writer unit 58 fixed to the suction disk 57 and the attracted RFID label 47, the relative position of the IC antenna 42 is slightly different depending on the distribution form of electromagnetic waves induced from the reader / writer unit 58. Even if there is a gap, it may be difficult to write or read information, and there is a problem that communication is not possible.

JP 2006-1616 A

The present invention has been considered in view of the above problems, and a label on which information can be written to or read from an IC chip even if the position of an antenna provided on an RFID label is provided at any position. It is an object to provide a sticking device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a label applicator capable of providing an attachment position of a reader / writer unit provided on an adsorbent at an optimum communication position depending on the position of an antenna provided on an RFID label.

The present invention focuses on an adsorbent, and the gist of the invention described in claim 1 is that an adsorbing means for adsorbing an RFID label provided with an RFID having an IC chip having a memory and an antenna on the label; A sticking means for sticking the RFID label to the adherend, and a communication means for communicating with the RFID in the suction means.
The label sticking apparatus is characterized in that the suction means is provided with a plurality of positioning means for positioning the communication means at a predetermined position.
The gist of the invention described in claim 2 is that the positioning means is provided so as to form a communication cavity and to fit the communication means into the communication cavity. It is in the labeling apparatus described.
The gist of the invention according to claim 3 is the label sticking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the suction means is provided with a locking means for locking the communication means.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the label sticking apparatus according to the first or third aspect, wherein the communication means is provided with a loop-shaped antenna.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the RFID label comprises a label having a printing surface, and has an adsorption surface for adsorbing the printing surface to the adsorption means. 1 in the labeling device.

Since the label sticking device according to the present invention can be provided in the communication cavity formed on each side of the adsorbent, the position of the antenna provided on the RFID label is provided at the optimum position in the communication environment, It can communicate with an antenna provided on an RFID label, and information can be written to or read from an IC chip.
Further, the attachment position of the communication unit can be easily selected and attached according to the position of the antenna provided on the RFID label, and can be provided at the optimum communication position.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as the past, and description is abbreviate | omitted.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a label sticking device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an adsorbent and a communication unit, and FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the adsorbent, (B) is a top view of an adsorbent.

The label sticking apparatus 1 mainly includes a supply unit 2, a printing unit 3, a peeling unit 4, a winding unit 5, and an adsorption pasting unit 6.
Further, a conveyor C is disposed below the label sticking device 1, and the adherend P is provided so as to be conveyed in the direction of arrow F by driving the conveyor C.
The supply unit 2 rotatably rotates an RFID label continuum 48 in a roll shape from a RFID label continuum 48 in which a plurality of RFID labels 47 are temporarily attached to a belt-like mount 40 at predetermined intervals. Is provided.
The label continuum 48 of the RFID label held on the supply shaft 7 can be fed out to the printing unit 3 via the guide rollers 8 and 8. The RFID label 47 is provided with an IC chip 41 having a memory and an IC antenna 42 connected to the IC chip 41.

The strip-shaped mount 40 has a surface coated with a release agent 46 such as silicone, and an RFID label 47 having an adhesive 45 on this surface is combined with the release agent 46 and the adhesive 45 to provide a predetermined interval. It is temporarily attached in a peelable manner.
In addition, on the belt-like mount 40, a reference mark (black rectangular mark) (not shown) is arranged at almost the same interval as the RFID labels 47 are temporarily attached to each other. It is formed on the opposite side).
Further, on the opposite surface of the label 44 having the adhesive 45, a heat-sensitive color developing layer is provided by developing color by heat.

The printing unit 3 is provided with a platen roller 9 and a thermal head 10, and the thermal head 10 is provided so as to be able to contact with and separate from the platen roller 9.
The platen roller 9 is connected to a stepping motor (not shown), and the platen roller 9 is rotatably driven by the driving of the stepping motor.
Further, the RFID label continuum 48 is sandwiched between the platen roller 9 and the thermal head 10, and the platen roller 9 is driven by a print command from a control unit (not shown) and the thermal head 10 is selectively heated by a heating element (FIG. (Not shown) can generate heat to develop a thermosensitive coloring layer on the printing surface 49 of the label 44 of the RFID label 47, and information on the adherend P described later can be printed with characters, symbols, barcodes, and the like.

The peeling unit 4 is provided on the downstream side in the transfer direction of the RFID label continuum 48 of the printing unit 3, and has a peeling plate 11 having a tip formed at an acute angle. From the label continuum 48 of the RFID label to be transferred, The band-shaped mount 40 is folded back at the tip of the peeling plate 11 so that the rigid RFID label 47 is peeled off from the band-shaped mount 40.
The RFID label 47 peeled off by the peeling plate 11 is sucked by the negative air pressure of the adsorbing body 17 of the adhering / adhering portion 6 described later.
Further, the belt-like mount 40 turned by the peeling plate 11 is transferred to the winding unit 5 via the guide roller 12 and the pulling unit 13.
The take-up unit 5 has a rotatable take-up shaft 14 for taking up a belt-like mount 40 and is connected to a motor (not shown). By driving the motor, the take-up shaft 14 is rotationally driven to rotate the take-up shaft 14. The mount 40 can be wound up.
The pulling unit 13 is provided with a driving roller 15 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 16, and the belt-like mount 40 is pulled by the driving roller 15 and the driven roller 16 to take up the winding shaft. 14.

A pitch sensor 29 is disposed below the transfer path of the RFID label continuum 48 between the printing unit 3 and the supply unit 2. The pitch sensor 29 emits light (not shown) that emits predetermined light and the light emitted from the light emitting unit to receive the reflected light from the belt-like mount 40 and the intensity of the received light (the amount of light received per unit time). (Not shown) formed by printing or the like on the back surface of the belt-like mount 40. The light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion are arranged on the back surface side of the belt-like mount 40. The mark is detected based on the amount of light received by the light receiving unit.
The pitch sensor 29 supplies the control unit (not shown) as reference data such as the print reference position of the RFID label 47 and the stop reference position of the RFID label 47 on the peeling plate based on the detection result of the reference mark. Can do.

The suction sticking unit 6 includes an suction body 17 and a cylinder 18, and the suction body 17 is provided at the tip of the rod 19 of the cylinder 18.
Further, the cylinder is between a label receiving position for receiving the RFID label 47 adsorbed by the adsorbing body 17 and a label applying position for sticking the RFID label 47 on the upper surface of the adherend P when the rod 19 advances downward. Are provided so as to be able to reciprocate.

The adsorbent 17 has an adsorbent body 20 made of a material that does not affect the radio waves of plastics and synthetic resins. The adsorber body 20 is formed by two layers of an upper part and a lower part of an adsorbing part 20a and a communication positioning part 20b. be able to.
The adsorption part 20a is provided in the lower part of the adsorption board main body 20, and can form the air supply / exhaust source hole 21, the hollow part 22, and the several hole part 23. FIG. Moreover, the communication positioning part 20b is provided in the upper part of the suction cup main body 20, and the several cavity part 24 for communication is formed.
The air supply / exhaust source hole 21 formed in the adsorbing portion 20a can be connected to an air source such as a compressor (not shown) communicating with the hollow portion 22, and air can be sucked into or discharged from the air source into the hollow portion 22.
Moreover, it has the adsorption | suction surface 23a which formed the several hole part 23 which can adsorb | suck the RFID label 47 drawn | fed out from the peeling plate 11 by suction of air. The hole 23 is formed to communicate with the hollow portion 22.

The communication positioning unit 20b can form four side surfaces and an upper surface. At least one communication cavity 24 is formed on each side surface.
Each communication cavity 24 can be formed in the vicinity of the corner on each side, and includes a substantially square opening 24a into which a communication unit T described later can be inserted, and a cavity 24b having a predetermined depth. Can be formed.
Further, the depth direction of the cavity portion 24 b formed in the communication cavity portion 24 and the depth direction of the cavity portion 24 b of the other communication cavity portion 24 can be formed.
A support plate 28 is fixed to the upper surface of the communication positioning unit 20b, and the rod 19 is fixed to the support plate 28.

On the other hand, in the vicinity of the opening 24a of each communication cavity 24, there is provided an operation plate 25 capable of detachably attaching a communication box T described later.
The operation plate 25 is provided so as to be rotatable about a fulcrum 26 and has a screw hole 27 formed therein.

The communication unit T includes a communication board 30 and a holding box 31.
The communication board 30 is provided with a control antenna 33 and a connector 34 on a base plate 32. The control antenna 33 is configured by a loop antenna and can communicate with the IC chip antenna 42 at a predetermined frequency. The connector 34 is electrically connected to the control antenna 33 and can be connected to a signal cable (not shown). This signal cable is connected to a communication control unit (not shown) and can be controlled by the communication control unit so that it can be written to or read from the IC chip.

The holding box 31 has a substantially rectangular shape with the upper surface opened, and the communication board 30 can be mounted and fixed from the upper surface. In addition, an operation surface 35 is provided when the holding box 31 is attached to the communication cavity 24 from the opening 24 a formed in the adsorbent 17. The operation surface 35 can be formed with a partially cut-out cable window 36 and a screw hole 37 for fixing the holding box to the adsorption body.
The cable window 36 is configured so that a signal cable (not shown) can be connected to the connector 34.

The communication unit T in which the communication board 30 is mounted on such a holding box 31 selects the communication cavity 24 that can optimally communicate with the RFID label 47, and the communication unit T is opened from the opening 24a to the cavity. 24b can be fitted.
At this time, the communication unit T can be inserted into the communication cavity 24 from the surface opposite to the operation surface 35 of the holding box 31.
The depth of the cavity 24b of the communication cavity 24 and the length in the long side direction of the communication unit T can be substantially the same, and when the communication unit T is inserted, the side surface of the operation surface 35 and the communication positioning unit 20b. Can be substantially the same plane.
The communication unit T can be fixed by rotating the screw (not shown) by rotating the operation plate 25 to overlap the screw hole 37 of the operation surface 35 and the screw hole 27 of the operation plate 25.

The label affixing device configured as described above is such that after the RFID label continuum 48 fed out from the supply unit 2 is printed on the surface of the label 44 by the printing unit 2, information such as characters, symbols, and barcodes is printed. 4, the RFID label 47 peeled off from the belt-like mount 40 can be adsorbed to the adsorbing surface 23 a of the adsorbing body 17 of the adhering and pasting unit 6 by sucking air.
The sucked RFID label 47 is written to or read from the IC chip 41 by generating an electromotive force in the RFID IC antenna 42 by radio waves from the communication unit T provided at the optimum position of the adsorbent 17. can do.

  When the adherend detection sensor 39 detects the adherend P conveyed by the conveyor C after writing to or reading from the IC chip 41, the rod 19 of the cylinder 18 moves forward toward the adherend P. The RFID label 47 can be attached to the adherend P.

  In this manner, the communication unit T can be provided on the adsorbent body 17 at a position where communication can be performed optimally depending on the position of the IC antenna 42 provided on the RFID label 47, and an area incapable of communication can be eliminated. Even if the antenna provided on the RFID label is provided at any position, the communication cavity 24 capable of optimally communicating with the communication unit T can be selected and provided.

In addition, although the sticking means of this Embodiment demonstrated in the example which advances / retreats an adsorbent body toward an adherend,
The RDID label may be blown off toward the adherend by blowing air.
In addition, a positioning member that can position the communication unit T at a plurality of locations can be provided on the upper surface of the adsorbent 17.

  In this embodiment, the number, position, shape, and the like of each constituent member are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be set to a number, position, shape, and the like that are suitable for carrying out the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is obvious that the embodiments can be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

It is the schematic block diagram which showed an example of the label sticking apparatus of this invention. It is a perspective view explaining an adsorption body and a communication unit same as the above. (A) is sectional drawing of an adsorption body, (b) is a top view of an adsorption body. It is a schematic block diagram explaining the conventional label sticking apparatus. It is explanatory drawing explaining an RFID label.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Label sticking apparatus 2 Supply part 3 Printing part 4 Peeling part 5 Winding part 6 Adsorption sticking part 17 Adsorbent (adsorption means)
18 cylinders (sticking means)
20 Adsorbent body 20a Adsorption unit 20b Communication positioning unit 24 Communication cavity (positioning means)
24a Opening 24b Cavity 25 Operation plate (locking means)
30 Communication base 31 Holding box 33 Control antenna 34 Connector 35 Operation surface 40 Band-shaped mount 41 IC chip 42 IC antenna (antenna)
44 label 47 RFID label P adherend T communication unit (communication means)
50 Labeling device (conventional)

Claims (5)

A label attaching apparatus provided with an adsorbing means for adsorbing an RFID label provided with an RFID having an IC chip having a memory and an antenna on the label, and an attaching means for adhering the adsorbed RFID label to an adherend In
A communication means for communicating with the RFID is provided in the adsorption means,
A label sticking apparatus comprising a plurality of positioning means for positioning the communication means at a predetermined position in the suction means.   2. The label sticking device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means forms a communication cavity, and is provided so as to fit the communication means into the communication cavity.   The label sticking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the suction means is provided with locking means for locking the communication means.   4. The label affixing device according to claim 1, wherein the communication means is provided with a loop antenna. 2. The label sticking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the RFID label includes a label having a printing surface, and has an adsorption surface that adsorbs the printing surface to the adsorption means.

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