JPH0419168A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive to improve operating properties by making the operation, for converting the number of issued labels into the predetermined number of such labels, unnecessary through totalizing the prices and weights of commodities and the number of issued labels in a memory in accordance with the completion of counting of the commodities by counting means. CONSTITUTION:When an operator puts a first commodity A placed on a predetermined tare in a weighting part 1, the load is converted into an electric information in the weighting part 1 and into count data in A/D converter 23 and read in a main processor 21. Accordingly, the tare is deducted from load data in the weighting part 1 so that a net weight is obtained, and a price is computed from the net weight and unit price. Then, a weight, price and count value are indicated as the number of issued labels by an indicator 15. Such process is conducted also for succeeding commodities B, C and the weights and prices of the commodities A, B, C are totalized in the corresponding total area of an article number file R1. Thus, it is unnecessary to convert the number of issued labels into the predetermined number of such labels for operating it and to contrive to improve operating properties.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a label printer with automatic packaging and weighing functions.

[Prior Art] In a conventional label printer of this kind, when the first product A is weighed in the weighing section, the product A is weighed based on the weighing data.
The label printing data of is edited and the first label of the shift buffer is
stored in the area. Further, in response to the completion of weighing, the transfer mechanism is activated, and the product A is transferred to the packaging machine section. Next, when the next product B is weighed in the weighing section, the label issuance data for product B is edited based on the weighing data, and the label issuance data for product A that was stored in the first area of the shift buffer is is shifted to the second area, and label issue data for product B is stored in the first area. Further, upon completion of weighing, the transfer mechanism is activated and product B is transferred to the packaging machine section. At this time, the product A located in the packaging machine section is packaged, and the packaged product A is transferred to the pricing section. Next, when the next product C is weighed in the weighing section, the label issuance data for the product C is edited based on the weighing data, and the product stored in the second and first areas of the shift buffer is The label issue data for product A and product B are shifted to the third area and second area, respectively, and
Label issue data for product C is stored in the first area.

Furthermore, upon completion of weighing, the transfer mechanism is activated, and the product C is transferred to the packaging machine section, and the packaged product B is transferred to the pricing section. At this time, label printing is performed in the pricing section using the label printing data stored in the third area of the shift buffer, and a printed label is automatically issued and attached to product A located in the pricing section. .

Thereafter, the same process is repeated every time the product is weighed in the weighing section.

Incidentally, this type of label printer is capable of managing productivity data by compiling the prices and weights of products for which labels have been issued in a memory for each product or category. On the other hand, the product data that is issued by the pricing section is not the product that was weighed this time, but the product that was weighed two cycles ago. Therefore, if the timing of counting the price and weight differs from the timing of counting the number of issued sheets, the total price and weight data and the number of issued sheets data will not match. For this reason, conventionally, a counter for counting the number of issued labels has been configured to count up in response to the issuance of labels by the pricing section.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the past, the number of issued labels was counted in response to the issuance of labels, which caused the following problems. That is, the pricing operator generally determines whether or not to weigh the next product by looking at the number of issued coins displayed on the display. However, since the products for which labels are issued by the pricing department are products that were weighed two cycles ago, in order to price the planned number of products, it is necessary to weigh the products when the number of labels issued is two fewer than the planned number. need to be terminated. Therefore, the displayed number of labels to be issued must always be converted into the planned number before operation, resulting in poor operability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a label printer that does not need to be operated by converting the number of labels to be issued into a scheduled number of labels to be issued, and which can improve operability.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a measuring means for weighing products, a packaging means for automatically packaging the products after the measurement is completed, and a price label for the products after the measurement is completed to automatically issue them to the packaged products. In a label printer that is equipped with a pricing means for pasting, a transportation means for transporting the product between the weighing means and the packaging means, and between the packaging means and the pricing means, and is configured to aggregate label issuing data in a memory, In response to the completion of weighing the product by the means, label issuing data related to the product is aggregated in the memory.

In addition to providing a correction key, a label issuance prohibition means for prohibiting the issuance of a value label for the product when the correction key is input after the measurement of the product is completed by the weighing means; It is desirable to provide a data correction means for subtracting the label issue data of the product from the memory.

[Function] According to the present invention having such a configuration, in response to the completion of measuring the product by the measuring means, the label issue data related to the product, that is, the price and weight of the product and the number of labels issued are aggregated in the memory. . Therefore, since the number of labels to be issued is the number of products for which weighing has been completed, there is no need to convert the number of labels to be issued to determine whether or not to weigh the next product. Furthermore, since the counting of the number of labels issued and the totaling of prices and weights are performed at the same time, it is possible to prevent the problem of discrepancies between the total price and weight data and the number of issued labels data.

However, in this case, since the price and weight are totaled in the memory when the weighing is completed, it is necessary to modify the contents of the memory if issuing a label for the product is to be stopped after the weighing is completed.

Therefore, in the label printer according to the second aspect of the present invention, when issuing a label for the product is to be canceled after measurement is completed, the correction key is operated. Then, issuing a price label for the product is prohibited, and the label issue data for the product is automatically subtracted from the memory, eliminating the need for complicated memory correction operations.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing the general configuration of the label printer of this embodiment, in which 1 is a weighing section as a measuring means for weighing products, and 2 is a weighing section for measuring weighed products using a stretch film. Packaging machine section as a packaging means for packaging, 3
is a printing/applying section which serves as a pricing means for automatically issuing a pricing label for the product after measurement is completed and attaching it to the packaged product.

Also, a first transfer means that transfers the products weighed in the weighing section 1 to the packaging machine section 2, and a second transfer means that transfers the products packaged in the packaging machine section 2 to the printing/pasting section 3. , conveyors 4 and 5 are provided respectively.

The weighing section 1 converts a load into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal, such as a load cell.

The packaging machine section 2 includes an elevating arm 7 having a pedestal 6 on one end on which a product is placed, an elevating mechanism 8 for elevating and lowering the elevating arm 7, and packaging for wrapping the product being lifted by the elevating mechanism 8 with a stretch film. It consists of machine 9.

The printing/pricing unit 3 includes a printing unit 13 that prints label data on the transported label paper 10 with a print head 11 and issues the label from the label issuing port 12, and a printing unit 13 that receives the label issued from the issuing port 12. It has a pasting arm 13 that is pasted on a product. Further, a display/key panel 17 including a display 15 and a keyboard 16 is provided near the printing/pricing section 3.

Here, FIG. 1 shows the state when the product is being weighed, and FIG. 2 shows the state when the product has been weighed and is being transferred. That is, while product C is being weighed, the previous product B is located in the packaging machine section 2, and the previous product A is located at a waiting point p relative to the printing/pasting section 3.

When the weighing of the product C is completed, the product C is transported to the packaging machine section 2 by the container 4, and during this time, the elevating arm 7 of the packaging machine section 2 moves up and down for one cycle, and the product B moves to the standby starting point p. Further, the product A is moved to a pasting point q relative to the printing and pasting section 3, and the label is pasted by the pasting arm 14.

FIG. 3 shows the display 15 on the display/key panel 17.
This is an example of a display, and as shown in the figure, the label printing data (product number 1 product name 1 weight, unit price, price, processing date, effective date, etc.) of the label issued product, as well as the preset number of sheets to be issued N and labels. The issued number M is displayed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the key arrangement of the keyboard 16 on the display/key panel 17, and as shown in the figure, there is a number key Kl, a product number key 2. 3 on the back number key. Various function keys such as 4 are arranged as the correction key. Incidentally, the product number of the product to be labeled can be specified by using 1 in the number key and 2 in the product number key. Furthermore, the number of labels to be issued can be set by pressing 1 on the number key and 3 on the back number key.

The correction key 4 is used to cancel label issuance for a product that has been weighed.

FIG. 5 is a control blower diagram of the label printer. 2
1 is a main processor constituting the main body of the control unit,
CPU (Central Processing Unit).

It has a built-in ROM (read-only memory), etc., and controls each part based on a preset program. The main processor 21 includes a RAM (random access memory) 22 that stores various data, and an A/D (analog) that converts the electric signal corresponding to the load from the weighing section 1 into a digital count value. /digital) converter 23, a keyboard controller 24 into which key signals are input from the keyboard 16, a display controller 25 that outputs display data to the display 15 to drive the display, and outputs label printing data to the printing section 13. A printing section controller 26 that drives printing by printing, an arm controller 27 that controls the movement of the pasting arm 14, and a transfer/packaging controller 28 that outputs drive signals to the packaging machine section 2 and each conveyor 4.5 are connected. has been done.

As shown in FIG. 6, necessary data such as product name, unit price, tare weight, and expiration date are preset in the RAM 22 in accordance with the product number of each product. A product number file R1 with a total area for separate tabulation, a scheduled issue number memory R2 that stores the number of labels manually input, an issue number counter R3 that stores the number of labels issued, and a processing date. A processing date memory R4, a temporary buffer R5 for temporarily storing data, etc. called out from the product number file R1 by specifying the product number, and a shift memory in which data related to label issuance for the past three products that have been weighed are sequentially stored. Buffer R6 etc. are formed.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the shift buffer R6 stores the product number, product name, unit price, tare weight, and processing date.

Each label issue data including effective date, weight, price, and correction flag is stored for each product. Note that the correction flag is set when 4 is input to the correction key after the completion of weighing of the product concerned and before the start of weighing of the next product.

The label printer of this embodiment is configured to operate as follows. First, the pricing operator operates keys on the keyboard 16 to designate the product number of the product for which labels are to be issued and to set the number of labels to be issued. Then, the product name and unit price corresponding to the specified product number from the product number file R1.

The tare weight, validity period, etc. are recalled and stored in the -time buffer R5, as well as the product number, product name, and unit price.

The processing date and effective date are displayed on the display 15. Further, the number of scheduled issues is also displayed on the display 15 and stored in the scheduled number of issues memory R2.

In this state, the operator puts the first product A placed on a predetermined tare into the weighing section 1. Then, the load is converted into an electrical signal by the weighing section 1, converted into count data by the A/D converter 23, and read into the main processor 21. As a result, the tare is subtracted from the load data in the weighing section 1 to obtain the net weight, and the price is calculated from the net weight and unit price. Then, the weight and price are displayed on the display 15, and the label issuing data (correction flag - reset) shown in FIG. 7 is edited, and the shift buffer R6
is stored in the first area. When the weighing of the product A is completed, the issued number counter R3 counts up by "+1", and the count value is displayed on the display 15 as the number of labels issued. Also, the weight and price of the product A are totaled in the corresponding total area of the product number file R1. Furthermore, at this time, the conveyor 4 is driven, and the product A
is transferred to the packaging machine section 2 and placed on the pedestal 6.

Next, the worker places the second product B on the predetermined tare.
is put into the weighing section 1. Then, the load data from the weighing section 1 is similarly read into the main processor 21, and the net weight and price are calculated. As a result, the weight and price are displayed on the display 15, and the label issuance data (correction flag - reset) is edited, and the label issuance data for product A stored in the first area of the shift buffer R6 is moved to the second area. is shifted to the above-mentioned first
Label issue data for product B is stored in the area. When the weighing of product B is completed, the issued number counter R3 counts up by "+1" and the count value is displayed on the display 15 as the number of issued labels.

Further, the weight and price of the product B are totaled in the corresponding total area of the product number file R1. Furthermore, the conveyor 4 is driven, and the product B is transferred to the packaging machine section 2. During this time, the lifting arm 7 moves up and down for one cycle in the packaging machine section 2, and the product A placed on the pedestal 6 is transferred to the standby point p of the printing/pricing section 3.

Next, the worker places the third product C on the predetermined tare.
is put into the weighing section 1. Then, the load data from the weighing section 1 is similarly read into the main processor 21, and the net weight and price are calculated. As a result, the weight and price are displayed on the display 15, and the label issue data (correction flag - reset) is edited, and the product A and product A stored in the second area and first area of the shift buffer R6, respectively. The label issuance data of product C is shifted to the third area and the second area, respectively, and the label issuance data of product C is stored in the first area.

When the weighing of product C is completed, the issued number counter R
3 counts up by "+1", and the count value is displayed on the display 15 as the number of labels issued. In addition, the weight and price of the product C are in the product number file R1.
will be aggregated into the applicable total area. Furthermore, conveyor 4
is driven, product C is sent to packaging machine section 2, and product B is printed/printed.
They are each transported to the waiting point p of the pricing unit 3. At this time, the conveyor 5 is also driven, and the product A located at the waiting point p is transferred to the pasting point q of the printing/pricing section 3. Further, the printing section 13 prints a label on the label paper 10 based on the label printing data stored in the third area of the shift buffer R6, and a printed label is printed. As a result, the pasting arm 14 is driven and the issued label is pasted onto the product A. Note that the worker removes the product A to which the label has been issued from the affixing point q.

Thereafter, the same process as described above is repeated every time a product is put into the weighing section 1.

On the other hand, for example, after the measurement of product A is completed, the next product B is weighed on the weighing section 1.
When the user presses the correction key 4 on the keyboard 16 before inputting the product A, the correction flag in the first area of the shift buffer 6, that is, the correction flag of the label issue data regarding product A, is set. The label issue data of this correction flag set is sequentially shifted every time products B and C are weighed. When the weighing of product C is completed, the label issuance data for product A is read out for label printing, but since the correction flag is set at this time, label printing is prohibited (label issuance prohibited). means). Further, the issue number counter R3 counts down by "-1", and the price and weight in the label issue data of the product A are subtracted from the corresponding total area of the product number file R1 (data correction means).

In this way, in this embodiment, in response to the completion of weighing a product by the weighing unit 1, the issue number counter R3 is updated, and the weight and price of the product are added and totaled to the corresponding total area of the product number file R1. . Therefore, the display 15
The number of labels to be issued M displayed on the screen is the number of products for which weighing has been completed, so the operator performs the product weighing operation when the number of labels to be issued M matches the number of labels to be issued N that is also displayed on the display 15. It will be better if you finish it. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to convert the displayed number of labels to be issued into the scheduled number of labels to determine whether or not to weigh the next product, as is the case in the past, so operability can be improved. Furthermore, since the counting of the number of issued labels and the totaling of prices and weights are performed at the same time, it is possible to prevent the problem of discrepancy between the totaled data of prices and weights and the data of the number of issued labels.

By the way, in this embodiment, the price and weight are totaled in the total area of the product number file R1 when the weighing is completed, so if you want to stop issuing a label for the product after the weighing is completed, the contents of the above total area must be corrected. The need arises. Therefore, in this embodiment, after the measurement of a certain product is completed and before the next product is weighed, if 4 is input manually to the correction key,
Issuance of a label for the product is prohibited, and the price and weight data of the product are automatically subtracted from the corresponding total area. Also, the issue number counter R3 is set to “
-1" counts down. Therefore, even if you make a mistake in setting the product number or putting a product other than the specified product number into the weighing section, you can simply press 4 on the correction key before putting in the next product. Issuance of labels can be prohibited and required data can be corrected.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the label printer of the present invention,
There is no need to operate by converting the number of labels to be issued into the scheduled number of labels to be issued, and operability can be improved.

In addition, it is possible to correct the generation of waste labels due to mistakes in loading weighed products or mistakes in product number setting, etc., and to correct tabulated data with a simple key operation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing the overall configuration, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the display. FIG. 5 is a control block diagram, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the main memory configuration of the RAM, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the format of label issuing data. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Weighing part, 2... Packaging machine part, 3... Printing and pasting part, 4.5... Conveyor, 15... Display device, 16.
・・Keyboard, 21・・Main processor, 22・
...RAM. R1...Product number file, R2...Scheduled issue number memory, R3...Issue number counter, R6...Shift buffer, R4...Correction key Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Rod diagram

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A measuring means for weighing a product, a packaging means for automatically packaging the product after measurement is completed, a pricing means for automatically issuing a value label for the product after the measurement is completed and attaching it to the packaged product, and the above-mentioned weighing means. In a label printer that is equipped with a transport means for transporting the product between the packaging means and between the packaging means and the pricing means, and is configured to compile label issuing data in a memory, when the weighing of the product by the measuring means is completed, A label printer characterized in that the label printing data related to the product is aggregated in the memory in response. (2) a correction key, a label issuance prohibition means for prohibiting the issuance of a price label for the product when the correction key is input after the weighing of the product is completed by the weighing means; 2. The label printer according to claim 1, further comprising data correction means for subtracting label issuing data of a product that has been printed from the memory.