JPH0948157A - Image-printing labeler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operating efficiency, to enhance the operating effi ciency and to be able to eliminate the delivery mistake by printing to output the image data of recipient data and the bar code data read by a bar code reader to a label, and sticking the label on the opposite surface of a document to the code. SOLUTION: The image data of recipient's address and name binarized by an image input unit and a bar code read by a bar code reader are transmitted to a printer 10, and printed. The timing of the printer to a continuous label is attempted by a label detecting sensor 9 provided before the printer, and the label printed as required is advanced to a label sticking unit to an envelope in the state that the label is held under a predetermined tension. The envelope stick with the label is advanced on a conveying base, passed under a second bar code reader 7, which reads the bar code data on the label, and confirms the coincidence with the data previously read by the first bar code reader 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a device for outputting bar code data and recipient data attached to a document such as an envelope to a label or the like and attaching the label to the envelope or the like. In particular, the present invention relates to the postal service,
In particular, the registered barcode is read by a barcode reader, and the delivery address and the name of the recipient of the mail are printed out on the registered mail delivery certificate attached to the registered mail and the original code (a copy of the delivery certificate), and the printed delivery is made. It is the most suitable device for sticking the certificate and the original code on the envelope.

According to the Postal Law, in handling registered mail, records are taken from the acceptance of mail to delivery.
If the mail is forgotten or damaged during the delivery, all or part of the proposed damage compensation amount will be compensated. For this reason, in the case of registered mail, a delivery receipt is given to the sender at the time of underwriting, the delivery is recorded at the time of transportation, and a receipt seal is received at the time of delivery to the recipient. Such records are also applied mutatis mutandis to registered mail.

Since 1991, a system of attaching a bar code to registered mail has been adopted to facilitate the tracking of registered mail. The type, area code, classification code of registered mail,
Serial numbers are now recorded as barcodes. This classification code is a code for large users,
A number is assigned by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. Large users use this code and are required to display the registered code in advance by barcode (print the barcode) before sending out the registered mail.

Further, from July 19, 1995, if a registered mail delivery certificate and the same original number are created and presented, or if they are attached to an envelope and presented, the postage will be reduced. The system to be adopted was adopted, and it became necessary for large users to effectively use this system.

Conventionally, such a delivery certificate and pasting of the original mark have been done by manual work in the postal service, which requires a great deal of manpower and labor. The device according to the present invention has been developed for the purpose of efficiently performing such a delivery certificate and the attachment of the original number by a systemized device without manual labor. According to the device,
By fully automating such manual work, it is possible to improve work efficiency and complete work accuracy, and prevent delivery mistakes.

[0006]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various devices have been developed for producing and recording stamps for producing mails of the same standard from continuous forms. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52-69255 discloses an invention of a method for producing an integrated body of a card-shaped recording material and a print. However, the invention described in the above publication reads the information recorded on the magnetic card and prints necessary information from the information on a mount which is continuously supplied by a printer. Therefore, depending on the device, it is not possible to read information from mail that is already in the form of a sealed letter, print the information on a label, and attach the label to the sealed letter, as with registered mail. .

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a bar code attached to a mail piece is read by a bar code reader, and recipient data such as a recipient address name is read by an image input device and binarized. A function to print both the barcode data and the image data on a label such as a registered mail delivery certificate and the same original label, affix the printed label to a mail item, and finally check the consistency of the two barcodes again. With respect to the device. In addition, a bar code is printed on the registered mail delivery certificate and the same original code together with the name and address of the recipient, and the bar code also includes the underwriting number information of the registered mail. The registered mail delivery certificate and the same original code are as shown in FIG. 4 (A).

[0008]

As shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus according to the present invention includes an envelope feeder, a conveyor, a discharge stacker, a conveyor including a reject stacker, a plurality of bar code readers and an image. A recognition unit consisting of an input device, a control unit consisting of a personal computer and an operation / control panel (Fig. 2
,), A label printer, a label printer, a label feeder, and a label sticker.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In FIG. 1, (1) is an envelope supply device in which envelopes to be processed are stocked.
Registered envelopes, which are postal items, are stacked with the surface of the recipient's address, etc. written down, pulled out one by one by the lower roll from the bottom and supplied to the feed nip roll (2). The envelopes sent out from the nip rolls onto the conveyor (3) are regulated in the lateral position by lateral guide bars (4) provided outside the conveyor and perpendicularly to the conveyor on both sides. The transport conveyor is made of a material such as a steel belt, but feed pins (5) are provided in parallel on both sides of the conveyor at regular intervals to regulate the position of the envelope in the traveling direction. The envelopes are pushed by the feed pin and the image input device (1
5) and over the barcode reader (6). The portion corresponding to the envelope bar code of the steel belt and the name and address of the recipient is provided with a cutout (transparent window) so that it can be read by the bar code reader and the image input device. The envelope is transported with the surface on which the recipient's address name, registered barcode, etc. are written as the lower surface, and when it passes over the first barcode reader (6) and the image input device provided at the bottom of the transportation table, The code data information and the address and name of the recipient are read. In the case of registered mail or simple registered mail, the bar code is printed in a predetermined registered bar code format.

A label supply device (8) for supplying a registered letter of delivery of mail and a continuous label of the same original code (in which the individual data of the delivery certificate and the recipient of the same original is not printed) on the upper part of the transporting table in the traveling direction. Is provided. Adhesive is applied to the back side of the continuous form, and the necessary adhesive is printed on the form before the delivery certificate is affixed to the envelope. It has a well-known structure protected by a release paper in order to prevent unnecessary adhesion to other objects before the certificate is attached to the envelope.

In consideration of machine processing suitability, it is necessary that the entire surface of the registered mail delivery certificate and sticking of the same number be in close contact with the envelope, but if the envelope is delivered to each household, " Since it is necessary to bring back the “delivery certificate copy” after stamping the receipt certificate, it is desirable to use a “pseudo adhesive label” as shown in FIG. 4 (B). Pseudo-adhesion has a structure in which it is adhered in a peelable state, and is a technique known to those skilled in the art.

When the recipient's address name and the like are read as an image by the image input device (15), the inputted image data is binarized, and a part other than the recipient's address and name, for example, a credit card number or a customer. Image processing is performed so that the code number is removed, or a range to be read by the image input device is set in advance so that only the addressee name and address of the recipient can be read. Then, the image data of the recipient's name and address binarized by the image input device and the bar code read by the bar code reader are transmitted to the printing device (10) for printing. Printing can be performed by a known method, for example, heat-sensitive color printing, heat-sensitive transfer printing, water jet, etc., and it is necessary to design a label and a printing device according to each printing method.

The printing device for continuous labels is timed by a label detection sensor (9) provided in front of the printing device. The continuous label with the necessary printing is
With the tension kept constant, the robot further advances to the label attaching device for the envelope.

The label sticking apparatus comprises a peel plate (11) for peeling the release paper on the back surface of the adhesive and a press roll (12) for pressing the label onto the envelope. The peel plate is kept at a small distance between the tip of the peel plate and the envelope on the carrier so that the peel plate can be adjusted. The peeling paper is peeled off at the leading end of the peel plate, and the peeling paper separated from the label is reversed at the leading end of the plate and advances toward the peeling paper winding roll (13) to be wound up. The peel plate is preferably made of a smooth material that does not cause unnecessary damage to the release paper or label. Also, the angle formed by the peel plate (11) and the plane of the carrier can be adjusted in order to bond the label smoothly.

The positional relationship between the two is preliminarily determined by the label detection sensor and the feeding pin of the carrier so that the front end of the label where the release paper is peeled off and the adhesive on the back surface of the label is exposed coincides with the label sticking position on the envelope. Has been adjusted. A press roll (12) is provided above the portion where the leading edge of the label comes into contact with the envelope, and is rotated with the advance of the envelope to promote smooth adhesion between the label and the envelope.

The label-attached envelope further advances on the carrier and passes under the second bar code reader (7). The bar code reader reads the bar code data on the label and confirms whether or not the data read previously by the first bar code reader (6) matches. The processing speed of the envelope is variable, but the data read immediately before by the first barcode reader or the previous data within a few of them may be compared with the data read by the second barcode reader. . These can be performed by a well-known means for comparing the data of the same counter by providing counter circuits in the first bar code reader and the second bar code reader.

The data of the first bar code reader and the data of the second bar code reader are matched, and if there is no error, the envelope with the label is advanced on the discharge conveyor and on the carry-out collecting device (13). Accumulated in. If there is a mistake in the data matching, the envelope has a reject function and is ejected into the reject stacker (14) provided beside the transport path. In addition to data matching mistakes, the reject function also detects envelopes without barcodes detected by the first barcode reader and envelopes that are fed inside out to distinguish them from normal envelopes. It is ejected into the reject stacker.

Further, by inputting the codes of the untrustworthy user, the withdrawal member, etc., which should have been deleted from the data originally when the name was printed on the envelope, the It is also possible to delete the envelope. The required number and types of such reject stackers can be set arbitrarily.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a completed view of the apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is an envelope feeder, 3 is a conveyor, 8 is a label feeder, and 10 is a printer. Before the envelope on the transport conveyor is transferred from the supply device to the printing unit, code information and image information are read by a first bar code reader (not shown) and an image input device provided at the bottom of the conveyor. The label supplied from the label supply device is attached to the envelope at the front end of the peel plate (11), and the release paper is reversed at the front end of the plate and wound on a winding roll. Further, in the illustrated apparatus, four types of reject stackers are provided.

FIG. 3 shows a system of information processing in the image printing labeler device of the present invention. First, in the recognition unit, the registered barcode on the surface of the envelope, the name and address of the recipient, and the like are read by the first barcode reader and the image input device. The image data is binarized, cut out so that only the addressee name and address are processed, and sent to the printing unit together with the bar code data, and the delivery certificate label is printed and affixed to the envelope. At this time, if the barcode data read by the barcode reader cannot be read or there is no barcode printing, a reject signal is issued and the envelope is ejected by the reject stacker. Further, when it is desired to retrieve the read bar code data and instruct the extraction, it is possible to reject by setting the extraction data in the control unit in advance.

The data of the bar code newly printed on the back surface of the envelope attached to the label is read by the second bar code reader. The read data is matched with the barcode data on the surface by the comparison circuit. Envelopes that have been matched correctly are stored in the unloading and accumulating device as processed. Envelopes that are not matched correctly are ejected to the reject stacker. The data read by the second bar code reader may be matched, or a third bar code reader (not shown) may be paired on the opposite side of the second bar code reader (front side of the envelope). It may be provided and matching with the data may be performed. In the former case, since the data cannot be immediately matched, a counter circuit can be provided to compare the data of the same count.

[0022]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the barcode data and the recipient address name (recipient data) printed on the envelope are read by the barcode reader and the image input device and printed on the label. It is output and pasted, and it is possible to efficiently attach such labels such as delivery certificates and the same original label by a systemized device without manual labor, and fully automate human labor work. It is possible to improve work efficiency and complete work accuracy, and prevent delivery mistakes. In addition, in the system that reads barcode data, retrieves corresponding information such as recipient's address name from accumulated data, and prints and affixes it on the label,
Data conversion and media conversion are necessary, but in the present invention, these processes can be omitted by using the image input device. Further, it goes without saying that the automation of such a work has a great economic effect by reducing the postage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an image printing labeler device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a completed state of the image printing labeler device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a system of information processing in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a registered mail delivery certificate, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of the label.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Envelope Supply Device 2 Nip Roll 3 Conveyor 4 Guide Bar 5 Feed Pin 6 First Bar Code Reader 7 Second Bar Code Reader 8 Label Supply Device 9 Label Detection Sensor 10 Printing Device 11 Peel Plate 12 Press Roll 13 Unloading and Collecting Device 14 Reject Stacker 15 Image input device 16 Control unit 21 Paper 22 Film A 23 Film B 24 Release paper 25 Adhesive 26 Half cut

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. The recipient data attached to the document is read by an image input device, the barcode data is read by a barcode reader, and the image data of the recipient data and the barcode data are printed out on a label, An image printing labeler device having a function of attaching the label to the opposite side of the document from the barcode. 2. The bar code data attached to the document is read by the first bar code reader, the bar code data newly printed on the label based on the bar code data is read by the second bar code reader, and An image printing labeler device having a function of matching first and second barcode data and rejecting the document when the matching is not correctly performed. 3. The image printing labeler apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the document is a registered mail envelope. 4. The image printing labeler apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the label is a registered mail delivery slip.