JPS5935465B2 - label reader - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a data reading device that reads data from a label attached to an object such as a slab.

Generally, a label on which data for identification and recognition is stamped or punched is affixed to a slab or the like for storage management, work management, etc.

Normally, the work of reading data from these labels and identifying slabs is done manually. On the other hand, along with the demand for labor saving, there is a trend toward devices that automatically identify labels. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device for automatically reading data on a label, there is a type of device that directly photographs a label with a television camera or the like and identifies the label by processing information from the television camera.

However, labels affixed to slabs and the like are often extremely contaminated, and simply processing information from a television camera often causes malfunctions, making it impossible to construct a practical label reading device. Further, in a label reading device using a television camera, there are many problems that must be solved, such as exposure at the reading position and the positional relationship between the label and the television camera. An object of the present invention is to provide a label reading device that can read data from contaminated labels with high reliability and identify the labels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a label data processing system that is less prone to malfunctions due to label stains.

The present invention provides an apparatus for reading data from a label affixed to an object and recorded with data necessary for identifying the object by engraving or punching. is a label data reading device that transfers data onto a plastic medium such as aluminum foil, and converts the transferred data onto the medium into an electrical signal using a television camera installed at a separate location.

The present invention takes advantage of the fact that the data on the label is uneven and presses a plastic medium onto the label.
Identification of the label can be accomplished by imprinting the label on the media and embossing the data.

In this way, the data embossed on the medium is unaffected by dirt on the label surface, and processing this data can prevent malfunctions of the reading device. The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a label reading device according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a case is shown in which data is read from a label 2 attached to a slab 1. First, data for recognition and identification of the slab 1 is recorded on the label 2, and the slab 1 with this label 2 attached is conveyed on the conveyor 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a label reading section 4 that reads data from the label 2, a conveying device 5 that transports the label reading section 4 to the label pasting surface, and a pressing force applied in the direction of the slab 1 on which the label 2 is pasted. 2 is provided with a cylinder 6 for pressing the label reading section 4. Now, referring also to FIGS. 2A, b, and c, when the slab 1 arrives at a predetermined position by the conveyor 3, the label reading unit 4 reads the label affixed to the slab 1 by the conveyor 5. The label 2 is brought into close contact with the label 2 by the cylinder 6. As shown in FIG. 2a, a label 2 attached to the slab 1 with nails 7 or the like is made of a hard material such as steel, and the label 2 includes characters and a bar code for identifying the slab 1. etc. are engraved as shown in Figure 2a. I did - Power and Ding C (
If a plastic medium capable of copying the data of the label 2 is placed on the surface facing the label 2 of the label reading unit 4, and this is brought into close contact with the label, the image will be printed on the medium 8 as shown in Fig. 2b. The data on label 2 will be transferred in embossed form. In this way, the unevenness data once transferred onto the medium is not affected by dirt or the like on the surface of the label 2. Therefore, by exposing the label 2 to light and extracting the label data from the transfer data, misrecognition of the label 2, etc. can be significantly reduced. Note that the label 2 may be one in which a code is punched according to the data, as shown in FIG. 2c. FIGS. 3a and 3b are diagrams for more specifically explaining the label reading section 4 according to the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3a and 3b, the label reading unit 4 has a paper 6
A supply roll 10 for a medium 8 such as aluminum foil, a take-up roll 11 for this medium 8, a roller 12, and a roller 1 drive motor 1
3, and the medium 8 is wound up from the supply roll 10 to the take-up roll 11 by the rotation of the drive motor 13. Further, in this embodiment, a rubber 14, a rubber fixing plate 15, and a pressing cylinder 16 are provided in order to press the medium 8 against the slab 1 on which the label 2 is attached. Furthermore, the data of the label 2 copied onto the medium 8 by pressing the medium 8 onto the label 2 is transferred to the input window 1.
7, the data input device 18 is identified.
The operation of this embodiment will be explained below.
is lowered when the slab 1 reaches the reading position and is pressed onto the label 2 of the slab 1 by the cylinder 6 shown in FIG.

Next, the cylinder 16 in the label reading section 4
The fixing plate 15 with label 4 attached thereto is pushed out as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3b, and presses the medium 8 onto the label 2. As a result, the data on the label 2 is copied onto the medium 8 in the form of unevenness data. When the copying is completed, the label reading section 4 rises upward, and at the same time, the 1 drive motor 13 is activated to wind up the medium 8 onto the winding roll 11 side. An input window 17 of a data input device 18 is provided on the winding roll 11 side, and the medium 8 bearing the label 2 mark is sent in front of this input window 17. The data input device 18 is equipped with a television camera or the like, and when the medium 8 is shined with light, the uneven data on the medium 8 becomes visible, which can be converted into an electrical signal by the television camera. . The label data extracted in this way is sent to an external information processing device. In addition, as mule 14,
By using something like a ribbon tape, it is also possible to obtain a type-like chiaroscuro image on the medium 8. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the data input device 18 shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b.

Referring to FIG. 4, this embodiment includes a television camera 20,
It includes a control circuit 21 and a signal processing circuit 22. When a medium 8 with a mark of a label 2 as shown in FIG. Converts the data written in the form of uneven surfaces into electrical signals.
This electrical signal is sent to the signal processing circuit 22, which determines the label data 23 and sends it to an external device, etc. As described above, in the present invention, the label data is once copied onto a medium such as paper. , this copied data is identified at a different location.

Since the data on the label is transferred in this way, data can be extracted from the label without being affected by label stains, and data can be input using a television camera under good conditions, making it reliable. It is possible to improve the degree of Furthermore, since the label is not damaged during reading, it can be read many times.
This is especially useful when information needs to be entered in multiple locations. Additionally, the label leaves a mark on the paper used as the media, which helps in tracking the travel as it occurs. In the present invention, it is only necessary to be careful not to misalign the medium and the label when pressing the medium against the label, and there is no need to stop the slab until the label reading is completed, as in the conventional case, and the work can be carried out quickly. . In the embodiment described above, a case was described in which a label affixed to a slab was read, but of course it can also be applied to reading a label affixed to a heavy object such as a container that is exposed to harsh indoor or outdoor environments. be.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a label reading device according to the present invention,
2A, b and c are diagrams showing label data read in the present invention and data transferred from the label; FIGS. 3 a and b are perspective views and plan views of the label reading section according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data input device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a label reading device that reads data from a label engraved or punched with data necessary for identifying the object, which is attached to an object such as a slab or conveyor that passes through an atmosphere that is likely to be contaminated, if the label comes into close contact with the label, a windable medium capable of physically copying the data on the label; a drive device for bringing the medium into close contact with the label; a device for winding the medium; What is claimed is: 1. A label reading device comprising: a television camera that extracts label data from data obtained by reading a label;