JPH0753459B2 - How to issue a label - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a label issuing method.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

Label printers are widely used to print the content of a product, for example, the product name or the date of manufacture, on a label, and to attach the label to the surface of the product or a package that wraps the product. ing. However, conventionally, in order to print the content of the product on a label, an operator inputs the content of the product into a computer in the printer using a ten-key pad or various operation buttons, and thereby operates the printer to display the content of the product on the label. It is printed and issued from a specified issuing port. Therefore, if the contents differ for each product, the worker must operate the ten-key pad or operation buttons to input the data into the computer each time, and in some cases there is an input error, and the operability was not very efficient. .

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to automatically issue a label printed with the content and greatly improve the work efficiency even if the production of various products having different content is large. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method of issuing a label that can be printed.

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is to attach at least a first antenna coil, a data storage section for storing unique data, and an identification means having a data read circuit to a product or a case or a package containing the product, and at least a second antenna coil. An electromagnetic wave, which is the output of the oscillation circuit, is output from the reading device including the oscillation circuit and the computer to the first antenna coil and the second antenna coil.
When the identification means receives the signal by electromagnetic coupling with the antenna coil, the data reading circuit is activated in response to the reception to read the unique data from the data storage section and the first antenna coil to the second antenna coil. The data is transmitted to the reading device via the computer, thereby receiving from the computer data indicating each content of the product as a command to print, and issuing a label on which the content is printed. It is achieved by the label issuing method.

[Action]

The data indicating the content of a certain product is the first of the identification means attached to this product or the case or package containing this product.
When the antenna coil reaches the vicinity of the second antenna coil of the reading device, the electromagnetic coupling of these antenna coils causes the electromagnetic wave from the reading device to be received by the identifying means via the first antenna coil. It operates to read the unique data in the data storage unit, and this data is transmitted to the reading device through the second antenna coil electromagnetically coupled to the first antenna coil, and the data indicating the content of the product by this computer. Is supplied to the printer mechanism of the label printer, and the contents are printed on the label. In this way, even if the content of each product is different, it is possible to automatically issue the label on which the content is printed immediately, so that it is possible to further speed up the issue of the label.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an assembly part identification system in flow production according to an embodiment to which the method of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the figure, the flow production system is generally indicated by (1), a command device (2) is arranged along the flow, and a transfer conveyor (3) is arranged in front of this. Further, a personal computer (4) is arranged close to one end side of the command device (2), and thereby peculiar data is written in a memory circuit such as an EE-PROM which will be clearly shown in FIG. 3 and described later. It is like this. The transfer belt conveyor (3) is composed of an endless belt (17), which is driven by a driving roller (20) by a motor (19) as shown in FIG. 1, and a driven roller (21) also moves in the arrow direction. Driven. The upper running portion of the belt (17) moves to the left, and the trays (5) on the belt (17) are transferred in this direction. Each tray (5) is made of a thin iron plate in this embodiment, and the identification block (6) shown in FIG. 4 is attached to it. In this embodiment, a mixed flow system is adopted, but the bases (7), (8), (9), (10), (1) for different kinds of products are provided on each tray (5) from the right side in the figure.
1) ((7) and (10) are the same type) are housed, and workers A, B, C, ...
X and Y are sitting, and the command unit (30
A) (30B) (30C) ... (30X) (30Y) (the command device (2) consists of these multiple parts) are provided. These are antennas (33a) (33b) (33c) ……
(33x) (33y), each of which has a circuit configuration as shown in FIG. 3, but further has displays (32a) (32b) (32c) (32x) (32y). These are the workers A, B, C, ...
... X and Y are in a position that is easy to see.

Cases (12a) (1a) that store various parts for each station on both sides of each worker A, B, C, ... X, Y.
2b), (13a) (13b), (14a) (14b), ... (15a)
(15b), (16a) and (16b) are provided.

In the drawing of the belt conveyor (3) for assembly, a pusher (22) is arranged at the left end, and a limit switch (24) is provided on a stopper (23) extending from the pusher (22). As a result, the tray containing the products that have already been assembled is stopped by the stopper (23) and the limit switch (2
When the pusher (22) is actuated, the pusher (22) causes the rods (22a) (22a) to project upward in FIG. 2 as shown by the alternate long and short dash line, whereby the tray (5) containing the assembled product M is moved upward. And is transferred onto a belt conveyor (25) extending in a direction perpendicular to the transfer belt conveyor (3). Further, a label printer (26) is disposed in the vicinity of this tip portion, which has a well-known label printer structure and also has a command device portion (30).
Like A) (30B) ..., equipped with an antenna (27), computer, oscillator circuit, etc., the contents of the product M conveyed on the belt conveyor (25), such as model number, model,
Main specifications (for example, power supply voltage and power supply frequency) Destination,
The production date and the like are read from the data storage section of the identification device (6), and the label (29) is printed and issued accordingly,
The structure is such that the label (29) is automatically attached to one side of the cardboard (28).

Next, the circuit configuration of each of the command device sections (30A) (30B) ... And the identification device (6) will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In FIG. 3, the command device (2) side is represented by A , but the oscillation circuit (41) generates a signal of 400 KHz, for example, and the antenna coil (43) (each of the above (33a) (33b) ... Corresponding to)). Further, a computer (44) is provided, and its output terminal is connected to the display device (40) (corresponding to the displays (32a) (32b) ... In FIG. 1). Antenna coil of the identification device side B, as described later (6
The transmission signal of the unique data from the identification device side B obtained by electromagnetic coupling with (0) is received by the demodulation circuit (45), demodulated by this and supplied to the computer (44).

A rectifier circuit (61) is connected to the antenna coil (60), which is represented by B on the identification device (6) side, and converts AC energy of electromagnetic waves into DC energy to generate a voltage corresponding to the energy of external electromagnetic waves. I'm trying to happen.
This DC power is supplied to the readout circuit (62), which is EE-
It is connected to the PROM (63). EE by read circuit (62)
-The contents of PROM (63) are read out, and this is output circuit (6
4), and the data content is transmitted from this via the antenna coil (60) to the antenna coil (43) on the command device side A by electromagnetic coupling with, for example, transmission signals of 40 KHz and 50 KHz.

As is well known, the EE-PROM (63) is electrically erasable and its content can be rewritten, but a write circuit (55) for rewriting this is connected to it.
Further, the battery (56) is connected through the switch means (57). The switch means (57) is a switching element composed of, for example, a transistor, and is closed by applying a certain potential to the base electrode. An antenna coil (60) is connected to the switch means (57). That is, when the write command is received as an electromagnetic wave via the antenna coil (60), the switching element (57) is actuated by this, that is, closed, and the battery (56) is connected to the write circuit (55). Is configured as follows.

FIG. 4 shows an outer line of the identification device (6) of this embodiment, which has a substantially circular plan shape and a diameter of about 30 to 50 mm. A mounting substrate (73) is integrally formed on the bottom surface of a casing (72) made of plastic, and a magnet (74) is embedded in the mounting substrate (73). The magnet (74) may be flush with the bottom surface of the mounting substrate (73), but may slightly project outward. Further, an antenna coil (60) is arranged in the casing (72), and the circuit shown in detail in FIG. 3 is connected to the antenna coil (60). In response to the read circuit (6
EE- that stores the data unique to the substrate contained in the tray (5) to which this identification device (6) is attached when 2) is activated.
The data of PROM (63) is read.

The embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above. Next, this operation will be described.

The products to be assembled are sequentially different as shown in FIG. Assembled substrates for these products (7) (8) (9)
(10) According to the contents of (11), each data (for example, model number, model, main specification, production date, etc.) is stored in the data storage section of the identification block (6) attached and attached to each tray (5). There is. The upper part of the personal computer (4) is written in the EE-PROM (63). The identification device (6) in which necessary data is written in this way is attached to the front part of the tray (5) at the starting end of the transfer belt (3) by the magnetic attraction force of the magnet (74).

Assembled substrate (7) (8) (9) for each such product
The trays (5) containing (10) and (11) are sequentially placed on the belt conveyor (3) and conveyed to the left in the figure. The tray containing the assembled base body (7) now. Assuming that (5) arrives in front of the worker A, the antenna (60) of the identification block (6) outputs the electromagnetic waves emitted from the antenna (33a) of the command device section (30A) located immediately before the identification block (6). By electromagnetic coupling with the coils (33a) (60),
The data read circuit (52) is activated. The EE-PROM (63) as a data storage unit transmits various data for the base body (7) from the identification block (6) to the command device unit (30A). When this is demodulated and the computer of the command device section (30A) judges that the component (A1) should be installed in this station now, it commands this and displays it on the display device (32a). The worker A recognizes that this should be assembled and the component (A1) should be read, and assembles this in a predetermined position of the assembly base (7) in the tray (5). Similarly, the workers B, C ... X, Y are the displays (32b) (32c) (32x) (32y) of the immediately preceding command device sections (30B) (30C) ... (30X) (30Y). )Look at the,
A base body (8) that recognizes the components to be assembled at the station and stores them in the tray in front of them.
(9) -Assemble these parts in the designated places in (10) and (11). The display devices (32a) (32b) ... may also display the installation position.

When the tray (5) containing the product M in which all the necessary parts are incorporated as described above reaches the left end of the transfer belt conveyor (3), it is stopped by the stopper (23) and the limit switch (24). Is operated, whereby the drive rod (22a) of the pusher (22) projects as shown by the chain line, and the tray (5) containing the product M is pushed forward. That is, it is placed on another belt conveyor (25) extending in a direction perpendicular to the belt conveyor (3). As a result, the product M is transferred in the arrow direction. The identification block (6) is reached by electromagnetic waves emitted from an antenna (27) provided inside the label printer (26) when reaching the vicinity of the tip.
This is received via the antenna (60) of the product, the content of this product M is sent from the EE-PROM (63) as a data storage section to the label printer (26) side, and the content to be issued by the computer incorporated therein is displayed. Issue a command to print on the label. The label (29) issued by the operation of the printer is attached to one side surface of the cardboard (28) by a mechanism such as a robot. After all, the robot takes out the product M from the tray (5) and stores it in the cardboard (28).

Since the embodiment of the present invention is configured and operates as described above, the parts can be quickly incorporated into the assembly substrate in the mixed flow production system, and thus the production efficiency can be greatly improved.

FIG. 5 shows a flow production system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, different parts (50) are assembled at each station for assembly of parts to the assembly base W for the same product. (51), (52), (53) and (54) are assembled by the workers A, B, C, ... X, Y. In this case, the parts storage boxes (50a) (50b), (51a) (51b), (52) may be the same as those in the first embodiment but different.
a) (52b), (53a) (53b), (54a) (54b) may be arranged. The other structure is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment. Even in such an embodiment, it is clear that the production efficiency is improved as compared with the conventional case. The effects of the present invention are particularly great when the mixed flow production system of the first embodiment and the flow production system of the same type of the product of the second embodiment are used together.

Although the respective embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, in the flow production system,
The label printer reads the contents of the product that incorporates all the necessary parts and issues a label with the contents printed. Of course, this is not the only case, and the product is conveyed by some means. Or, the content is read out by electromagnetic coupling between the antenna of the identification card or identification device attached to the case or package containing this product and the antenna of the label printer, and the label with the content printed is automatically issued. You may do it.

Further, in the above embodiment, in the flow production system, the reader is incorporated in the label printer to automatically issue the label on which the content is printed by the electromagnetic coupling with the identification device which stores the content of the product. As described above, of course, the present invention is not limited to this, and only the reading device is arranged at another position, and the signal read by electromagnetic coupling is transmitted to the label printer so that the label with the content printed is issued. May be.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the label in which the data showing the content of the product is printed is issued at the terminal end of the flow production system, and the label is attached to the cardboard containing the product. However, instead of this, It may be attached directly to the product.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the label issuing method of the present invention,
Whatever form the product is transported in, it is possible to automatically issue a label on which the content of the product is printed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a flow production system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an identification block and a command device in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a cutaway side view of the apparatus and FIG. 5 is a plan view of a flow production system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, (1) …… Flow production system (2) …… Command device (3) …… Transfer conveyor (5) …… Tray (6) …… Identification block (26) …… Label printer (40)… Display device (43) (60) Antenna coil (63) EE-PROM

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An identification means having at least a first antenna coil, a data storage section for storing unique data, and a data reading circuit is attached to a product or a case or package containing the product, and at least a second antenna coil, Oscillator circuit,
When the identification means receives an electromagnetic wave output from the oscillation circuit from a reading device equipped with a computer by electromagnetically coupling the first antenna coil and the second antenna coil, the data reading circuit is activated in response to the reception. Then, the peculiar data is read from the data storage unit and transmitted from the first antenna coil to the reading device via the second antenna coil, whereby the computer displays data indicating each content of the product. A label issuing method, characterized in that a label with the contents printed is received as a command to print. 2. The label issuing method according to claim 1, wherein the reading device is built in a label printer.