Label printing device

Abstract

The ability to allow customers to intuitively determine whether or not a product is a good deal. [Solution] A label issuing device 1 according to one embodiment includes a clock unit 11 for timing the current time, a storage unit 12 for storing information I that associates a time zone with the number of pictograms M, and a printing unit 13 for printing the product's expiration date and pictograms M on a label L. When issuing a label L, the printing unit 13 obtains the current time from the clock unit 11, identifies the number of pictograms M corresponding to the time zone to which the obtained current time belongs, and prints the identified number of pictograms M on the label L.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a label issuing device.

Background Art

[0002] In a food sales area such as a supermarket, in order to reduce waste loss, for products nearing their expiration dates or products that have passed a predetermined time since manufacture, a discount seal may be affixed and the products may be sold at a discounted price.

[0003] In such cases, there was the hassle that after a store clerk reads the barcode of the product to be discounted, they have to set the discount rate of the product and issue a discount label, and then overlay and stick the discount label on top of the barcode of the product to be discounted.

[0004] To eliminate such hassle, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which discount information indicating what percentage of discount should be given according to the remaining time until the expiration date is pre-printed on a product label, and when that product is brought to a POS register, the POS register automatically gives a discount according to the remaining time until the expiration date read from the barcode.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, while the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 can reduce the amount of discounting work at the point of sale, the discount information printed on the label is a combination of different pictograms and code information for items such as spoons and chopsticks. Therefore, customers cannot immediately determine the percentage discount just by looking at it. This presents a problem in that a separate display must be set up to show the discount rate for each symbol if purchased at the current time.

[0007] When customers purchase bento boxes, prepared foods, etc., they check whether the manufacturing date is recent or old, and if it is old, they choose a product based on whether there is a corresponding discount. Also, while bento boxes and prepared foods have the processing date and expiration date printed on them, this is printed in relatively small print, so there was a problem in that consumers had to look at these dates to decide which product to buy to get a discount, which was a lack of service.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a label issuing device that allows customers to intuitively determine whether or not a product is a good deal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A label issuing device according to one embodiment is a label issuing device for issuing labels to be affixed to products, comprising: a clock unit for measuring the current time; a storage unit for storing information that associates a time zone with the number of pictograms; and a printing unit for printing the expiration date of the product and the pictograms on the label, wherein the printing unit obtains the current time from the clock unit when issuing the label, identifies the number of pictograms corresponding to the time zone to which the obtained current time belongs, and prints the identified number of pictograms on the label. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a label issuing device that allows customers to intuitively determine whether or not a product is a good deal. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the functional block of a label issuing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of information stored in the storage unit 12 of a label issuing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of a label L printed by the printing unit 13 of a label issuing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of a screen displayed on the operation unit 14 of a label issuing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of a screen displayed on the operation unit 14 of the label issuing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of a screen displayed on the operation unit 14 of a label issuing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In the following drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the ratios of dimensions, etc., may differ from those of reality. Therefore, specific dimensions, etc., should be determined by referring to the following description. Furthermore, there may be parts in the drawings where the relationships and ratios of dimensions differ from those of other parts. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from the illustration.

[0013] (First Embodiment) The label issuing device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the functional blocks of the label issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of information stored by the storage unit 12 of the label issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a label L printed by the printing unit 13 of the label issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIGS. 4 to 6 are diagrams showing an example of a screen displayed on the operation unit 14 of the label issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0015] The label issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment issues a label L to be attached to a product. As shown in FIG. 1, the label issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a clock unit 11, a storage unit 12, a printing unit 13, and an operation unit 14. The clock unit 11 measures the current time.

[0016] The storage unit 12 stores information I that associates a time zone with the number of picture marks M. Here, the picture mark M is a mark composed of an arbitrary picture. The picture mark M may be composed of a picture related to the product. For example, the picture mark M printed on the label L attached to a bento or prepared foods may be composed of a picture of an onigiri as shown in FIG. 3. Also, the picture mark M printed on the label L attached to a product sold in the fresh fish department may be composed of pictures of fish, octopus, shellfish, etc. For example, the storage unit 12 stores the information I shown in FIG. 2. The time zone may be defined in units of 1 hour such as the 0 o'clock to 23 o'clock as shown in FIG. 2, or may be defined in other time units such as 30 - minute units.

[0017] The information I shown in FIG. 2 associates the time zone from 21 o'clock to 0 o'clock with 1 picture mark, the time zone from 1 o'clock to 4 o'clock with 2 picture marks, the time zone from 5 o'clock to 9 o'clock with 3 picture marks, the time zone from 10 o'clock to 15 o'clock with 4 picture marks, and the time zone from 16 o'clock to 20 o'clock with 5 picture marks.

[0018] The printing unit 13 prints the expiration date of the product and the picture mark M on the label L. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(e), the printing unit 13 prints the processing date and time, the product name, the price of the product, etc. on the label attached to the bento, prepared dishes, etc. in addition to the expiration date of the product and the picture mark M.

[0019] Here, the label L shown in FIG. 3(a) was issued at 4 o'clock, the label L shown in FIG. 3(b) was issued at 5 o'clock, the label L shown in FIG. 3(c) was issued at 9 o'clock, the label L shown in FIG. 3(d) was issued at 14 o'clock, and the label L shown in FIG. 3(e) was issued at 20 o'clock.

[0020] Specifically, first, the printing unit 13 acquires the current time from the clock unit 11 when issuing the label L.

[0021] Second, the printing unit 13 refers to the information I stored in the storage unit 12 and specifies the number of picture marks M corresponding to the time zone to which the acquired current time belongs.

[0022] Third, the printing unit 13 prints the specified number of picture marks M on the label L.

[0023] For example, in the example of the label L in FIG. 3(a), the printing unit 13 acquires 4 o'clock, which is the current time, from the clock unit 11 when issuing the label L, refers to the information I stored in the storage unit 12, and specifies 1, which is the number of picture marks M corresponding to the 4 o'clock time zone to which 4 o'clock belongs, and prints 1 picture mark M on the label L.

[0024] Hereinafter, the operation and effect of such a configuration will be described.

[0025] For example, in a supermarket that is open 24 hours a day, when preparing dishes and bento, etc. five times a day, the label issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment prints 1 picture mark M on the label L attached to the products manufactured in the time zone from 21:00 the previous day to 1:00 the next morning, and prints 2 picture marks on the label L attached to the products manufactured in the time zone from 1:00 early morning to 4:00.

[0026] As a result, a customer who comes to buy a breakfast bento box can look at the pictogram M on the label L of the displayed products and intuitively understand that a product with one pictogram M on label L was manufactured late the previous night, and therefore will likely have a larger discount than a product with two pictogram Ms on label L.

[0027] Furthermore, products with two pictogram M symbols printed on label L are manufactured in the early morning. Therefore, customers can intuitively understand which product is the best value based on the number of pictogram M symbols, as they can perceive that a product with two pictogram M symbols printed on label L is safer than a product with one pictogram M symbol printed on label L when purchasing for lunch.

[0028] In such cases, the percentage discount applied after a certain amount of time has passed since the manufacturing date (processing date) can be made known to customers simply by displaying it on a poster or similar, rather than on a display unit. Therefore, when using the label issuing device 1 according to this embodiment, there is no need to install a display unit to continuously show which picture mark M is discounted by what percentage at the current time, so users introducing the label issuing device 1 can reduce the need to install a system to control the display unit.

[0029] The control unit 14 allows the user to perform various settings through the screens shown in Figures 4 to 6.

[0030] The user can configure the above-mentioned information I through the screen shown in Figure 4.

[0031] The memory unit 12 may store the same information I for products with expiration dates. In other words, the information I set through the screen shown in Figure 4 may be applied to all products with expiration dates.

[0032] With this configuration, the user can generate information I for all products with expiration dates by setting information I only once on the screen shown in Figure 4.

[0033] Furthermore, the user can set a predetermined flag F through the screen shown in Figure 5. Here, the printing unit 13 does not need to print the pictogram M on labels L that are affixed to products for which the predetermined flag F is not set.

[0034] For example, in the screen shown in Figure 5, if "99" is set for "Image 2" related to product "AAA" (i.e., if a predetermined flag F related to product "AAA" is set), the printing unit 13 prints the pictogram M on the label L attached to product "AAA". If "99" is not set for "Image 2" related to product "AAA" (i.e., if a predetermined flag F related to product "AAA" is not set), the printing unit 13 does not print the pictogram M on the label L attached to product "AAA".

[0035] With this configuration, by using a predetermined flag F, the pictogram M can be printed only on the labels L attached to products that are not discounted, while the pictogram M can be printed only on the labels L attached to products that are discounted.

[0036] Furthermore, users can set the product name, price, processing date, and expiration date through the screen shown in Figure 6. In the screen shown in Figure 6, the icon M may be automatically entered.

[0037] The printing unit 13 may print the current time as the processing date and time, and a predetermined time after the processing date and time as the product's expiration date. With this configuration, the processing date and time and the expiration date of the product can be printed on the label L even if they are not set by the user.

[0038] According to the above embodiment, customers can intuitively determine whether or not a product is a good deal.

[0039] Although the present invention has been described in detail using the embodiments described above, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present invention can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be restrictive in any way to the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 1…Label printing device 11…Clock Department 12...Storage section 13…Printing 14...Operation unit F... Designated flag I... Information L... Label M... pictogram

Claims

1. A label issuing device that issues labels to be affixed to products, The clock section that measures the current time, A memory unit that stores information relating the time period to the number of picture marks, The label comprises a printing section for printing the expiration date of the product and the pictogram, The aforementioned printing section is, When issuing the aforementioned label, the current time is obtained from the clock unit. Identify the number of pictograms corresponding to the time period to which the acquired current time belongs, A label issuing device that prints the specified number of the aforementioned pictograms onto the label.

2. The label issuing device according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the same information for products with an expiration date.

3. The label issuing device according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit does not print the pictogram on the label attached to the product for which the predetermined flag is not set.

4. The aforementioned printing section is, The current time is printed as the processing date and time. The label issuing device according to claim 1, which prints a predetermined time from the processing date and time as the expiration date of the product.

Images