Labeling device and method

Abstract

To automatically attach a second label according to an article to which a first label is attached.SOLUTION: A labeling device 1 includes: a second label supply unit 20 that supplies a second label 12; an attaching unit that attaches the second label 12 supplied from the second label supply unit 20 to an article 50; an identification information sensor 70 for detecting identification information of the article 50; and a second label information storage unit 80 in which the identification information and second label information necessary for attaching the second label 12 are stored in association with each other, wherein the identification information of the article 50 is detected by the identification information sensor 70, and the second label information of the article 50 is acquired from the second label information storage unit 80 based on the detected identification information of the article 50, and based on the acquired second label information, the attaching unit attaches the second label 12 to the article 50 for which the identification information has been detected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a label application device having an adhesive portion and a method thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] For the purpose of managing goods in stores, warehouses, logistics centers, etc., labels with printed management information or electronic tag labels (also called RF tags, IC tags, RF labels, etc.) with recorded management information have been affixed or directly printed on the exterior of handled goods (the goods themselves, product packaging, transport packaging, etc.) Examples of such management information include identification information such as product codes and serial numbers, attribute information such as product names and manufacturers, storage information such as expiration dates and storage conditions, delivery information such as delivery origins and destinations, warehouse-related information such as warehouse identification information and storage shelf information, and store-related information such as store identification information, display shelf information, and price information.

[0003] As is well known, management information is sometimes updated or added, for example, when the selling price is changed or when the storage shelf or display shelf is changed. When such management information is changed, in the past, the old label with the old management information was left on or removed, and then a new label with the new management information was manually affixed.

[0004] However, manually applying new labels requires selecting the items to be labeled and checking the updated or additional information, making it a cumbersome process regardless of the number of items. Furthermore, applying new labels containing different management information to items of various types (sizes, packaging, etc.) and quantities (small quantities of many different items) is particularly cumbersome.

[0005] Furthermore, when the label is an electronic tag (also known as an RFID tag, IC tag, RF label, etc.), it may be necessary not only to attach an additional label but also to update or add management information recorded on the RFID label, but currently there is no device available that can perform such work automatically (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 6). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-104521 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-091246 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-091298 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-044661 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-62965 [Patent Document 6] Patent No. 6484379 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a technique for automatically attaching a second label to an article to which a first label has been attached. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] <First aspect> An apparatus for attaching a second label, which has identification information and is different from a first label, to an article to which the first label is attached, comprising: a second label supply unit that supplies the second label; an attachment unit that attaches the second label supplied from the second label supply unit to the article; an identification information sensor that detects identification information of the article; a second label information storage unit in which the identification information and second label information required for affixing the second label are stored in association with each other, The identification information of the article is detected by the identification information sensor, and second label information of the article is acquired from the second label information storage unit based on the detected identification information of the article, and the affixing unit affixes the second label to the article whose identification information has been detected based on the acquired second label information. A label application device comprising:

[0009] (Action and effect) In this labeling device, by simply associating identification information with second label information required for affixing a second label and storing it in advance in a second label information storage unit, the device can detect the identification information of an item, obtain the second label information required for affixing a second label (new label) based on the detection results, and automatically affix a second label to the item whose identification information was detected based on that second label information. Moreover, even when additional second labels are to be affixed to multiple types of items in no particular order, the device obtains second label information for each item and affixes the second label, so second labels can be automatically and sequentially affixed appropriately without the operator having to worry about selecting the target item or checking update or additional information.

[0010] <Second aspect> the second label information includes printing information required for printing on the second label, the second label supply unit includes a printing unit that prints the print information on the second label, and attaching, to the article for which the identification information has been detected, the second label on which the printing information has been printed by the printing unit, based on the printed information acquired from the second label information storage unit. 1 is a labelling device according to a first embodiment;

[0011] (Action and effect) By having the function of printing a second label as in this embodiment, if there is a change in the selling price, location information (storage shelf or display shelf), or identification information, for example, by processing the item in question with this device, it is possible to produce a second label printed with the new selling price, discount rate, new location information, and new identification information for that item, and automatically affix it.

[0012] <Third aspect> the second label information includes non-printed information, the affixing unit affixes the second label, which is not printed by the printing unit, to the article for which the identification information has been detected, based on the no-print information acquired from the second label information storage unit. 2 shows a labelling device according to a second embodiment.

[0013] (Action and effect) As mentioned above, even if the device has the function of printing a second label, it may be desirable to attach a second label to some items without printing. For example, there may be a demand for a price reduction label to be attached to a specific item, but for the worker to handwrite the price reduction information, such as the price reduction amount and discount rate. The device of this aspect can meet such demands.

[0014] <Fourth aspect> the affixing unit has a robot that receives the second label supplied from the second label supply unit and affixes the second label to the article; an imaging device that images the item; When attaching the second label, the position of the first label is detected by image recognition based on the image information captured by the imaging device, and the robot attaches the second label to an attachment position determined based on the detected position of the first label. The label application device according to any one of the first to third aspects.

[0015] (Action and effect) This device can detect the position of the first label and use it as a reference to attach the second label to a predetermined attachment position, so it can automatically attach the second label to a desired position (a position where it overlaps partially or completely with the first label, or a position where it does not overlap at all with the first label, etc.) The attachment position also includes the orientation of the label.

[0016] <Fifth aspect> the second label information includes affixing position information determined based on the position of the first label, the attachment position information is a position where the second label covers a part of or the whole of the first label, or does not cover the whole of the first label; When attaching the second label, the robot attaches the second label to an attachment position specified by attachment position information included in the second label information acquired from the second label information storage unit. A labelling device according to a fourth embodiment.

[0017] (Action and effect) As in this embodiment, by including attachment position information in the second label information, the second labels can be automatically attached to the attachment positions specified for each item, even when additional second labels are attached to multiple types of items in no particular order.

[0018] <Sixth aspect> a conveyor for conveying the article; the identification information sensor detects identification information of an article transported on the conveyor; the affixing unit affixes the second label to the item being transported on the conveyor; the identification information of the article is detected by the identification information sensor, and second label information of the article is read from the second label information storage unit based on the detected identification information of the article, and if the second label information is not present, the affixing unit does not affix the second label to the article for which the identification information has been detected. The label application device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.

[0019] (Action and effect) This embodiment is preferable because by attaching the second label to the target items while they are being transported by the conveyor, an operator can automatically attach the second label by simply placing the items one after another on the conveyor. Furthermore, by not attaching the second label when there is no second label information, even if an operator accidentally supplies an item onto the conveyor that is not eligible for the second label, the second label will not be affixed by mistake. Furthermore, for example, when reducing the price of some of the same products (such as those approaching their expiration date), processing all of the same products with this device makes it possible to add price reduction labels to some of the products.

[0020] <Seventh aspect> the first label is an electronic tag, the electronic tag stores first management information including the identification information, the identification information sensor is a reader / writer that reads and records information from the electronic tag by wireless communication; the second label information includes update information for updating a part or all of the first management information, The identification information of the item is detected by the reader / writer, and second label information of the item is acquired from the second label information storage unit based on the detected identification information of the item, and if the acquired second label information includes the update information, the stored information of the electronic tag of the item from which the identification information was detected is updated based on the update information by the reader / writer, and the affixing unit affixes the second label to the item from which the identification information was detected. The labeling device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

[0021] (Action and effect) As is well known, electronic tags (also known as RFID tags, IC tags, RF labels, etc.) have an IC chip and an antenna connected to it for storing and reading information contactlessly via short-range wireless communication, and are widely used in labels for managing goods (labels with adhesive backings for affixing to goods). RFID (Radio frequency identification) is an automatic recognition system that uses such electronic tags to write identification information of objects to the electronic tags and read the identification information of the objects stored in the electronic tags via wireless communication.

[0022] When the first label is such an electronic tag and stores first management information including identification information, as in this embodiment, by including update information for updating part or all of the first management information in the second label information, updating the stored information of the electronic tag and attaching the second label, it is possible to attach the second label and update the stored information of the electronic tag at the same time.

[0023] <Eighth aspect> a first label supply unit that supplies the first label; the application unit has a single robot that selects and receives the first label supplied from the first label supply unit and the second label supplied from the second label supply unit, and applies the labels to the article; the article has identification information attached in advance to a part other than the first label, a first label attaching operation of detecting the identification information attached to the item by an identification information sensor, creating a first label having first management information including the detected identification information, and attaching the first label to the item; The identification information of the first label or other part of the article is detected by an identification information sensor, and the second label information of the article is calculated based on the detected identification information. Secondary label information and selectively performing a second label attaching operation in which the robot attaches the second label to the item for which the identification information has been detected based on the second label information acquired from the storage unit. The labeling device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects.

[0024] (Action and effect) In this device, a single robot can selectively apply the first label and the second label.

[0025] <Ninth Aspect> A method for affixing a second label, which is different from a first label and has identification information, to an article to which the first label is affixed, comprising the steps of: a second label supply unit that supplies the second label; an attachment unit that attaches the second label supplied from the second label supply unit to the article; an identification information sensor that detects identification information of the article; a second label information storage unit in which the identification information and second label information required for affixing the second label are stored in association with each other, The identification information of the article is detected by the identification information sensor, and second label information of the article is acquired from the second label information storage unit based on the detected identification information of the article, and the affixing unit affixes the second label to the article whose identification information has been detected based on the acquired second label information. A labeling method comprising:

[0026] (Action and effect) This provides the same effects as the first embodiment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] The present invention provides advantages such as the ability to automatically affix a new label to an article to which a first label is attached. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic view of the label application device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic view of the label application device. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the labeling device. [Figure 4] 1A, 1B, and 1C are plan, side, and bottom views showing an example of an electronic tag. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a front view showing an example of a second label supply unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic view of the label application device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic view of the label application device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic view of the label application device. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are perspective views showing examples of the positions where the first label and the second label are attached. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are perspective views showing examples of the positions where the first label and the second label are attached. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are perspective views showing examples of the positions where the first label and the second label are attached. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] An example of a labeling device 1 that affixes a second label 12 to an article 50 having identification information and to which a first label 11 is affixed will be described below. FIG. 1 shows an example of the labeling device 1. The labeling device 1 includes a second label supply unit 20 that supplies the second labels 12, an affixing unit having a robot 40 that affixes the second labels 12 supplied from the second label supply unit 20 to the article 50, an identification information sensor 70 that detects the identification information of the article 50, and a second label information storage unit 80 that stores the identification information and second label information required for affixing the second label 12 in association with each other. The labeling device 1 also includes a control unit 90 that detects the identification information of the article 50 using the identification information sensor 70, acquires second label information for the article 50 from the second label information storage unit 80 based on the detected identification information of the article 50, and causes the affixing unit to affix the second label 12 to the article 50 whose identification information has been detected based on the acquired second label information.

[0030] Therefore, in the present label application device 1, by simply associating identification information with second label information required for affixing the second label 12 and storing them in advance in the second label information storage unit 80, the device can detect the identification information of the first label 11 (old label), obtain the second label information required for affixing the second label 12 (new label) based on the detection results, and automatically affix the second label 12 to the item 50 for which the identification information was detected, based on the second label information. Moreover, even when additional second labels 12 are to be affixed to multiple types of items 50 in no particular order, the second label information is obtained and the second label 12 is affixed for each item 50, so that the second labels 12 can be automatically and appropriately affixed one after the other without the operator having to worry about selecting the target item 50 or checking update or additional information. Below, an example of the configuration and operation of each unit will be described in order.

[0031] <Conveyor> The labeling device 1 preferably has a conveyor 30 that transports the target articles 50, and is configured to detect the identification information and affix the second label 12 while the target articles 50 are being transported by the conveyor 30. This allows an operator to automatically affix the second label 12 simply by placing the articles 50 one after another on the conveyor 30. Of course, the device may be configured without the conveyor 30, so that the identification information is detected by the identification information sensor 70 and the second label 12 is affixed while the operator is holding the articles 50 by hand or while the articles 50 are placed stationary on a table.

[0032] The conveyor 30 can be any known conveyor 30 that can move a moving body in a conveying direction using the driving force of a drive source and convey the items 50 on the moving body. For example, a belt conveyor or plate conveyor, whose upper surface is a loading surface, can be suitably used. If the conveyor 30 has a loading surface that is wider than the items 50, it is preferable because, for example, an operator can load a variety of items 50 of different sizes without having to worry about their position or orientation. Of course, the conveyor 30 may be one in which the type and loading position (including orientation) of the items 50 are fixed. Alternatively, the items 50 can be loaded onto the conveyor 30 mechanically.

[0033] Conveyor 30 may be provided in a single form as shown in Fig. 1, or may be configured by connecting multiple conveyors 31, 32 as shown in Fig. 2. In addition, if conveyor 30 is provided with a free roller conveyor 33 at the most downstream position, articles 50 are pushed onto free roller conveyor 33 and stopped, making subsequent work easier.

[0034] It is desirable for the conveyor 30 to transport continuously at a constant speed, but it can also be driven intermittently with waiting times at appropriate positions to synchronize various timings, such as detection by the identification information sensor 70 and the timing of attaching the second label 12.

[0035] <Identification information> Identification information is information for distinguishing one item 50 from other items 50, and examples of this include a product code and a serial number. The identification information may be attached to the first label 11, to a portion of the item 50 itself other than the first label 11, or stored in a storage medium such as an electronic tag attached to the item 50. The identification information may also include, in addition to the identification information, product storage information such as expiration date and storage conditions, delivery information such as the delivery origin and delivery destination, warehouse-related information such as warehouse identification information and storage shelf information, store-related information such as store identification information, display shelf information, and price information, product name, manufacturer, seller, and attribute information indicating the characteristics and properties of the item 50, such as the color of the product or packaging and product weight. Information other than this identification information is information about the item 50, but is not information that can identify the item 50. As long as the identification information is readable by a sensor, it may be printed on the surface of the object to be attached so that it can be read by, for example, an optical reading sensor, or it may be stored in a storage medium to be readable by wireless communication, or it may be both (the latter two are possible because the first label 11 is an electronic tag). When the identification information is printed on the object to be attached, the identification information may be printed on the surface of the object to be attached as a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code, or may be printed as a character string.

[0036] <First label> The first label 11 is a sheet with an adhesive surface for contacting the item 50, and preferably has identification information such as a product code or a manufacturing number (serial number), but does not have to have identification information (for example, a price reduction label with price reduction information printed on it). The first label 11 may also have attribute information such as the product name and manufacturer, storage information such as expiration date and storage conditions, delivery information such as the delivery origin and delivery destination, warehouse-related information such as warehouse identification information and storage shelf information, store-related information such as store identification information, display shelf information, and price information. Note that "having information" by the first label 11 means that information is printed on the printing surface of the first label 11, and also includes, in addition to this, or instead of this, that the first label 11 has a built-in memory device and information is stored in the memory device.

[0037] <Electronic tag> An electronic tag can be used as a means for adding identification information to the first label, the second label, or the item 50. The shape and structure of the electronic tag are not particularly limited, and any known electronic tag can be used as appropriate. FIG. 4 shows an example of an electronic tag 10. The electronic tag 10 is typically rectangular with rounded corners, but is not limited to this. A typical example of the electronic tag 10 is a passive-type electronic tag 10 having an IC chip 10i and an antenna 10a connected to it as an inlet 10a, 10i, but is not limited to this. The electronic tag 10 may have a printed surface, on which some or all of the written information (e.g., identification information expressed as a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code) may be printed, or the printed surface may be completely unprinted.

[0038] <Identification information sensor> The identification information sensor 70 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the identification information of the article 50. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , when the identification information is printed on the object to be attached, the identification information sensor 70 can be a known optical reading sensor 73 such as a code reader or an optical character reader. The code reader and optical character reader are preferably realized using an imaging sensor (image sensor) such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. A system using an imaging sensor not only enables wide-area detection but can also be used as a multipurpose reader that detects multiple types of detection objects. In other words, in this case, a single sensor can detect both one-dimensional or two-dimensional codes and characters, and can even detect the position of the first label 11 (described later), without providing separate sensors for each detection object. Of course, the identification information sensor 70 is not limited to one using an image sensor. For example, in the case of a code reader, various known sensors such as a laser scanning type can be used.

[0039] It is preferable that the identification information sensor 70 be able to detect all surfaces of the article 50. For this reason, when performing detection by the identification information sensor 70 while the article 50 is being transported by the conveyor 30, it is preferable to use the device configuration shown in Figures 2 and 3. That is, this label application device 1 has a first conveyor 31 that transports the article 50, and a second conveyor 32 that is connected to the downstream side of the first conveyor 31 with a gap therebetween and receives and transports the article 50 sent out from the first conveyor 31, and the identification information sensor 70 includes a lower sensor 70L that detects the identification information of the article 50 from below the article 50 through the gap between the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32, and an upper sensor 70U that detects the identification information of the article 50 from above the article 50 upstream of the application range of the robot 40.

[0040] In this way, not only is the conveyor 30 divided into the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32, but by utilizing the gap in the transfer section, the identification information of the item 50 can be detected from both the top and bottom, so multiple types of items 50 whose identification information is located in different positions on the top and bottom can be processed continuously without having to worry about the top and bottom orientation.

[0041] In particular, when an imaging sensor is used as the identification information sensor to enable detection over a wide area, it is preferable to provide an upper sensor 70U that performs detection from diagonally above on one side in the CD direction, an upper sensor 70U that performs detection from diagonally above on the other side in the CD direction, and a lower sensor 70L that performs detection from directly below the conveyor 30, as shown in Fig. 3, so that four surfaces (top, side, and bottom) of the article 50 can be detected with three sensors. Note that the MD direction means the machine direction (conveying direction), and the CD direction means the horizontal direction perpendicular to the MD direction.

[0042] On the other hand, when the first label 11 is an electronic tag and first management information including identification information (for example, the above-mentioned identification information and other information) is stored in the first label 11, a reading device capable of reading information stored in an electronic tag, such as a reader / writer 71, can be used as the identification information sensor 70, as in the example shown in Fig. 1. For the reading process of the electronic tag, any known method can be adopted without any particular limitation.

[0043] The identification information sensor 70 is communicably connected to the control unit 90 for operational control such as transmitting detection information to the control unit 90. The installation position of the identification information sensor 70 can be determined as appropriate within a range where the identification information of the article 50 can be detected prior to affixing the second label 12. For example, in the illustrated example, when the second label 12 is affixed to the target article 50 while it is being transported by the conveyor 30, it is preferable to install the identification information sensor 70 downstream of the loading position where an operator places the article 50 on the conveyor 30 and upstream of the affixing position of the second label 12, within the transport path of the conveyor 30. However, the identification information sensor 70 may be installed outside the conveyor 30 rather than on it, and the worker may hold the target article 50 over the identification information sensor 70 to detect the identification information, and then place the target article 50 on the conveyor 30.

[0044] The identification information sensor 70 may be a fixed installation type device, or may be a handheld type device that a worker holds in his / her hand and holds over the identification information.

[0045] Information other than the identification information may be detected by the identification information sensor 70, or a sensor for detecting information other than the identification information may be provided separately from the identification information sensor 70.

[0046] <Second label> The second label 12 is a sheet with an adhesive surface for the article 50, and is attached to the outer surface of the article 50. The second label 12 may be a blank label before printing, a label with some or all of the information pre-printed, or a write-on label with all but the write-on area pre-printed, as appropriate. The second label 12 does not have to be an electronic tag, but may be an electronic tag, in which case some or all of the information may be pre-written, or it may be unwritten. In this case, the electronic tag may have a printed surface on the side opposite the adhesive surface, and the printed surface may be blank, or may have some or all of the information printed on it (e.g., identification information expressed as a one-dimensional code or two-dimensional code).

[0047] <Second label supply unit> The second label supply unit 20 can be any device that can supply the second labels 12 one by one to a predetermined supply position (discharge port) and deliver them to the application unit. The second label supply unit 20 preferably includes a printing unit that prints information on the second labels 12, but it does not necessarily have to include a printing unit. If the second labels 12 are electronic tags, the second label supply unit 20 may also include a writing unit for the electronic tags. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, the second label supply unit 20 can be a second label supply unit 20 that is used with a label roll 23R attached. The label roll 23R is a continuous strip-shaped label sheet 15 wound into a roll, and the label sheet 15 has second labels 12 repeatedly applied at predetermined intervals in the continuous direction of the continuous strip-shaped release sheet 16. The label roll 23R is rotatably supported on a rotating shaft (not shown).

[0048] This second label supply unit 20 is designed for use in a case where second labels 12 are applied to articles by a robot 40 (described later). It includes a transfer unit that transports the label sheet 15 in the label sheet's continuous direction and peels off the second labels 12 sequentially from the downstream side of the transport direction and hands them over to the robot 40, as well as a take-up shaft 23W that winds up the continuous strip of release sheet 16 after the labels have been peeled off. The transfer unit includes a folding guide 23G (which may be a plate-shaped guide as shown in the illustration, or a rotating or non-rotating shaft) that guides the release sheet 16 so that it folds back in the direction opposite the side with the labels, so that the release sheet 16 is peeled off by folding it back. The take-up shaft 23W is driven to rotate by a stepping motor (not shown), and each time the leading second label 12 is peeled, the following second label 12 is wound up (i.e., one label at a time) at an appropriate controlled timing.

[0049] After being unwound from the label roll 23R, the label sheet 15 is folded back at an acute angle by a folding back guide 23G. During this folding back, the rigid second label 12 naturally peels off from the release sheet 16, allowing the sheet to be handed over to the robot 40 directly or indirectly via a belt conveyor or the like. The release sheet 16 remaining after the second label 12 has been peeled off is taken up around a take-up shaft 23W. Reference numeral 23P denotes a printer for printing the print information.

[0050] A commercially available device can also be used as the second label supply unit 20. A suitable commercially available device is, for example, the label printer "Scantronics CL4NX-JPlus Series" manufactured by Sato Holdings Corporation, which peels off only one label from a release sheet (backing) and keeps the peeled label projecting in a predetermined direction, such as forward, from the front of the device. Also, any known device can be used without particular limitations, such as a tag supply device described below in which the electronic tags are replaced with labels.

[0051] <Attachment part> The affixing unit is not particularly limited as long as it can affix the second labels 12 supplied from the second label supply unit 20 to the articles 50, but preferably has a robot 40 that receives the second labels 12 supplied from the second label supply unit 20 and affixes them to the articles 50, as in the illustrated example. When affixing electronic tags to the articles 50 using the robot 40, the robot 40 is not particularly limited as long as it receives the second labels 12 supplied from the second label supply unit 20 and affixes them to the articles 50, but preferably has a suction unit 41 as an end effector that holds an object by suctioning air, and suctions the second labels 12 with the suction unit 41, moves them onto the articles 50, and affixes them to the articles 50, as in the illustrated example. The suction unit 41 in the illustrated example is a tubular body with a rubber cup attached to its tip, but is not limited to this and any known structure or material can be used.

[0052] In cases where the position at which the second label is attached is fixed, the attachment unit may be a labeler that incorporates the second label supply unit 20 (not shown).

[0053] <Robot> The robot 40 may have two or more degrees of freedom, allowing movement at least in the horizontal and vertical directions. However, to accommodate cases where the positions of the articles 50 on the conveyor 30 are irregular, a robot 40 with four or more degrees of freedom is preferred, allowing movement in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, as well as in a rotational direction around the Z-axis. This allows the electronic tag 10 to be affixed to the top surface of the article 50 in any orientation. Furthermore, if a robot 40 with six or more degrees of freedom is used, the electronic tag 10 can be affixed not only to the top surface of the article 50 but also to the side surface. The robot 40 may be a parallel link robot as shown in the illustration, or any known industrial robot such as a vertical articulated robot, a horizontal articulated robot, or a Cartesian robot.

[0054] The position at which the robot 40 affixes the second label 12 may be constant, but as will be described later, a device for detecting the type of article 50 and the position of the first label 11 may be provided, and the position can be changed depending on the type of article 50 and the position of the first label 11. An imaging device 72 that captures an image of the article 50 is suitable as the device for detecting the type of article 50 and the position of the first label 11, and when the second label 12 is affixed to the article 50 while it is being transported on the conveyor 30 as in the illustrated example, it is preferable to provide the imaging device 72 upstream of the position at which the second label 12 is affixed on the conveyor 30. This imaging device 72 can also serve as the imaging device for the identification information sensor 70, as described above.

[0055] <Second label information storage unit> The second label information storage unit 80 stores identification information and second label information required for affixing the second label 12 in association with each other. The second label information storage unit 80 may be a storage device such as a hard disk or SSD built into or external to the control unit 90, or may be a network-access storage, cloud storage, or other server storage connected via a local network or the Internet. Registration and updating of the second label information in the second label information storage unit 80 can be performed from a terminal device (not shown) connected via the network, or by using an input device 81 and a display device 82 connected to the control unit 90.

[0056] The second label information can be determined appropriately depending on how the second label 12 is attached. For example, if the second label supply unit 20 includes a printing unit that prints printed information on the second label 12, the second label information may include printed information required for printing on the second label 12. Typical examples of printed information include various management information (identification information, attribute information, product storage information, delivery information, warehouse-related information, store-related information, etc.) related to the item 50 that has been partially or completely updated or added, such as a new selling price or discount rate for the item 50, new location information, and sales promotional pitches. In this case, the second label information may also include non-printed information for not printing on the second label 12.

[0057] The second label information may include affixing position information determined based on the position of the first label 11. The affixing position information may be, for example, coordinate information or vector information of the reference position of the second label 12 (for example, the position of one of the corners or the center in the case of a rectangular label) with the reference position of the first label 11 (for example, the position of one of the corners or the center in the case of a rectangular label) as the origin or starting point. Furthermore, the affixing position information may be position information for covering a specific part or the entirety of the first label 11 with the second label 12 as shown in FIG. 1, or it may be position information for affixing the second label 12 to the outside of the first label 11.

[0058] If the first label 11 is an electronic tag storing first management information including identification information, the second label information can include update information for updating part or all of the first management information. As long as the update information is for updating part or all of the first management information, it may include only the information to be updated, or it may include both the information to be updated and information that is not to be updated. Note that the first management information is not particularly limited as long as it includes identification information, and may include, in addition to the identification information, for example, the aforementioned attribute information, product storage information, delivery information, warehouse-related information, store-related information, etc.

[0059] A part or all of the second label information may be information stored in the memory of a product management system or a delivery management system, in which case a part or all of the second label information memory unit 80 may be the memory unit of these systems themselves, or may be synchronized with the memory unit of these systems.

[0060] <Control unit> The control unit 90 can be configured using a known industrial control device such as a sequencer (PLC) or a computer (PC, microcontroller) alone, or by combining multiple devices depending on the function, etc. For example, the basic control and interface of conveyors, sensors, robots, etc. can be realized by a sequencer, and information processing and commands to the sequencer based on that information (mode setting, parameter setting, command to start operation, etc.) can be realized by a computer.

[0061] <Example 1: Changing location information> For example, consider a case where first labels 11 printed with "Shelf A" (storage shelf information) are affixed to a large number of items 50 (e.g., cardboard boxes containing products) stored on shelf A in a warehouse, logistics center, or the like, and identification information such as a barcode is printed on the portion of each item 50 other than the first labels 11. When some of the items 50 on shelf A are moved to shelf B and the rest to shelf C, a second label 12 printed with "Shelf B" or "Shelf C" is affixed to the first label 11 printed with "Shelf A" using the label affixing device 1 shown in FIG. 1. First, a worker associates the identification information about the items 50 on shelf A with the second label information and stores them in the second label information storage unit 80. The second label information in this case includes printed information such as "Shelf B" or "Shelf C."

[0062] Thereafter, the worker activates the labeling device 1 and places the articles 50 taken from shelf A of the conveyor 30 one after another onto the moving conveyor 30. Preferably, upon activation of the labeling device 1, the control unit 90 moves the suction unit 41 of the robot 40 to a supply position of the second label supply unit 20 and waits there. As shown in FIG. 6 , the article 50 reaches a position where it can be detected by the identification information sensor 70 while being transported by the conveyor 30. This causes the identification information of the article 50 to be detected by the identification information sensor 70. The detection timing by the identification information sensor 70 can be determined as appropriate. While the identification information sensor 70 is activated, it may continue periodic detection or polling at predetermined short time intervals, or it may start detection based on a weight sensor or passage sensor (not shown) provided on the conveyor 30.

[0063] When the identification information of an item 50 is detected by the identification information sensor 70, the control unit 90 acquires second label information related to the item 50 from the second label information memory unit 80, and based on the printing information of "shelf B" or "shelf C" contained in the acquired second label information, instructs the second label supply unit 20 to supply a second label 12 printed with "shelf B" or "shelf C," and instructs the robot 40 to affix the second label 12 supplied from the second supply unit to the item 50 whose identification information has been detected. In response to the instruction from the control unit 90, the second label supply unit 20 supplies the second label 12 on which “Shelf B” or “Shelf C” is printed by the printing unit 23P, as shown in FIG. 6 . The robot 40 then moves the suction unit 41 to the supply position of the second label supply unit, as shown in FIG. 7 , receives the second label 12 printed with “Shelf B” or “Shelf C” from the second label supply unit 20, and moves the second label 12 to an item 50 that has reached the range on the conveyor 30 where the second label 12 can be attached, as shown in FIG. 8 , and attaches the second label 12 to the item 50. After attaching the second label 12, if the next identification information is detected, the robot 40 moves to receive the second label 12. If the next identification information is not detected, the robot 40 remains in that position or returns to its initial position and waits. Thereafter, by performing the same process on the items 50 sequentially conveyed by the conveyor 30, the worker can sequentially attach the second labels 12 selectively printed with “Shelf B” or “Shelf C” without particularly paying attention to selecting the target item 50.

[0064] If there is an item 50 on shelf A whose destination is yet to be determined, the worker can store, as second label information, no-print information, meaning no printing, in association with identification information, in the second label information storage unit 80. As a result, based on the no-print information included in the second label information acquired from the second label information storage unit 80, the control unit 90 instructs the second label supply unit 20 to supply second labels 12 without printing at the printing unit 23P. Based on this, the second label supply unit 20 supplies unprinted second labels 12, and as a result, unprinted second labels 12 are selectively affixed to the items 50, allowing the worker to handwrite shelf information afterwards. The same can be achieved by registering, as printed information included in the second label information, printed information in which the variable information (in this case, the shelf number) is blank in association with identification information.

[0065] In this case, if the first label 11 remains after the second label 12 is affixed, it may cause misidentification, which is undesirable. However, peeling off the first label 11 is not practical. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a device for detecting the position of the first label 11 and to configure the second label 12 to automatically affix the second label 12 overlapping the first label 11. That is, as shown in the illustrated example, an imaging device 72 for capturing images of the item 50 transported on the conveyor 30 is provided upstream of the application range of the robot 40 as the device for detecting the position of the first label 11. Furthermore, when affixing the second label 12, the worker associates the above-mentioned affixing position information with the identification information and stores it in the second label information storage unit 80 as second label information. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the affixing position information is preferably set to a position where the second label 12 can cover the entire shelf number of the first label 11 (or a portion thereof as long as it does not cause misidentification). When the printed information on the first label 11 is concealed by the second label 12, it is preferable that the second label 12 is the same size as or larger than the first label 11, but if the concealing area of ​​the first label 11 is small, the second label 12 may be smaller than the first label 11 as shown in Figure 10.

[0066] When the identification information sensor 70 detects the identification information, the control unit 90 acquires the second label information associated with the identification information from the second label information storage unit 80. The control unit 90 also detects the position of the first label 11 on the conveyor 30 by performing image recognition processing on the image capture information captured by the imaging device 72. Here, among the position information of the first label 11 on the conveyor 30, the position coordinate in the MD direction can be calculated based on the image capture timing by the imaging device 72 and the conveying speed of the conveyor 30, and the position coordinate in the direction perpendicular to the MD direction and the orientation can be determined by image recognition from the image capture information captured by the imaging device 72. The conveying speed of the conveyor 30 can be detected, for example, by attaching a rotary encoder (not shown) to the drive system (e.g., belt) of the conveyor 30. Therefore, based on the attachment position information included in the acquired second label information and the detected position of the first label 11, the control unit 90 instructs the robot 40 of the attachment unit to attach the second label 12 to the attachment position specified in the attachment position information when the article 50 is within the attachment range of the robot 40. In response to the instruction from the control unit 90, the robot 40 attaches the second label 12 to the specified attachment position, i.e., on top of the first label 11, for the article 50 that has reached the attachment range of the second label 12 on the conveyor 30. This makes it possible to automatically attach the second labels 12 on top of each of the first labels 11, even when additional second labels 12 are attached to multiple types of articles 50 in no particular order.

[0067] There may be cases where the second label 12 cannot be affixed to the specified affixing position due to a failure to detect the position of the first label 11, or the second label information not including affixing position information, etc. The control unit 90 detects the occurrence of such an error, stops the supply of new labels by the second label supply unit 20, and stops the affixing operation by the robot 40, and preferably ejects the item 50 that was scheduled to have the second label 12 affixed from the conveyor 30 without the second label 12 being affixed.

[0068] The above example concerns a change in the storage shelf for item 50, but the same can be applied to changes in other location information by changing the location information "shelf A," "shelf B," and "shelf C" to "warehouse A," "warehouse B," "warehouse C," or "store A," "store B," "store C," etc.

[0069] <Example 2: Changing price information> Another typical example is when a second label 12 with a new selling price is affixed to a large number of items 50 (products) that have first labels 11 with the old selling price printed on them. First, a worker associates identification information about the items 50 with second label information and stores them in the second label information storage unit 80. The second label information includes price change information (used for printing, and therefore also as printed information) such as the new selling price and discount rate. Currently, almost all items 50 have a product code printed as a one-dimensional code or the like printed on them, or a label with a one-dimensional code representing the product code printed on it and the selling price is affixed to the item. Therefore, the identification information can be the product code. When identification information about items 50, such as product codes, is registered in a database of a sales management system, a column for price change information may be added to the database and price change information for each item 50 may be registered in that column, or the information in the existing selling price column may be updated to the new selling price. In this case, the storage device storing the database of the sales management system constitutes the second label information storage unit 80. The second label information may or may not include the affixing position information described in Operation Example 1.

[0070] Thereafter, as in Operation Example 1, the worker starts the labeling device 1 and places the articles 50 one after another onto the moving conveyor 30. As shown in Figure 6, the articles 50 are transported by the conveyor 30 and reach a position where they can be detected by the identification information sensor 70. As a result, the identification information of the articles 50 is detected by the identification information sensor 70.

[0071] When the identification information sensor 70 detects the identification information of an item 50, the control unit 90 acquires second label information associated with the identification information from the second label information storage unit 80, and based on the price change information included in the acquired second label information, instructs the second label supply unit 20 to supply second labels 12 on which the price change information is printed, and instructs the affixing unit to affix the second labels 12 supplied from the second supply unit to the item 50 for which the identification information was detected. In response to this instruction from the control unit 90, the second label supply unit 20 supplies the second labels 12 on which the price change information is printed by the printing unit 23P, and the robot 40 receives the second labels 12 on which the price change information is printed from the second label supply unit 20 and affixes them to the item 50 that has reached the affixable range of the conveyor 30 for the second labels 12. Thereafter, by performing the same process on the items 50 transported sequentially by the conveyor 30, the worker can sequentially affix the second label 12, on which the price change information registered for each item 50 is printed, to each item 50 without having to pay particular attention to selecting the target item 50 or the price change information, etc.

[0072] Depending on the item 50, it may be necessary for the worker to write the price change information by hand. In such a case, as in the case of the first operational example, the worker may store unprinted information, meaning no printing, as the second label information in the second label information storage unit 80 in association with the identification information, or may register printed information of the standard format portion other than the price change information as printed information included in the second label information in association with the identification information.

[0073] In the case of this operation example 2, if the first label 11 remains after the second label 12 is affixed, it may also cause misidentification. Therefore, as in the operation example 1, a device for detecting the position of the first label 11 may be provided, and the second label 12 may be configured to automatically affix the second label 12 so as to overlap the first label 11. On the other hand, there are cases where it is necessary for the first label 11 to remain, such as in the case of a second label 12 that displays only a discount rate as price change information. In such cases, the second label information storage unit 80 may store, as affixing position information, a position that does not overlap the entire first label 11, or a position that partially overlaps the first label 11 but does not obscure the portion of the display of the old price information or the like that is required to remain, thereby affixing the second label 12 in a position that does not obscure the entire first label 11 (or only the portion that is required to remain), as shown in FIG. 11 .

[0074] <Example 3> If the first label 11 is an electronic tag that stores first management information including identification information, the identification information of the item 50 can be detected by using a reading device that reads from the electronic tag via wireless communication as the identification information sensor 70. Also, by using a writing device that records to the electronic tag via wireless communication, it becomes possible to rewrite information from the first management information stored in the electronic tag that needs to be changed when the second label 12 is attached (for example, the location information described in Operation Example 1, the price change information described in Operation Example 2, or identification information). Below, a case where both of these are performed will be described.

[0075] 1, the label affixing device 1 is equipped with a reader / writer 71 that reads and records information from the first label 11 (electronic tag) by wireless communication as the identification information sensor 70. While the reading of the identification information by the identification information sensor 70 must be performed before the affixing of the second label 12, the stored information in the first label 11 can be rewritten immediately after the reading of the identification information. Therefore, in an apparatus that processes articles 50 while transporting them on a conveyor 30 as in the illustrated example, the reader / writer 71 can be installed upstream of the range in which the second label 12 can be affixed.

[0076] When attaching an additional second label 12, the worker first associates the second label information, including update information for updating part or all of the first management information, with the identification information and stores it in the second label information storage unit 80. In this case, the second label information may or may not include the printing information and affixing position information described in Operation Examples 1 and 2. Furthermore, when the identification information is registered in the database of the management system, the update information included in the second label information may be registered in a column of update information such as price change information that is provided in the database, or the information in the existing column may be updated with new information. In this case, the second label information storage unit 80 is configured by a storage device in which the database of the management system is stored.

[0077] Thereafter, the worker starts the label application device 1 and places the articles 50 one after another on the moving conveyor 30, as shown in Fig. 1. As in the first and second operational examples, when the articles 50 are transported by the conveyor 30 and reach a position where they can be detected by the identification information sensor 70, the identification information stored in the first label 11 is read by the reader / writer 71 serving as the identification information sensor 70. In order to avoid interference among the articles 50 transported one after another by the conveyor 30, the readable range of the reader / writer 71 can be limited by known methods such as the use of a directional antenna, an electromagnetic wave shielding hood, or adjustment of radio wave intensity.

[0078] 6 , when the identification information sensor 70 reads the identification information of an item 50, the control unit 90 acquires the second label information associated with the identification information from the second label information storage unit 80, and based on the update information contained in the acquired second label information, instructs the reader / writer 71 to rewrite some or all of the information stored in the first label 11, instructs the second label supply unit 20 to supply a second label 12, and instructs the affixing unit to affix the second label 12 supplied from the second supply unit to the item 50 for which identification information has been detected. In response to the instructions from the control unit 90, the reader / writer 71 rewrites some or all of the information stored in the first label 11, the second label supply unit 20 supplies the second label 12, and the affixing robot 40 receives the second label 12, on which the price change information is printed, from the second label supply unit 20 and affixes it to an item 50 that has reached the affixable range of the conveyor 30 for the second label 12. If the second label information includes update information, the update information can be used as print information and printed on the second label 12 by the printing unit 23P of the second label supply unit 20, as in Operation Examples 1 and 2. Furthermore, if the second label information includes affixing position information, the second label 12 is affixed to the specified affixing position, as in Operation Examples 1 and 2. In this way, the affixing of the second label 12 and the updating of the information stored in the electronic tag can be performed at the same time, eliminating the need to replace the electronic tag.

[0079] There may be cases where the update information included in the second label information contains only updated information (e.g., changed location information or price information), and it is not possible to determine whether an update is necessary or not based on that information alone. An example of this is when first management information including identification information is registered in a database of a management system, and after information in an existing column of the database is updated, the update information is read out as second label information. In such a case, the control unit 90 reads out the identification information of the item 50 as well as other first management information using the identification information sensor 70, compares the read first management information with the update information included in the second label information, and if there is any discrepancy, rewrites the information stored in the electronic tag to include only that information or other information as well. In this case, if there is no discrepancy, there is no need to rewrite the information.

[0080] <Example 4> As shown in Fig. 2, it is also possible to provide a first label supply unit 60 that supplies first labels 11, and to configure a single robot 40 to select and receive the first labels 11 supplied from the first label supply unit 60 and the second labels 12 supplied from the second label supply unit 20, and affix them to articles 50. As with the second label supply unit 20, an appropriate device can be selected for the first label supply unit 60. The identification information sensor 70 may be the same as the one used to affix the second labels 12, or may be provided separately. For example, the identification information sensor 70 used to affix the first labels 11 can be an optical reading sensor 73, and the identification information sensor 70 used to affix the second labels 12 can be an electronic tag reader / writer 71.

[0081] In particular, when the article 50 has identification information previously attached to a part other than the first label 11, the identification information attached to the article 50 can be detected by the identification information sensor 70, and a first label 11 having first management information including at least one of the detected identification information and information obtained based on the identification information can be created and attached to the article 50, thereby enabling automatic creation and attachment of the first label 11. For example, similar to the device described in Patent Document 6, the first label 11 can be an electronic tag, and a product code previously attached to the article 50 as a one-dimensional code by printing or the like can be detected by a code reader, and then an electronic tag can be created in which first management information including the detected product code is stored by a writing device such as a reader / writer 71, and this can be attached to the article 50 as the first label 11. Furthermore, regardless of whether the first label 11 is an electronic tag or not, if the first label supply unit 60 has a printing unit, a first label 11 on which first management information including identification information is printed can be created and attached to the article 50.

[0082] It is preferable that all of the above operational examples 1 to 4 can be realized by the same labeling device, but it is also possible that only some of the operational examples can be realized. [Industrial Applicability]

[0083] The present invention can be used in a device that automatically affixes a second label to an article to which a first label for management purposes has been attached. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1...label application device, 11...first label, 12...second label, 20...second label supply unit, 30...conveyor, 31...first conveyor, 32...second conveyor, 33...free roller conveyor, 40...robot, 41...suction unit, 50...item, 60...first label supply unit, 70...identification information sensor, 70L...lower sensor, 70U...upper sensor, 71...reader / writer, 72...imaging device, 73...optical reading sensor, 80...second label information storage unit, 81...input device, 82...display device, 90...control unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for affixing a second label, which has identification information and is different from a first label, to an article to which the first label is affixed, comprising: a second label supply unit that supplies the second label; an attachment unit that attaches the second label supplied from the second label supply unit to the article; an identification information sensor that detects identification information of the article; a second label information storage unit in which the identification information and second label information required for affixing the second label are stored in association with each other, the first label is an electronic tag; the electronic tag stores first management information including the identification information, the identification information sensor is a reader / writer that reads and records information from the electronic tag by wireless communication; the second label information includes update information for updating a part or all of the first management information, The identification information of the item is detected by the reader / writer, and second label information of the item is acquired from the second label information storage unit based on the detected identification information of the item. If the acquired second label information includes the update information, the information stored in the electronic tag of the item from which the identification information was detected is updated based on the update information by the reader / writer, and the affixing unit affixes the second label to the item from which the identification information was detected. A label application device comprising:

2. the second label information includes print information required for printing on the second label, the second label supply unit includes a printing unit that prints the print information on the second label, the second label, on which the printing information has been printed by the printing unit, is affixed by the affixing unit to the article for which the identification information has been detected, based on the printing information acquired from the second label information storage unit; 2. The labeling device of claim 1.

3. the second label information includes non-printed information, the affixing unit affixes the second label, which is not printed by the printing unit, to the article for which the identification information has been detected, based on the no-print information acquired from the second label information storage unit.

3. The labeling device of claim 2.

4. the affixing unit has a robot that receives the second label supplied from the second label supply unit and affixes the second label to the article; an imaging device that images the item; When attaching the second label, the position of the first label is detected by image recognition based on the image information captured by the imaging device, and the robot attaches the second label to an attachment position that is determined based on the detected position of the first label. The labeling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the second label information includes affixing position information determined based on the position of the first label, the attachment position information indicates a position where the second label covers a part of or the whole of the first label, or where the first label does not cover the whole of the first label; When attaching the second label, the robot attaches the second label to an attachment position specified by attachment position information included in the second label information acquired from the second label information storage unit.

5. The labeling device of claim 4.

6. a conveyor for conveying the article; the identification information sensor detects identification information of an article transported on the conveyor; the affixing unit affixes the second label to the article being transported on the conveyor; the identification information of the article is detected by the identification information sensor, and second label information of the article is read from the second label information storage unit based on the detected identification information of the article, and if the second label information is not present, the affixing unit does not affix the second label to the article for which the identification information has been detected. The labeling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A method for affixing a second label, which is different from a first label and has identification information, to an article to which the first label is affixed, comprising the steps of: a second label supply unit that supplies the second label; an attachment unit that attaches the second label supplied from the second label supply unit to the article; an identification information sensor that detects identification information of the article; a second label information storage unit in which the identification information and second label information required for affixing the second label are stored in association with each other, the first label is an electronic tag; the electronic tag stores first management information including the identification information, the identification information sensor is a reader / writer that reads and records information from the electronic tag by wireless communication; the second label information includes update information for updating a part or all of the first management information, The identification information of the item is detected by the reader / writer, and second label information of the item is acquired from the second label information storage unit based on the detected identification information of the item. If the acquired second label information includes the update information, the information stored in the electronic tag of the item from which the identification information was detected is updated based on the update information by the reader / writer, and the affixing unit affixes the second label to the item from which the identification information was detected. A labeling method comprising:

Images