Labeling apparatus
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHisashi Tsujimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A labeling apparatus includes a label holder and a controller. The label holder is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position that is closer to a conveyer than is the retracted position, and receive a label on an end of the label holder facing the conveyer. The controller is configured to control the label holder to move towards a standby position between the retracted position and the extended position until an object to be labeled is conveyed on the conveyer to a position facing the label holder, and then towards the extended position such that the label is attached to the object.
Claims20
A labeling apparatus comprising:
- a label holder configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position that is closer to a conveyer than the retracted position is, and receive a label on an end of the label holder facing the conveyer;
- a first sensor above the conveyer at a first position upstream a position facing the label holder in a conveyance direction of the conveyer, the first sensor configured to obtain height information of an object on the conveyer;
- a second sensor above the conveyer at a second position upstream the position facing the label holder and downstream the first position in the conveyance direction, the second sensor configured to detect a leading end of the object on the conveyer;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine a moving distance of the label holder up to a standby position between the retracted position and the extended position based on the height information of the object obtained by the first sensor;
- control the label holder to move by the determined moving distance to the standby position during conveyance of the object on the conveyer to the position facing the label holder;
- stop the conveyance of the object a predetermined period of time after the second sensor detects the leading end of the object;
- and
- control the label holder to move from the standby position towards the extended position to attach the label to the stopped object.
A method for attaching a label on an object on a conveyor, the method comprising:
- receiving a label on an end of a label holder facing a conveyer;
- obtaining height information of an object on the conveyer with a first sensor above the conveyer at a first position upstream a position facing the label holder in a conveyance direction of the conveyer;
- determining a moving distance of the label holder up to a standby position between the retracted position and the extended position based on the height information of the object obtained by the first sensor;
- controlling the label holder to move by the determined moving distance to the standby position during conveyance of the object on the conveyer to the position facing the label holder;
- detecting a leading end of the object on the conveyer with a second sensor above the conveyer at a second position upstream the position facing the label holder and downstream the first position in the conveyance direction;
- a predetermined period of time after the second sensor detects the leading end of the object, stopping the conveyance of the object;
- and
- controlling the label holder to move from the standby position toward the extended position to attach the label to the stopped object by the label holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.