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US 2003/0153447 A1Published application
Tag attaching apparatus
OwnerPaul M. Block, Steven J. Kunreutherinventors
Life of this patent
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OwnerPaul M. Block, Steven J. Kunreutherinventors
Estimating the term…
Tags are removed from a hopper one at a time and transported by a moveable carriage, carrying a rotatable vacuum arm with a suction cup, onto a tag support platform. The arm moves the tag through an arcuate path section to a plane parallel to the plane of the support platform and then through a linear path section into alignment with the support platform. The tag is clamped to the top surface of the tag support platform. The article to be tagged is placed between the undersurface of the tag support platform and an anvil. The anvil moves up to hold the article against the underside of the tag support platform. The fastener dispensing device is moved toward the tag support platform such that the needle passes through an opening in the tag and penetrates the article. The fastener is ejected to attach the tag to the article. The hopper is independently position adjustable horizontally and vertically. A laser facilitates positioning of the hopper. The vacuum arm is keyed to the carriage such that the suction cup is always coplanar with the lead tag in the hopper, when the tag is engaged.
Automatic apparatus for attaching tags to articles comprising means for holding a plurality of tags, tag support means spaced from said tag holding means, vacuum tag transport means for removing tags, one at a time, from said tag holding means and placing them on said tag support means, means for clamping the tag on said tag support means, the article to be tagged being situated proximate to said tag support means, fastener dispensing means comprising a hollow needle through which fasteners are ejected, means for moving said fastener dispensing means relative to said tag support means to cause said needle to pass through the tag and article, and means for actuating said fastener dispensing means.
Automatic apparatus for attaching tags to articles comprising means for holding a plurality of tags, tag support means spaced from said tag holding means, tag transport means for removing tags, one at a time, from said tag holding means and placing them on said tag support means, fastener dispensing means comprising a hollow needle through which fasteners are ejected, means for moving said fastener dispensing means relative to said tag support means to cause said needle to pass through the tag on said tag support means and means for actuating said fastener dispensing means, said tag transport means comprising means adapted to engage a tag in said tag holding means, and means for moving said tag engaging means through a first path section, wherein the engaged tag is situated in a plane substantially perpendicular to said needle, and then through a second path section, wherein the engaged tag is moved along said perpendicular plane, into alignment with said tag support means.
Automatic apparatus for attaching tags to articles comprising a work surface, means, mounted on said work surface, for holding a plurality of tags, tag support means spaced from said tag holding means, tag transport means for removing tags, one at a time, from said tag holding means and placing them on said tag support means, fastener dispensing means comprising a hollow needle through which fasteners are ejected, means for moving said fastener dispensing means relative to said tag support means to cause said needle to pass through the tag on the tag support means, means for actuating said fastener dispensing means, and means for mounting said tag holding means on said work surface for independent position adjustment in two directions relative to said work surface.
Automatic apparatus for attaching tags to articles comprising means for holding a plurality of tags, tag support means spaced from said tag holding means, tag transport means for removing tags, one at a time, from said tag holding means and placing them on said tag support means, fastener dispensing means comprising a hollow needle through which fasteners are ejected, means for moving said fastener dispensing means relative to said tag support means to cause said needle to pass through the tag on said tag support means and means for actuating said fastener dispensing means, said tag transport means comprising a moveable carriage, an arm carrying a suction cup adapted to engage a tag in said tag holding means, and means for mounting said arm on said carriage such that said suction cup is aligned with the lead tag in said tag holding means, when the tag is engaged by said suction cup.
Automatic apparatus for attaching tags to articles comprising a work surface, means, for holding a plurality of tags, each of the tags having an opening, means for position adjustably mounting said tag holding means on said work surface, tag support means spaced from said tag holding means, tag transport means for removing tags, one at a time, from said tag holding means and placing them on said tag support means, fastener dispensing means comprising a hollow needle through which fasteners are ejected, means for moving said fastener dispensing means relative to said tag support means to cause said needle to pass through the opening in the tag on said tag support means, means for actuating said fastener dispensing means, and laser means for positioning said tag holding means relative to said work surface such that said tag transport means places each tag on said tag support means with said opening of the tag in alignment with said needle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.