System for applying labels to pallets movable along a conveyor line
AssigneeTwinpak, Inc.
InventorsR. George Fattal, Gordon Ringrose
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor senses the presence of a pallet at a label applying station on the conveyor line and a label printer/dispenser produces labels for applying to the pallet. A robot arm moves a label receiver/applier between a first position, adjacent the label printer/dispenser for receiving a label, a second position adjacent the label applying station for applying a label to the pallet, and a third position whereat a label reader, also mounted on the robot arm, reads the label. A processor controls the robot arm, the label reader and the label printer and dispenser and compares the text of the read label to determine if it is correct, and it also determines whether the label is correctly positioned.
Claims9
A system for applying labels to pallets movable along a conveyor line, said conveyor line including a label applying station;
- said system comprising:
- sensor means for sensing the presence of a pallet at said label applying station;
- label printing/dispensing means;
- robot arm means mounting thereon label receiving/applying means and label reading means, and including moving means for moving said robot arm means between a first position adjacent said label printing/dispensing means for receiving a label from said label printing/dispensing means, a second position adjacent said label applying station for applying a label to said pallet, and a third position for reading said applied label;
- and
- processor means, said processor means receiving inputs from said sensor means, said label printing/dispensing means, and said label reading means, and providing controlling signals to said robot arm means, said label printing/dispensing means and said label reading means;
- whereby, when said processor receives a signal from said sensor means indicating the presence of a pallet to be labelled at said label applying station, said processor controls:
- (a) said printing/dispensing means to print a label in accordance with predetermined information;
- (b) said robot arm to move to said first position to receive said printed label from said printing/dispensing means;
- (c) said printing/dispensing means to dispense said printed label to said robot arm;
- (d) said robot arm to move to said second position to apply said printed label to said pallet to be labelled;
- and
- (e) said robot arm to move to said third position to read said applied printed label.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.