Apparatus for box labeling on a pallet, method of providing the same, and method of marking boxes

A box labeling machine for marking a pallet of boxes, each box on the pallet of boxes comprises a preprinted marking area, the box labeling machine comprising:

• an input buffer configured to hold the pallet of boxes;
• one or more first sensors configured to determine a first location of the pallet of boxes over the input buffer;
• a first pallet location adjustment mechanism coupled to the input buffer and configured to move the pallet of boxes from the first location over the input buffer to one or more second locations over the input buffer;
• a carousel coupled to the input buffer such that the pallet of boxes can be moved from the input buffer to the carousel;
• one or more second sensors configured to determine a third location of the pallet of boxes over the carousel;
• a second pallet location adjustment mechanism coupled to the carousel and configured to move the pallet of boxes from the third location over the carousel to one or more fourth locations over the carousel;
• at least one printer mechanism configured to apply one or more markings to at least one box of the pallet of boxes while the pallet of boxes is located over the carousel;
• a machine vision mechanism configured to determine a position of the at least one printer mechanism relative to the pallet of boxes;
• an output buffer configured to hold the pallet of boxes and coupled to the carousel such that the pallet of boxes can be moved from the carousel to the output buffer;
• and
• a reading mechanism configured to identify the preprinted marking area on each box on the pallet of boxes and to trigger the at least one printer mechanism to apply the one or more markings to the preprinted marking area on each box on the pallet of boxes,
• wherein:
• the pallet of boxes has four sides;
• each box on the pallet of boxes is accessible from at least one of the four sides of the pallet of boxes;
• the at least one printer mechanism is configured such that the at least one printer mechanism can apply at least one marking of the one or more markings to boxes accessible on at least a first side and a second side of the four sides of the pallet of boxes;
• and
• the reading mechanism is further configured to instruct the at least one printer mechanism not to apply the one or more markings if the preprinted marking area of one of the boxes on the pallet of boxes that is not identified.

A method of providing a box labeling device configured to label one or more boxes supported by a pallet, each of the one or more boxes comprises a preprinted marking area, the pallet having a pallet label, the method comprising:

• providing a reading mechanism configured to read first information from at least one of the one or more boxes or the pallet label;
• providing a computing system configured to determine one or more markings to apply at one or more predetermined locations of the one or more boxes at least partially based on the first information wherein:
• at least a first one of the one or more markings is to be applied at a first side of four sides of the pallet;
• and at least a second one of the one or more markings is to be applied at a second side of the four sides of the pallet;
• providing a marking mechanism configured to apply the one or more markings at the one or more predetermined locations of the one or more boxes;
• and
• providing a movement mechanism configured to at least partially position the marking mechanism to apply the one or more markings at the one or more predetermined locations without removing the one or more boxes from the pallet,
• wherein:
• the reading mechanism is further configured to identify the preprinted marking area on each of the one or more boxes and to trigger the marking mechanism to apply the one or more markings to the preprinted marking area on each of the one or more boxes;
• the reading mechanism is further configured to instruct the marking mechanism not to apply the one or more markings if the preprinted marking area of one of the one or more boxes is not identified;
• and
• the one or more predetermined locations comprise the preprinted marking area of each of the one or more boxes.

A method of labeling one or more boxes on a pallet of boxes, the pallet of boxes has four sides, each box of the one or more boxes is accessible from at least one of the four sides of the pallet of boxes, the method comprising:

• placing the pallet of boxes on an input buffer;
• automatically moving the pallet of boxes from the input buffer to a box marking region;
• automatically aligning at least one marking mechanism to the pallet of boxes while the box marking region supports the pallet of boxes;
• using a reading mechanism to read one or more predetermined locations on each of the one or more boxes to identify a marking area on each of the one or more boxes;
• adjusting a location of at least one of the marking areas on one of the one or more boxes based upon information from the reading mechanism;
• using the at least one marking mechanism to automatically mark each box on the pallet of boxes at the marking area while the box marking region supports the pallet of boxes, wherein at least a first one of the one or more boxes on the pallet of boxes is accessible at a first side of the four sides of the pallet of boxes and at least a second one of the one or more boxes on the pallet of boxes is accessible at a second side of the four sides of the pallet of boxes;
• and
• after using the at least one marking mechanism, automatically moving the pallet of boxes to an output buffer.

An apparatus configured to label one or more boxes supported by a pallet, the pallet having a pallet label, the pallet has four sides, at least one surface of each box of the one or more boxes is accessible from at least one of the four sides of the pallet, the apparatus comprising:

• a reading mechanism configured to read first information from the pallet label;
• a computing system configured to determine one or more markings to apply at one or more predetermined locations of the one or more boxes at least partially based on the first information;
• a marking mechanism configured to apply the one or more markings at the one or more predetermined locations of each of the one or more boxes;
• and
• a first movement mechanism configured to at least partially position the marking mechanism to apply the one or more markings at the one or more predetermined locations, the first movement mechanism comprises:
• a mechanical stage coupled to the marking mechanism and configured to move the marking mechanism along three substantially perpendicular axes such that the marking mechanism applies at least one mark of the one or more markings to each of the at least one surface of each box of the one or more boxes of the pallet at the one or more predetermined locations,
• wherein:
• a first one of the one or more predetermined locations are accessible at a first side of the four sides of the pallet;
• a second one of the one or more predetermined locations are accessible at a second side of the four sides of the pallet;
• a third one of the one or more predetermined locations are accessible at a third side of the four sides of the pallet;
• a fourth one of the one or more predetermined locations are accessible at a fourth side of the four sides of the pallet;
• and
• the marking mechanism is configured to mark each of the one or more boxes at the one or more predetermined locations without removing the one or more boxes from the pallet;
• each of the one or more boxes comprises a preprinted marking area;
• the reading mechanism is further configured to read the preprinted marking area to identify the preprinted marking area on each of the one or more boxes and to trigger the marking mechanism to apply the one or more markings to the preprinted marking area on each of the one or more boxes;
• the reading mechanism is further configured to instruct the marking mechanism not to apply the one or more markings if the preprinted marking area of one of the one or more boxes is not identified;
• the one or more predetermined locations comprise the preprinted marking area of each of the one or more boxes;
• the reading mechanism is further configured to read information from at least one of the one or more boxes or a pallet label to identify a marking area on each of the one or more boxes and to communicate information about the one or more predetermined locations to the computing system;
• and
• the computing system configured to adjust a location of at least one of the one or more predetermined locations based upon the information from the reading mechanism.