GB2114060A - Method of coding or identifying a substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of printing a code comprising one or more indicia on each of a number of substrates such as labels or packages, the codes on each subsequent substrate being the next in a pre-determined sequence of codes, thereby to number, codify or identify the substrate, which method comprises (a) passing each substrate in turn through a printing station at which is located at least one electrically operated printing head capable of printing the said indicia, operation of the said printing head being governed by a pre-programmed micro-processor; (b) and actuating the micro-processor to drive the printing head to print the chosen indicia on each subsequent substrate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of coding or identifying a substrate The present invention relates to a method of coding or identifying a substrate such as a label or package, particularly at the time of printing or packing in order that the label or package can subsequently be readily identified.

There are several known methods of applying indicia such as numbers and/or letters or other symbols to reels of printed labels or rolls of printed packaging foil orto bottles which have already been labelled on a production line.

Such indicia can be applied to a label, either before of after the label is attached to a container, by a direct overprinting process. However, in many such direct overprinting processes, each label in a given batch is generally overprinted with the same indicium or set of indicia, and many conventional overprinting machines are not generally capable of printing each subsequent label with the next symbol or number of a pre-determined sequence of symbols or numbers.

Sequential marking or coding of substrates is possible by the use of a printing apparatus in which a plurality of indexable wheels each carrying a number of indicia which are to be printed are arranged by mechanical means to print, in each subsequent printing operation, the next syr bol or number of a pre-determined sequence of symbols or numbers.

However, known methods of printing a series of labels each with the subsequent number or code of a pre-set sequence of numbers or codes have been unpopular because when something goes wrong on the packing line, very often the sequence of numbering or coding is interrupted, and problems are often encountered in restoring the numbering or coding sequence to the number or code which was prevalent when the sequence was interrupted.

Nevertheless sequential numbering or coding of packages, sachets, bottles or like containers is highly desirable in many cases. Such labelling, for example, can enable the origin of the contents of the container to be readily identified at a later stage. A further advantage of such numbering or coding is that it can be of assistance in producing accurate counts of the number of items produced.

This is particularly useful in the packaging of drugs and other pharmaceutical products.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a printing apparatus for printing a code comprising one or more indicia on each of a number of substrates such as labels or packages so as to number, codify or identify the substrate, the apparatus comprising at least one printing head having a number of solenoidactivated pins which in use are activated to strike the rear face of a carbon ribbon thereby to print an image of dots on the substrate to be printed, means for conveying a carbon ribbon between the printing head and the substrate to be printed, and a micro-processor programmed to generate a sequence of impulses to cause the printing head or heads to print the desired sequence of codes on the said substrates.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of printing a code comprising one or more indicia on each of a number of substrates such as labels or packages, the codes on each subsequent substrate being the next in a pre-determined sequence of codes, thereby to number, codify or identify the substrate, which method comprises (a) passing each substrate in turn through a printing station at which is located at least one electrically operated printing head capable of printing the said indicia, operation of the said printing head being governed by a pre-programmed micro-processor; (b) and actuating the micro-processor to drive the printing head to print the chosen indicia on each subsequent substrate.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the sole figure of the accompanying drawing, which shows a diagram of an apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a web 2 carrying printed labels or packaging foil across the face 4 of a computerised high speed printing head 6 which is capable of generating characters from a matrix of nine vertical dots, typically having a speed of up to 1500 columns per second. The printing head 6 includes nine pins 8 arranged at equal intervals along a line running at right angles to the direction of travel of the web. Each of the pins can be driven towards the web which passes across the face of the printing head by causing electric current to pass through an associated solenoid 10. Each of the pins 8 has a separate solenoid 10 associated therewith, so that each pin can be actuated independently of the other.

Actuation of the pins drives them into the back of a carbon ribbon 24 with is gradually wound from reel 16 to another 18 and passes in close proximity to the face of the label or foil which is to be printed with the indicia. Each of the pins 8 which has been actuated presses a small area of the carbon ribbon onto the label or foil thereby to print a pattern of dots iying along a straight line onto the label or foil. Each indicium is formed frorn a succession of such lines of dots, each line having a particular pattern of dots.

Two or more printing heads 6 can be mounted in parallel on a mounting bar 26 via mounting brackets 28.

In order to print the indicia, an operator presses the appropriate keys on a keyboard 1 2 thereby to actuate a micro-processor 1 4 which then conveys in the appropriate sequence electrical signals to each of the nine solenoids 10 in the printing head 6. The micro-processor can be programmed to instruct the printing head to print a variety of sequences of numbers, letters or other symbols, and in particular can instruct the printing head to print numbers in sequence either in forward or reverse order. The micro-processor may also be programmed to allow for printing of characters or figures backwards or forwards along a line of printed text. The choice of indicia is merely governed by the information which a particular operator wishes to include on each label or package.

A number of printing heads, for example three, four or more, may be mounted together so as to print several lines of text simultaneously. This facility may be used to print labels having more than one line of textual overprinting. When using more than one printing head to give multiple lines of textual overprinting, if desired each line of overprinting can be chosen to be of a different colour by substituting a carbon ribbon of the appropriate colour.

A visual display unit 22 displays an image of the matter which is being printed onto the labels or packaging foil. The system also includes an infra-red detector 20 for monitoring the length of each printed image and/or for controlling the position at which each overprinted line or text is printed on the substrate.

Claims (8)

1. A printing apparatus for printing a code comprising one or more indicia on each of a number of substrates such as lables or packages so as to number, codify or identify the substrate, the apparatus comprising at least one printing head having a number of solenoid-activated pins which in use are activated to strike the rear face of a carbon ribbon thereby to print an image of dots on the substrate to be printed, means for conveying a carbon ribbon between the printing head and the substrate to be printed, and a micro-processor programmed to generate a sequence of impulses to cause the printing head or heads to print the desired sequence of codes on the said substrates.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the printing head comprises a matrix of nine solenoidactivated pins arranged in a line.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein each printing head includes a mounting bracket for co-operation with a mounting bar, the printing heads being selectively mountable on the mounting bar at chosen distances from each other.

4. A method of printing a code comprising one or more indicia on each of a number of substrates such as labels or packages, the codes on each subsequent substrate being the next in a predetermined sequence of codes, thereby to number, codify or identify the substrate, which method comprises (a) passing each substrate in turn through a printing station at which is located at least one electrically operated printing head capable of printing the said indicia, operation of the said printing head governed buy a preprogrammed micro-processor; (b) and actuating the micro-processor to drive the printing head to print the chosen indicia on each subsequent substrate.

5. A method according to Claim 4, wherein the printing station includes two or more printing heads each arranged to print different textual matter.

6. A method according to Claim 4, wherein the printing station includes two or more printing heads all arranged to print the same textual matter.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. Method according to Claim 4 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.