JP7122471B2 - LABELING APPARATUS, CONTROLLING METHOD FOR LABELING APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a labeling device, a labeling device control method, and a program.

For example, there is known a labeling device that affixes a label peeled off from a base material of a sheet to the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical body such as a test tube such as a blood collection tube. As this type of label sticking device, there is one that peels off a part of the front end of the label from the base material of the sheet and peels off the label from the base material while sticking the front end of the label along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body.

JP 2011-58904 A

In the label application device, when the front end of the label is peeled off from the base material, the front end of the label tends to be pulled in the direction in which the base material is fed, causing variations in the orientation of the front end portion of the label. Therefore, depending on the orientation of the front end portion of the label, the accuracy of the position where the label is affixed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body is degraded. If the front end of the label is not properly peeled off from the base material, the front end of the label may collide with the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder, and the front end of the label may be folded and attached to the cylinder. There is

This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in a low-temperature environment where the adhesive strength of the label adhesive is high, or when using a label with a high adhesive strength. Further, when a rolled sheet such as roll paper is used, the central side in the radial direction of the rolled sheet has a smaller diameter than the outer peripheral side, so that the sheet tends to curl. Due to this, the posture of the front end portion of the label tends to become more unstable.

The disclosed technology has been made in view of the above, and improves the stability of the posture of the front end portion of the label peeled off from the base material, and improves the reliability of the operation of attaching the label to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a labeling device, a labeling device control method, and a program that can

One aspect of the labeling apparatus disclosed in the present application includes a feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet having a base material and a label provided on the base material via an adhesive, a printing unit for printing on the label, and the a peeling member for peeling the label from the base material of the sheet fed by a feed mechanism; A sticking mechanism that sticks the label along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body; A preliminary peeling operation is performed to return the entire label onto the base material by feeding the sheet in reverse by the feeding mechanism, and after the preliminary peeling operation, the front end of the label is moved by the reference peeling amount. Control to exfoliate.

According to one aspect of the label sticking apparatus disclosed in the present application, it is possible to improve the stability of the posture of the front end portion of the label peeled off from the base material, and to improve the reliability of the label sticking operation on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body. can.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the blood collection tube preparation device of the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the blood collection tube preparation device of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining the inside of the blood collection tube preparation device of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the essential parts of the labeling apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a sheet used in the labeling device of the embodiment. FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end of the label has been peeled off to the standard peeling amount in the labeling apparatus of the example. FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end of the label has been peeled by the first preliminary peeling amount in the labeling apparatus of the example. FIG. 6C is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the entire label is returned onto the backing paper in the labeling apparatus of the example. FIG. 6D is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end of the label has been peeled by the second preliminary peeling amount in the labeling apparatus of the example. FIG. 6E is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end of the label has been peeled off by the reference peeling amount in the labeling apparatus of the example. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the change in the position of the front end of the label when the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjustment operation are performed in the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the control performed by the control unit in the embodiment to perform the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjustment operation while detecting the leading edge of the label. FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining first control and second control in the labeling apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. 10A is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which blood collection tubes are supplied in the labeling device of the example. FIG. 10B is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the front end of the label is attached to the blood collection tube in the labeling device of the example. FIG. 10C is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a label is affixed along the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube in the labeling device of the example. FIG. 10D is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the labeled blood collection tube is discharged from the labeling device of the example.

Embodiments of the labeling apparatus, its control method, and program disclosed in the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the labeling apparatus, the labeling apparatus control method, and the program disclosed in the present application are not limited to the following embodiments.

(Configuration of blood collection tube preparation device)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the blood collection tube preparation device of the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the blood collection tube preparation device of the embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the blood collection tube preparation device 1 includes a housing having a top cover CV1, a side cover CV2 and a front cover CV3, and each internal part can be opened and closed. The front cover CV3 is provided with an operation panel 5 for operating the blood collection tube feeding device 2 and the labeling device 3, which will be described later. 1 and 2, the depth direction of the blood collection tube preparation device 1 is shown as the X direction, the width direction of the blood collection tube preparation device 1 as the Y direction, and the height direction of the blood collection tube preparation device 1 as the Z direction. In FIG. 3 and subsequent figures, the X, Y, and Z directions are shown as in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining the inside of the blood collection tube preparation device 1 of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3 , the blood collection tube preparation device 1 includes a blood collection tube supply device 2 and a labeling device 3 that affixes labels to the blood collection tubes 4 supplied from the blood collection tube supply device 2 . The blood collection tube supply device 2 includes a plurality of housing sections 6A and 6B housing the blood collection tubes 4, a feeding section 7 feeding the blood collection tubes 4 from the housing sections 6A and 6B, and the blood collection tubes 4 fed from the feeding section 7. and a transport unit 8 that transports the

The plurality of housing portions 6A and the plurality of housing portions 6B are arranged side by side in the X direction. For example, blood collection tubes 4 of different sizes are accommodated in the accommodating portion 6A and the accommodating portion 6B. A plurality of blood collection tubes 4 are arranged along the Z direction in each housing section 6A, 6B with the longitudinal direction of the blood collection tubes 4 facing sideways. The delivery unit 7 is arranged below the storage units 6A and 6B, and delivers the blood collection tube 4 from the storage units 6A and 6B. The conveying unit 8 has a conveying member 9 that reciprocates along the X direction. .

(Configuration of labeling device)
As shown in FIG. 3, the labeling apparatus 3 includes a sheet supply mechanism 16 as a feeding mechanism that feeds a sheet 10 having a label 12 provided thereon via an adhesive (adhesive layer) 13 to a backing paper 11 as a base material, which will be described later. and a printing unit 17 that prints on the label 12 . In addition, the label applying device 3 includes a peeling member 18 for peeling the label 12 from the sheet 10 fed by the sheet feeding mechanism 16, and a front end 12a of the label 12 in the feed direction (X direction) of the sheet 10. A sticking mechanism 19 is provided for sticking the label 12 peeled from the backing paper 11 by the amount A0 along the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 as a cylindrical body.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the essential parts of the labeling device 3 of the embodiment. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the label sticking device 3 includes a control section 21 that controls the sheet feeding mechanism 16, the printing section 17, and the sticking mechanism 19, respectively. The control unit 21 has a control board (not shown) provided with, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device, an input/output device, a communication interface, a media interface, etc., and supplies sheets. It is electrically connected to the mechanism 16, the printing unit 17, and the pasting mechanism 19, respectively. The control unit 21 in the embodiment controls the sheet supply mechanism 16, the printing unit 17, and the pasting mechanism 19, respectively. The part may be provided independently.

Then, the control unit 21 of the label sticking device 3 peels the front end 12a of the label 12 to a predetermined first preliminary peeling amount A1 larger than the reference peeling amount A0, and the sheet feeding mechanism 16 reverses the sheet 10 in the X2 direction. By feeding the label 12, a preliminary peeling operation is performed to return the entire label 12 onto the backing paper 11. After the preliminary peeling operation, the front end 12a of the label 12 is controlled to be peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0. After the preliminary peeling operation, the controller 21 moves the front end 12a of the label 12 to a predetermined second preliminary peeling amount A2 (A0<A2<A1) that is larger than the reference peeling amount A0 and smaller than the first preliminary peeling amount A1. ), and the sheet feeding mechanism 16 reversely feeds the sheet 10 (feeds it in the X2 direction) to perform an attitude adjustment operation to return the front end 12a of the label 12 to the reference peeling amount A0. Control is performed so that only the standard peeling amount A0 is peeled. Details of the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjusting operation will be described later.

(Seat composition)
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the sheet 10 used in the labeling device 3 of the embodiment. The sheet 10 has a mount 11 and a label 12 provided on the mount 11 via an adhesive 13 . As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of labels 12 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the mount 11 . The length L of the label 12 in the longitudinal direction of the mount 11 is, for example, approximately 30 mm to 35 mm. A width W of the label 12 in the lateral direction of the mount 11 is, for example, about 50 mm.

As the sheet 10, a roll sheet is used in which the mount 11 is wound with the label 12 on the mount 11 directed toward the outer circumference. Note that the sheet 10 is not limited to a roll sheet, and a so-called fanfold sheet that is alternately folded in a bellows shape along the longitudinal direction of the sheet 10 may be used. Also, as the sheet 10 using RFID (radio frequency identifier), a sheet 10 having a label 12 provided with an RF tag may be used. When an RF tag is used, the adhesive force of the adhesive 13 tends to increase because the label 12 is attached together with the RF tag.

(Structure of Sheet Feeding Mechanism)
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sheet supply mechanism 16 includes the supply roll 23 which is the roll sheet described above, a plurality of guide rollers 24 and guide plates 25 for guiding the sheet 10 sent from the supply roll 23, a label It has a winding roll 26 for winding the backing paper 11 from which 12 has been peeled off, and a roller drive mechanism 27 for driving the winding roll 26 .

The roller drive mechanism 27 has a drive roller 28 that rotates the winding roll 26 , a motor 29 that rotationally drives the drive roller 28 , and a drive belt 30 that transmits the drive force of the motor 29 . A drive belt 30 is stretched over a rotation shaft 29a of the motor 29, a rotation shaft 28a of the drive roller 28, and a rotation shaft 35a of a platen roller 35 of the printing unit 17, which will be described later. 28, the platen roller 35 is rotated. The take-up roll 26 is rotated with the rotation of the drive roller 28 .

The peeling member 18 is arranged downstream of the printing unit 17 in the path of the sheet 10 supplied from the supply roll. The peeling member 18 is formed in a flat plate shape and is fixed along the feed direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10 .

The sheet supply mechanism 16 folds the sheet 10 sent from the supply roll 23 at the tip of the peeling member 18 to peel off the label 12 having the adhesive 13 from the backing paper 11 of the sheet 10 from the front end 12a side. The sheet supply mechanism 16 winds up only the backing paper 11 that has passed the tip of the peeling member 18 onto the winding roll 26 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet supply mechanism 16 detects a leading edge detection sensor 31 that detects the leading edge 12a of the label 12 separated from the backing sheet 11 by the peeling member 18, and a trailing edge 12b of the label 12 on the backing sheet 11. and a rear end detection sensor 32 (see FIG. 6A).

The leading edge detection sensor 31 is arranged downstream and upward (Z direction) in the feed direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10 with respect to the leading edge of the peeling member 18 and is electrically connected to the controller 21 . . The trailing edge detection sensor 32 is arranged at a predetermined position on the upstream side in the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10 with respect to the printing unit 17 and is electrically connected to the control unit 21 .

Although not shown, the front end detection sensor 31 and the rear end detection sensor 32 are optical sensors, and have a light emitting portion that emits detection light and a light receiving portion that receives the detection light from the light emitting portion. The light-emitting part and the light-receiving part are arranged across the path of the label 12, and the label 12 is detected by blocking the detection light.

(Structure of printing section)
As shown in FIG. 4, the printing unit 17 includes a thermal head 34 that prints on the label 12, a platen roller 35 that holds the sheet 10 between the thermal head 34 and supports it, and a head holder member that holds the thermal head 34. 36 and . The printing unit 17 sandwiches the label 12 together with the backing paper 11 between the thermal head 34 and the platen roller 35 , and prints the label 12 with the thermal head 34 while feeding the sheet 10 with the platen roller 35 . Note that the printing unit 17 is not limited to the configuration having the thermal head 34, and may be configured having an inkjet head, for example.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 3, the labeling apparatus 3 of the embodiment includes a sheet supply mechanism 37 having a manual supply roll 38 and a manual supply mechanism 37 for manually attaching the label 12 to the blood collection tube 4 . and a printing unit 39 for printing on the label 12 supplied from the roll 38 . The sheet supply mechanism 37 and the printing section 39 are configured similarly to the sheet supply mechanism 16 and the printing section 17 described above.

(Configuration of sticking mechanism)
As shown in FIG. 4 , the sticking mechanism 19 includes a sticking roller 41 that rotates along the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 to stick the label 12 to the blood collection tube 4 , and a blood collection tube to which the label 12 is stuck by the sticking roller 41 . 4 and a pressure roller 43 for pressing the blood collection tube 4 against the sticking roller 41 . The sticking mechanism 19 also includes a support member 44 that supports the blood collection tube 4 supplied from the blood collection tube supply device 2 together with the pressing roller 43 , a rotating mechanism 45 that rotates the sticking roller 41 , and a moving mechanism that moves the pressing roller 43 . 46 (see FIG. 10A).

The sticking roller 41 is arranged downstream of the tip of the peeling member 18 in the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the label 12 . The lower side of the outer peripheral surface of the sticking roller 41 is positioned above the vicinity of the tip of the peeling member 18 , and is arranged on the side opposite to the adhesive 13 side of the label 12 peeled by the peeling member 18 . (see FIG. 10A). Therefore, the lower side of the outer peripheral surface of the sticking roller 41 is located above the vicinity of the front end 12 a of the label 12 peeled from the backing paper 11 by the tip of the peeling member 18 .

The guide roller 42 is arranged below the tip of the peeling member 18 , and the outer peripheral surface of the guide roller 42 faces the outer peripheral surface of the joining roller 41 . Further, as shown in FIG. 3, below the sticking mechanism 19, there is provided a tray 47 in which the blood collection tubes 4 to which the labels 12 are stuck are stored.

(Preliminary peeling operation and attitude adjustment operation)
Hereinafter, control for performing the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjustment operation of the label 12 by the control unit 21 will be described. Numerical values are given as examples of the reference peeling amount A0, the first preliminary peeling amount A1, and the second preliminary peeling amount A2. Numerical values may be changed as appropriate.

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end 12a of the label 12 has been peeled off to the standard peeling amount A0 in the label sticking device 3 of the example. As shown in FIG. 6A, when the printing unit 17 completes printing on the first label 12 and stops feeding the label 12, the control unit 21 causes the peeling member 18 to remove the front end 12a of the label 12 by the reference peeling amount. It is in a state where it is peeled off up to A0 (=3.5 mm). In FIG. 6A, the front end 12a of the label 12 peeled from the backing paper 11 is sent downward due to the adhesive force of the adhesive 13 between the backing paper 11 that has passed through the peeling member 18 and is sent downward. 10 shows a case in which it is pulled toward the backing paper 11 side and hangs down.

FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end 12a of the label 12 has been peeled by the first preliminary peeling amount A1 in the label sticking device 3 of the example. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6B, the control unit 21 causes the sheet feeding mechanism 16 to feed the sheet 10 further by 3 mm in the X1 direction, thereby removing the label 12 that has been peeled up to the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm). The front end 12a is further peeled by a first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=6.5 mm) (preliminary peeling operation). The front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled from the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm) to the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=6.5 mm). Also referred to as the W direction), the front end 12a of the label 12 can be reliably peeled from the backing paper 11 to both sides in the width W direction of the label 12 in advance. By reliably peeling off the front end 12a of the label 12 in advance in this way, when the front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm), the front end 12a of the label 12 is removed from the adhesive material 13. Due to the influence of the adhesive force, etc., it is possible to suppress the posture of being pulled toward the backing paper 11 sent downward and hanging down.

FIG. 6C is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the entire label 12 is returned onto the backing paper 11 in the labeling device 3 of the embodiment. After the front end 12a of the label 12 has been peeled up to the first preliminary peeling amount A1, the control unit 21 causes the sheet supply mechanism 16 to reversely feed the sheet 10 in the X2 direction. The whole is put back on the mount 11. At this time, the sheet feeding mechanism 16 returns the sheet 10 in the X direction and stops until the trailing edge detection sensor 32 detects the trailing edge 12 b of the label 12 . Next, the controller 21 causes the sheet feeding mechanism 16 to feed the label 12 again in the X1 direction, using the position where the trailing edge detection sensor 32 detects the trailing edge 12b of the label 12 as a reference position. The control unit 21 calculates the feed amount of the label 12 based on the reference position detected by the trailing edge detection sensor 32 and controls the sheet supply mechanism 16 . The sheet supply mechanism 16 feeds the sheet 10 (label 12) based on the reference position described above, so that the positional accuracy of the front end 12a of the label 12 peeled off from the mount 11 is improved.

FIG. 6D is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end 12a of the label 12 has been peeled by the second preliminary peeling amount A2 in the label sticking device 3 of the example. As shown in FIG. 6D, the control unit 21 causes the sheet feeding mechanism 16 to feed the sheet 10 in the X1 direction, and the leading edge 12a of the label 12 is moved to the second preliminary peeling amount exceeding the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm) by about 1 mm. It is peeled up to the peeling amount A2 (=4.5 mm). At this time, the front end 12a of the label 12 is pre-peeled to a first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=6.5 mm) larger than the second preliminary peeling amount A2 (=4.5 mm) by performing the preliminary peeling operation. Therefore, the front end 12a of the label 12 is prevented from being pulled toward the backing paper 11 sent downward and hanging down.

FIG. 6E is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm) in the label sticking device 3 of the example. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6E, the control unit 21 causes the sheet supply mechanism 16 to reversely feed the sheet 10 in the X2 direction, thereby removing the labels 12 peeled by the second preliminary peeling amount A2 (=4.5 mm). The front end 12a of the label 12 is put back on the backing paper 11, and the front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm).

In this way, after being peeled to the second preliminary peeling amount A2 (=4.5 mm), it is returned to the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm), so that it is pulled toward the mount 11 that is reversely fed in the X2 direction. Then, the front end 12a of the label 12 is lifted (posture adjustment operation). Therefore, when returning by 1 mm from the second preliminary peeling amount A2 (=4.5 mm) to the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm), the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 is corrected by the mount 11 moving in the X2 direction. becomes possible. For this reason, the front end 12a of the label 12 peeled by a predetermined reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm) so as to be properly attached to the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 is in the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10. For example, it becomes a posture along a horizontal plane (XY plane), and the stability of the posture of the front end 12a is enhanced. That is, the sheet feeding mechanism 16 feeds the label 12 so that the front end 12a of the label 12 peeled by the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm) is positioned on the extension line of the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10. do.

Strictly speaking, the tip of the peeling member 18 is inclined so that it faces slightly upward with respect to the horizontal plane (XY plane), and the front end 12a of the label 12 faces slightly upward. It is set to face Further, the feeding amount (1 mm), which is the difference between the second preliminary peeling amount A2 (=4.5 mm) and the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm), can be adjusted by increasing the supply speed of the label 12 and by adjusting the posture. is set in consideration of the amount of feeding that can properly correct the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 in .

Here, changes in the position of the front end 12a of the label 12 when the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjustment operation described above are performed will be described in chronological order. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining changes in the position of the front end 12a of the label 12 when the control unit 21 in the embodiment performs the preliminary peeling operation and the posture adjustment operation. In FIG. 7, time elapses from time t1 to time t9.

As shown in FIG. 7, the printing unit 17 starts printing on the leading label 12 of the sheet 10 at time t1. At time t1, the leading edge 12a of the leading label 12 of the sheet 10 is located 1.5 mm ahead of the printing position of the thermal head 34. FIG. At time t2, the printing unit 17 completes the printing of the label 12, and the front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm). In other words, when printing by the printing unit 17 is completed, the front end 12a of the label 12 sent in the X1 direction is peeled off from the mount 11 by the reference peeling amount A0 for properly sticking the label 12 to the blood collection tube 4. be.

The label 12 peeled up to the reference peeling amount A0 is further fed in the X1 direction, and at time t3, the front end 12a of the label 12 reaches the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=6.5 mm). More than the amount A0 (=3.5 mm) is peeled off. Next, the label 12 peeled by the first preliminary peeling amount A1 is reversely fed in the X2 direction until the trailing edge 12b of the label 12 is detected by the trailing edge detection sensor 32. returned to the top. At time t4, the trailing edge 12b of the label 12, which has been fed backward in the X2 direction, is stopped in a state beyond the detection position of the trailing edge detection sensor 32 by about 1 mm.

Subsequently, the label 12 is fed again in the X1 direction, so that at time t5, the front end 12a of the label 12 reaches the second preliminary peeling amount A2 (=4.5 mm) by the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm). ). The label 12 that has been peeled to the second preliminary peeling amount A2 (=3.5 mm) is fed back in the X2 direction, so that the front end 12a of the label 12 is returned to the reference peeling amount A0 at time t6. .

The front end 12a of the label 12 peeled to the reference peeling amount A0 is attached to the blood collection tube 4, and the label 12 is attached along the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 while being fed in the X1 direction. By stopping the feeding operation of the sheet 10 when the pasting of the label 12 is completed, the front end 12a of the label 12 next to the leading label 12 is slightly peeled off from the mount 11 at time t7. stop in the state

Next, the sheet is reversely fed in the X2 direction, so that the leading edge 12a of the label 12 is stopped in a state beyond the detection position of the trailing edge detection sensor 32 by about 1 mm at time t8. Subsequently, by feeding the sheet in the X1 direction, the leading edge 12a of the label 12 is positioned 1.5 mm in front of the printing position of the thermal head 34 at time t9, as at time t1. . After that, the position of the label 12 changes in the same manner as the times t2 to t8 described above.

In this embodiment, after the printing of the label 12 is completed, the feeding of the label 12 is stopped when the label 12 is peeled by the reference peeling amount A0 (=3.5 mm). Alternatively, the front end 12a of the label 12 may be peeled off by the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=6.5 mm) by continuously feeding the sheet 10 after printing is completed.

Further, if the front edge detection sensor 31 does not detect the front edge 12a of the label 12 when the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjusting operation are performed, the control unit 21 repeats the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjusting operation a predetermined number of times, and performs the preliminary peeling operation. is repeated, the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=6.5 mm) is gradually increased to perform the preliminary peeling operation.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the control performed by the control unit 21 in the embodiment to perform the preliminary peeling operation and the posture adjustment operation while detecting the front end 12a of the label 12. FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 21 causes the printing unit 17 to perform a printing operation (step S1), and stops the feeding operation of the sheet 10 in the X1 direction after printing is completed, so that the leading edge 12a is 3.5 mm ( The label 12 that has been peeled by the reference peeling amount A0) stops (step S2). Subsequently, the controller 21 feeds the sheet 10 in the X1 direction, thereby peeling off the front end 12a of the label 12 further by 3 mm (step S3). At this time, the front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled off by 3.5 mm+3 mm=6.5 mm (first preliminary peeling amount A1).

Subsequently, the control unit 21 returns the entire label 12 onto the backing paper 11 by performing a reverse feed operation of the sheet 10 in the X2 direction (step S4). The controller 21 detects the trailing edge 12b of the label 12 returned onto the mount 11 by the trailing edge detection sensor 32 (step S5), and when the trailing edge detection sensor 32 detects the trailing edge 12b of the label 12, the sheet 10 stops the reverse feeding operation in the X2 direction. Next, the controller 21 feeds the sheet 10 in the X1 direction, thereby peeling the front end 12a of the label 12 by 4.5 mm (second preliminary peeling amount A2) (step S6). Subsequently, the control unit 21 peels off the front end 12a of the label 12 by 3.5 mm (reference peel amount A0) by performing a reverse feed operation of the sheet 10 in the X2 direction (step S7).

The controller 21 determines whether the leading edge detection sensor 31 has detected the front edge 12a of the label 12 that has been peeled off by 3.5 mm (the reference peeling amount A0) (step S8). When the front end 12a of the label 12 is detected by the front end detection sensor 31 (Yes), the operation of attaching the label 12 is started (step S9). When the front end 12a of the label 12 is not detected by the front end detection sensor 31 (No), the control unit 21 determines that the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjustment operation are to be repeated, and the number of times this repetition is executed, that is, the number of repetitions. is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times (step S10). For example, when the number of repetitions of the preliminary peeling operation is three or more (Yes), the control unit 21 determines that an error has occurred and stops the feeding operation of the sheet 10 .

For example, when the number of repetitions of the preliminary peeling operation is less than 3 (No), the controller 21 waits for 500 ms while the label 12 is stopped (step S11). As a result, the time required for the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 to naturally stabilize is ensured. Again, the controller determines whether the front edge 12a of the label 12 that has been peeled off by 3.5 mm (the reference peeling amount A0) has been detected by the front edge detection sensor 31 (step S12). If the front end 12a of the label 12 is detected by the front end detection sensor 31 in step S12 (Yes), the label 12 is pasted (step S9).

When the front edge 12a of the label 12 is not detected by the front edge detection sensor 31 in step S12 (No), the controller 21 further peels the front edge 12a of the label 12 by 4 mm (first preliminary peeling amount A1) (step S13). That is, the control unit 21 performs the preliminary peeling operation by increasing the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=4 mm) in the second preliminary peeling operation by 1 mm from the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=3 mm). Similarly, when performing the third preliminary peeling operation, the controller 21 further peels the front end 12a of the label 12 by 5 mm (first preliminary peeling amount A1) (step S13). That is, the control unit 21 performs the preliminary peeling operation by increasing the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=5 mm) in the third preliminary peeling operation by 1 mm from the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (=4 mm) in the second preliminary peeling operation. .

In this way, the control unit 21 repeats the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjustment operation a predetermined number of times, and the number of times the preliminary peeling operation is repeated, that is, the number of times the front edge detection sensor 31 does not detect the front edge 12a of the label 12 after the attitude adjustment operation. , the first preliminary peeling amount A1 is gradually increased by 1 mm, for example, and the preliminary peeling operation is performed.

Subsequently, the control unit 21 increases the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (4 mm or 5 mm) in step S13 and waits for 200 ms while stopping the label 12 from which the front end 12a has been peeled (step S14). . As a result, the time required for the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 to naturally stabilize is ensured. Henceforth, it returns and repeats to step S4 mentioned above.

(First control and second control)
The control unit 21 is configured to be able to selectively perform first control in which the posture adjusting operation is performed after the preliminary peeling operation and second control in which only the posture adjusting operation is performed without performing the preliminary peeling operation. . For example, when the user inputs the specifications of the sheet 10 through the operation panel 5 , the controller 21 automatically switches whether or not to perform the preliminary peeling operation according to the specifications of the sheet 10 . The control unit 21 is not limited to automatically switching between the first control and the second control, and the control unit 21 arbitrarily switches between the first control and the second control by inputting from the operation panel 5 by the user. may be For example, when using a sheet 10 having a relatively low adhesive strength of the adhesive 13, and even if the preliminary peeling operation is omitted, the influence of the peeled state of the front end 12a of the label 12 is small, performing only the attitude adjustment operation allows the label to be 12 feed rate can be increased.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining first control and second control in the labeling device 3 of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the label sticking device 3 performs a printing operation (step S21), and stops the label 12 from which the front end 12a has been peeled by the reference peeling amount A0 (step S22). The control unit 21 determines, for example, according to the specifications of the sheet 10, whether to perform a preliminary peeling operation for peeling the front end 12a of the label 12 up to the first preliminary peeling amount A1 (step S23). In step S23, if the controller 21 determines to perform the preliminary peeling operation (Yes), it performs the preliminary peeling operation (step S24), performs the attitude adjustment operation (step S25), and removes the front end 12a of the label 12 as a reference. Only the amount A0 is removed (step S26). On the other hand, if the control unit 21 determines in step S23 that the preliminary peeling operation is not to be performed (No), step S24 is omitted, the attitude adjusting operation is performed (step S25), and the front end 12a of the label 12 is adjusted to the reference peeling amount. Only A0 is removed (step S26).

(Label pasting operation)
FIG. 10A is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the blood collection tube 4 is supplied in the labeling device 3 of the embodiment. In the blood collection tube preparation device 1, the blood collection tubes 4 sent from the label supply device 2 are supplied to the labeling mechanism 19 of the labeling device 3, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 10A. The blood collection tube 4 supplied to the sticking mechanism 19 is supported by the pressure roller 43 and the support member 44 in such a posture that the length direction of the blood collection tube 4 is along the horizontal plane (XY plane). away below. After the blood collection tube 4 is supplied to the labeling mechanism 19, the labeling device 3 starts feeding the sheet 10 by the sheet feeding mechanism 16 as described above.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6E, the labeling apparatus performs a preliminary peeling operation and an attitude adjustment operation to peel off the front end 12a of the label 12 by the reference peeling amount A0, and then the label 12 onto the blood collection tube 4. Start pasting operation. FIG. 10B is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the front end 12a of the label 12 is attached to the blood collection tube 4 in the labeling device 3 of the embodiment. FIG. 10C is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the label 12 is affixed along the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 in the label affixing device 3 of the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 10B , the sticking mechanism 19 moves the pressing roller 43 toward the peeling member 18 side by the moving mechanism 46 and presses the blood collection tube 4 supported by the pressing roller 43 against the sticking roller 41 and the guide roller 42 . As a result, the sticking mechanism 19 rotatably sandwiches the blood collection tube 4 between the pressing roller 43, the sticking roller 41, and the guide roller 42, and attaches the blood collection tube 4 to the front end 12a of the label 12 that has been peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0. is pressed, the front end 12a side of the label 12 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 10C, the pasting mechanism 19 rotates the pasting roller 41 clockwise while gradually peeling off the label 12 by feeding the sheet 10 in the X1 direction, thereby removing the label 12 from the front end 12a. It is attached along the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 from the side. At this time, the pressing roller 43 and the guide roller 42 also rotate together with the rotation of the pasting roller 41 . The pasting mechanism 19 rotates the pasting roller 41 while feeding the sheet 10 further in the X1 direction, thereby peeling the label 12 from the backing paper 11 up to the rear end 12b of the label 12 and removing the label 12 from the outer periphery of the blood collection tube 4 up to the rear end 12b. Affixed along the surface.

FIG. 10D is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the blood collection tube 4 to which the label 12 is attached is discharged in the labeling device 3 of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10D , after the label 12 is attached to the blood collection tube 4 , the attaching mechanism 19 uses the moving mechanism 46 to move the pressing roller 43 away from the peeling member 18 side, thereby attaching the label 12 . The attached blood collection tube 4 is dropped and discharged. The blood collection tubes 4 dropped downward from the pressing roller 43 are accommodated in a tray 47 arranged below the pressing roller 43 (see FIG. 3). Subsequently, in the label pasting device 3, the next blood collection tube 4 is supplied to the pasting mechanism 19, and the next label 12 is returned to the printing section 17 side by the sheet feeding mechanism 16 for printing.

(Rotating operation of pasting roller)
As shown in FIG. 10C, the control unit 21 moves the position P of the outer peripheral surface of the pasting roller 41 in contact with the blood collection tube 4 in the same direction as the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10 fed by the sheet feeding mechanism 16, The pasting mechanism 19 is controlled so that the pasting roller 41 rotates in synchronization with the feeding operation of the sheet 10 .

That is, the pasting roller 41 rotates clockwise in FIG. 10C in synchronization with the feeding operation of the sheet 10 in the X1 direction. In other words, the lower side of the outer peripheral surface of the application roller 41, which faces the label 12 fed in the X1 direction, is rotated to move in the X1 direction. The control unit 21 controls the pasting roller 41 to stop rotating when the feeding operation of the sheet 10 is stopped and when the sheet 10 is reversely fed in the X2 direction.

In the label sticking device 3, there is a case where the front end 12a of the label 12 is lifted too much due to the attitude adjustment operation of lifting the front end 12a of the label 12 that has hung down. Even when the front end 12a of the label 12 faces upward, the label 12 is warped by the outer peripheral surface of the application roller 41, which moves in the same direction as the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the label 12. It becomes possible to push down the front end 12a. As a result, the warped front end 12a of the label 12 is prevented from sticking to the outer peripheral surface of the sticking roller 41, and the front end 12a of the label 12 is positioned along the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10, for example, on a horizontal plane ( XY plane) can be corrected.

(Method for controlling labeling device)
The control method of this embodiment is a control method for the label application device 3 including the sheet supply mechanism 16, the printing unit 17, the peeling member 18, the application mechanism 19, and the control unit 21 that controls the sheet supply mechanism 16. The front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled off to a predetermined first preliminary peeling amount A1 larger than the reference peeling amount A0, and the sheet feeding mechanism 16 reversely feeds the sheet 10 in the X2 direction, thereby removing the entire label 12. A preliminary peeling operation is performed to return the label 11 to the backing paper 11, and after the preliminary peeling operation, the controller 21 controls the front end 12a of the label 12 to be peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0.

(program used to control the labeling machine)
The program of the present embodiment is for controlling the label application device 3 including the sheet supply mechanism 16, the printing unit 17, the peeling member 18, the application mechanism 19, and the control unit 21 that controls the sheet supply mechanism 16. In this program, the front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled to a predetermined first preliminary peeling amount A1 larger than the reference peeling amount A0, and the sheet feeding mechanism 16 reversely feeds the sheet 10 in the X2 direction. A preliminary peeling operation is performed to return the entire label to the backing paper 11, and after the preliminary peeling operation, the controller 21 is caused to peel off the front end 12a of the label 12 by the reference peeling amount A0.

The programs of the embodiments are recorded and handled on storage media including various storage elements such as optical discs, magnetic discs, hard disk drives, SSDs (Solid State Drives), and semiconductor memories. The control unit 21 executes a program installed via a storage medium or network to process information and control a storage device, an input/output device, a communication interface, a media interface, and the like.

(Effect of Example)
The labeling apparatus 3 of the embodiment includes a sheet supply mechanism 16 that feeds a sheet 10 having a label 12 thereon, and a front end 12a of the label 12 peeled by a predetermined reference peeling amount A0 along the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4. A pasting mechanism 19 for pasting a sheet of paper and a control unit 21 for controlling the sheet feeding mechanism 16 are provided. The control unit 21 peels the front end 12a of the label 12 to a predetermined first preliminary peeling amount A1 larger than the reference peeling amount A0, and causes the sheet feeding mechanism 16 to reversely feed the sheet 10, thereby removing the entire label 12 from the mount. 11 is performed, and after the preliminary peeling operation, the front end 12a of the label 12 is controlled to be peeled off by the reference peeling amount A0. By performing the preliminary peeling operation in this way, the front end 12a of the label 12 is reliably peeled from the backing paper 11 across the width W direction of the label 12, and the front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled off from the backing paper 11 by the adhesive force of the adhesive 13. Since the front end 12a of the label 12 peeled up to the reference peeling amount A0 is restrained from being pulled to the side, it is possible to restrain the front end 12a of the label 12 from being pulled toward the backing paper 11 and hanging down.

Therefore, the stability of the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 peeled from the mount 11 can be enhanced, and the reliability of the operation of attaching the label 12 to the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 can be enhanced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the front end 12a of the label 12 from colliding with the outer peripheral surface of the blood collection tube 4 and the front end 12a of the label 12 from being attached to the blood collection tube 4 in a folded state. Furthermore, since the variation in the position of the label 12 affixed to the blood collection tube 4, which fluctuates due to the variation in the orientation of the front end 12a of the label 12, can be suppressed. can.

Further, according to the labeling apparatus 3 of the embodiment, when a roll sheet around which the sheet 10 is wound is used, the label 12 located at the center side in the radial direction of the roll sheet tends to be curled. By performing the operation, the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 peeled off from the backing paper 11 can be stabilized from the outer peripheral side (the starting end side of the sheet 10) to the center side (the trailing end side of the sheet 10) of the roll sheet. be possible. Further, when the sheet 10 provided with the RF tag is used as the label 12, the adhesive force of the adhesive 13 is increased, so that the effect of the preliminary peeling operation in this embodiment is high.

Further, after the preliminary peeling operation, the control unit 21 of the label sticking apparatus 3 of the first embodiment moves the front end 12a of the label 12 to a predetermined second preliminary peeling amount larger than the reference peeling amount A0 and smaller than the first preliminary peeling amount A1. The front end 12a of the label 12 is peeled up to the peeling amount A2, and the front end 12a of the label 12 is returned to the reference peeling amount A0 by performing the attitude adjustment operation by feeding the sheet 10 backward in the X2 direction by the sheet supply mechanism 16. Control is performed so that only the amount of peeling A0 is peeled off. As a result, when returning from the second preliminary peeling amount A2 to the reference peeling amount A0, the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 can be corrected by lifting the front end 12a of the label 12 by the backing paper 11 moving in the X2 direction. be possible. Therefore, the front end 12a of the label 12, which has been peeled by the reference peeling amount A0, assumes a posture along the feed direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10, and the stability of the posture of the front end 12a is further enhanced.

Further, the control unit 21 of the label sticking apparatus 3 of the first embodiment moves the position P of the sticking roller 41 in contact with the blood collection tube 4 in the same direction as the feeding direction (X1) of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding mechanism 16 to stick the label. The pasting mechanism 19 is controlled so that the roller 41 rotates in synchronization with the feeding operation of the sheet 10 . While the posture adjustment operation is performed, the front end 12a of the label 12 may be excessively lifted by the posture adjustment operation and the front end 12a may be warped. Even when the front end 12a of the label 12 faces upward in this manner, the label 12 is warped by the outer peripheral surface of the application roller 41, which moves in the same direction as the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the label 12. The front edge 12a of the label 12 can be pushed down. As a result, the warped front end 12a of the label 12 can be prevented from sticking to the outer peripheral surface of the sticking roller 41, and the front end 12a of the label 12 can be corrected to a posture along the feeding direction (X1 direction) of the sheet 10.例文帳に追加can.

Further, the control unit 21 of the label sticking apparatus 3 of the first embodiment selects the first control in which the attitude adjusting operation is performed after the preliminary peeling operation and the second control in which only the attitude adjusting operation is performed without performing the preliminary peeling operation. do it purposefully. As a result, when using a sheet 10 having a relatively low adhesive strength of the adhesive 13, and even if the preliminary peeling operation is omitted, if the influence of the peeled state of the front end 12a of the label 12 is small, performing only the posture adjusting operation It becomes possible to increase the supply speed of the label 12 . Therefore, by switching the feeding operation of the label 12 according to the adhesive force of the label 12, it is possible to improve the stability of the posture of the front end 12a of the label 12 and to improve the processing speed.

Further, when the front edge detection sensor 31 does not detect the front edge 12a of the label 12 when the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjusting operation are performed, the control unit 21 of the label sticking apparatus 3 of the first embodiment performs the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjusting operation. is repeated, and the first preliminary peeling amount A1 is gradually increased according to the number of times the preliminary peeling operation is repeated, and the preliminary peeling operation is performed. As a result, even if the front end 12a of the label 12 has not been properly peeled off, the front end 12a of the label 12 can be reliably peeled off by performing the preliminary peeling operation again.

In this embodiment, the labeling device 3 is applied to the blood collection tube 4 as a cylindrical body to which the label 12 is affixed. may be applied to the application of the label 12 to the When the label 12 is attached to the blood collection tube 4 , the blood collection tube 4 to which the label 12 has been attached may need to be reattached with a new label 12 . Even in such a case, the new label 12 can be affixed so as to cover the label 12 affixed to the blood collection tube 4, and the accuracy of the affixing position when re-applying the label 12 can be improved. can.

1 Blood collection tube preparation device 3 Labeling device 4 Blood collection tube (cylinder)
10 sheet 11 mount (base material)
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 12 label 12a front end 12b rear end 13 adhesive 16 sheet supply mechanism (feed mechanism)
17 printing unit 18 peeling member 19 sticking mechanism 21 control unit 31 front end detection sensor (detection sensor)
32 trailing edge detection sensor 41 pasting roller A0 reference peeling amount A1 first preliminary peeling amount A2 second preliminary peeling amount P contact position

Claims (8)

a feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet having a base material and a label provided on the base material via an adhesive;
a printing unit that prints on the label;
a peeling member for peeling the label from the base material of the sheet fed by the feeding mechanism;
an affixing mechanism that affixes, along the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical body, the label, the front end of which is separated from the substrate by a predetermined reference peeling amount, along the outer peripheral surface of the label in the feeding direction of the sheet;
A control unit that controls the feed mechanism,
The control unit peels the front end of the label to a predetermined first preliminary peeling amount larger than the reference peeling amount, and reversely feeds the sheet by the feeding mechanism, thereby placing the entire label on the base material. A label sticking device that performs a preliminary peeling operation for returning, and after the preliminary peeling operation, controls such that the front end of the label is peeled by the reference peeling amount. After the preliminary peeling operation, the control unit peels the front end of the label to a predetermined second preliminary peeling amount larger than the reference peeling amount and smaller than the first preliminary peeling amount, and the feed mechanism By performing an attitude adjustment operation for returning the front end of the label to the reference peeling amount by feeding the sheet in reverse, the front end of the label is controlled to be peeled by the reference peeling amount.
2. Labeling device according to claim 1. The sticking mechanism has a sticking roller that rotates along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body and sticks the label to the cylindrical body,
The controller moves the position of the pasting roller in contact with the cylindrical body in the same direction as the feeding direction of the sheet fed by the feeding mechanism, and rotates the pasting roller in synchronism with the feeding operation of the sheet. controlling the affixing mechanism to
2. Labeling device according to claim 1. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the control unit selectively performs first control for performing the attitude adjusting operation after the preliminary peeling operation and second control for performing only the attitude adjusting operation without performing the preliminary peeling operation. Labeling device as described. Further comprising a detection sensor that detects the front end of the label peeled from the base material,
The controller repeats the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjusting operation, and repeats the preliminary peeling operation when the detection sensor does not detect the front end of the label when the preliminary peeling operation and the attitude adjusting operation are performed. controlling to perform the preliminary peeling operation by gradually increasing the first preliminary peeling amount according to the number of times the preliminary peeling is performed;
3. Labeling device according to claim 2. The cylindrical body is a blood collection tube,
2. Labeling device according to claim 1. A feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet having a label attached to a base material via an adhesive, a printing unit for printing on the label, and a peeling member for peeling the label from the base material of the sheet fed by the feeding mechanism. and a pasting mechanism that sticks the label along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body, the front end of the label in the feeding direction of the sheet being peeled from the base material by a predetermined reference peeling amount, and the feeding mechanism. A control method for a labeling device, comprising:
a preliminary peeling operation in which the front end of the label is peeled off to a predetermined first preliminary peeling amount larger than the reference peeling amount, and the sheet is reversely fed by the feed mechanism to return the entire label onto the base material; and after the preliminary peeling operation, the controller controls the front end of the label to be peeled by the reference peeling amount. A feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet having a label attached to a base material via an adhesive, a printing unit for printing on the label, and a peeling member for peeling the label from the base material of the sheet fed by the feeding mechanism. and a pasting mechanism that sticks the label along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body, the front end of the label in the feeding direction of the sheet being peeled from the base material by a predetermined reference peeling amount, and the feeding mechanism. A program for controlling a labeling device comprising a control unit,
a preliminary peeling operation in which the front end of the label is peeled off to a predetermined first preliminary peeling amount larger than the reference peeling amount, and the sheet is reversely fed by the feed mechanism to return the entire label onto the base material; and causing the control unit to perform control such that after the preliminary peeling operation, the front end of the label is peeled by the reference peeling amount.

Images