Abstract:
A method and apparatus for accepting operative RFID labels for application to an object, and for rejecting inoperative labels. The RFID labels are peelably adhered to a carrier web. When operative, the RFID label produces a response to an input signal. A tranceiver produces the input and is responsive to the output to activate a peeler. The peeler is pivotally mounted for rotation between an extended position and a retracted position. When extended, the peeler engages the web to separate the RFID label therefrom in response to the RFID output. When retracted, the peeler disengages the web whereby the RFID label remains adhered thereto.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The invention relates to a selectable label dispensing apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a labelling apparatus for selectively applying or rejecting Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) labels to advancing articles.  
         [0002]     As hereinafter understood, RFIDs are minature electronic transponder devices which are hard wired or programmable to produce an output signal in response to an input signal. RFIDs typically have identifying indicia. RFIDs may also contain other information, including product identification, pricing information, and information which enables manufacturers, shippers, and retailers to track the products in commerce. The term RFID may be used herein with or without the designation ‘transponder’, but it should be understood that the term RFID includes the transponder designation.  
         [0003]     Label dispensing devices for applying conventinal labels to advancing articles have come into widespread use in a variety of industries. These devices include print-and-appy label dispensing systems that print and apply labels to advancing articles on demand. Apply-only systems utilize pre-printed labels. Label dispensing devices for RFID labels have not come into widespread use because of the for reasons discussed below.  
         [0004]     At present, due to their cost, RFID transponders are used on high end products. Typically, the RFID is programmed with the product information and identification data; tested for operability; and applied to the product. At present, these operations are performed manually. However, as the cost of RFIDs decreases, it is expected that their use will become more widespread in the market place. However, before such widespread use becomes a reality, it will be necessary to devise means for efficiently encoding, verifying, and applying operable labels to advancing articles.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is based upon the discovery of apparatus for selectively applying radio frequencey identification devices (RFID) onto advancing articles and accordance with the operability of the label.  
         [0006]     In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a frame having a bearing surface and a working end. An RFID label is carried on a carrier web. A retractable peeler is pivotally mounted on the frame adjacent the working end. The peeler is positionable between an advanced peel position, forward of the workng end and a retracted, reject position behind the working end. The peeler engages the underside of the carrier web, causing the label to separate from the web when the peeler is in the advanced position. The peeler is retractable to the reject position, disengaging the underside of the web, to thereby allow the RFID label to be carried past the peeler and remain on the carrier web as a reject.  
         [0007]     The peeler is formed of a plurality of axially mounted wedge shaped elements, each having a distal peeler edge for engaging the web and a proximal pivot. The wedges are mounted in spaced relation along a shaft which is rotatably secured to the frame so that each peeler edge is rotatable about the shaft axis between respective peel and reject positions. A bearing surface engages the under side of the web and the working end is formed with a relatively smooth rounded surface for engaging the underside of the web when the peeler is in the reject position, so that the label remains attached to the web for disposal.  
         [0008]     Another exemplary embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for selecting and deselecting RFID labels adhered to the carrier surface of a web to a dispensing location between a supply hub and a rewind hub. The RFID labels are disposed on the carrier surface of the web in spaced relation. The labels are responsive to a verification signal, to produce an output indicative of an operative label. The labels are selected for application at the dispensing location to advancing articles in response to the verification signal, or the labels are deselected or rejected for retention on the carrier when the verification signal is absent.  
         [0009]     In a particular embodiment, a position sensor upstream of the dispenser location detects each RFID label. A transponder produces an output signal for activating the detected RFID label and for receiving the verification signal.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, the RFID transponder is programmed with suitable product information.  
         [0011]     A selectable peeler located at the dispensing location, engages the web as it advances through the dispensing location to cause the label to separate from the web for application to the advancing package. The peeler retracts to a reject position when the verification signal is absent. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective illustration of an RFID dispensing apparatus according to the invention shown with an acceptable RFID label being transferred from a web to an article by a vacuum chuck and tamper.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective illustration of the RFID dispensing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with a rejected RFID label being carried on the web past the vacuum chuck.  
         [0014]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are perspective schematic illustrations of the selectable RFID label dispenser shown in the peel position and the reject position respectively.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective schematic illustration of the RFID dispenser of  FIG. 3A  shown in the peel position.  
         [0016]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are enlarged, fragmentary schematic block diagrams of a peeler for the RFID label dispenser shown in respective peel and reject positions.  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is an elevation of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  in the peel position.  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is an elevation of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 4  in the reject positions.  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a schematic block diagram of a controller having various inputs and outputs for operating the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart showing various modes of operation.  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a flow chart of the encode and verification mode of operation.  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is a timing chart.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     The present invention employs a selectable RFID label applicator. U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,094 which issued Mar. 5, 2002 and entitled “Modular Label Dispensing Apparatus”, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, features a modular design that couples different types of label dispensing modules to one of several label applicators using a standard chasis. The present invention features such a modular design for use with and which is compatible with an arrangement described in Gunderson et al., &#39;094.  
         [0024]      FIGS. 1-7  illustrate a selectable RFID label dispensing apparatus  10  in accordance with the invention. The apparatus includes a RFID supply in the form of a roll  12  secured on a spindle  14 . The supply  12  plays out a web  16  having a carrier surface  18  and RFID labels  20  secured thereto with a suitable releasable adhesive. The web  16  passes through a drive station  22  including a drive roller  24  driven by motor  26 . In and exemplary embodiment, the motor  26  is a stepper motor. However, other suitable motors may be employed such as a servo motor. The web  16  is carried to a dispensing location  28  which includes a retractable peeler  30  and a stationary or fixed reject working surface  32 . The working surface  32  forms a smooth curved bearing surface which is discussed hereinafter.  
         [0025]     The peeler  30  shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  includes a plurality of wedge elements  34  mounted in spaced relation on a rotatable pivot shaft  35 . The pivot shaft is driven between first and second positions by a reject solenoid  36 . Each wedge element  34  has a distal peeler edge  38  which is rotatable with the shaft  35  between an advanced peel position  40  and a retracted reject position  42 . Each peeler edge  38  extends in front of or outwardly of the working surface  32  in the peel position  40 ; and the peeler edge  38  is retracted behind the working surface  32  in the reject position  42 . Each wedge element  34  has a curved distal surface  44  proximate to the pivot shaft  35 . When the peeler  30  is positioned in the reject position  42 , the distal surface  44  is positioned adjacent the reject surface  32  is disposed behind the working surface  32 . The web  16  is fed through various idler rollers to the dispensing position  30 , and then to a take up wheel  46  through idlers as illustrated.  
         [0026]     The working surface  32  is formed with complementary toothed recesses  48  for receiving, one each, of the corresponding wedge elements  34  as shown. In the peel or advanced position  40 , the peeler edges  38  extend from the tooted recess  48  of the working surface  32 . In the reject on retracted position  42  the curved distal surfaces of the wedge elements  44  are positioned within the toothed recesses  48 . The working surface  32  thus forms a smooth continuous curved surface over which the web  16  rides when the wedge elements  34  are retracted.  
         [0027]     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 5 A, when each peeler edge  38  is in the peel position  40 , the peeler edges engage the rear or underside of the web  16  which passes around the relatively sharp peeler edges  38  causing the leading edge  46  of the RFID label  48  at the dispensing location  30  to separate from the web  16  as illustrated. A vacuum chuck  52 , is adapted to pick up the label  48  as it peels from the web  16  for application to an advancing article  53 . The RFID label  48  separates from the web  16  as a result of the sharp angle θ formed between the web  16  and the peeler edges  38  ( FIG. 5A ).  
         [0028]     In the reject position  40 , ( FIGS. 2 and 5 B) the peeler edges  38  are retracted behind the working surface  32 . As a result, the underside of web  16  engages the smooth continuous working surface  32 , such that the rejected RFID label  48 R remains attached to the web  16 . Hence, the so rejected label  48 R is carried by the web  16  to the take up wheel  46  as illustrated. The relatively large radius of the curvature of the reject surface  32  allows the rejected label  48 R to remain adhered to the web  16 .  
         [0029]     A control system  60  for the dispenser of  FIGS. 1-7  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The control system  60  includes a misprocessor controller  62  which has a plurality of inputs and outputs hereinafter as discussed. The microprocessor  62  is programmable to perform various control functions. Alternatively, the microprocessor  62  may be an off-the-shelf motor controller.  
         [0030]     The controller  60  has an output  64  coupled to the drive motor  24  for controlling the speed and advancement thereof. A gap sensor  66  ( FIG. 1 ) is positioned adjacent the web  16  in order to detect the trailing edge  68  of each RFID label as it passes from the drive station  22  to the dispenser  30 . The distance  70  of the gap sensor  64  to the peeler edge  38  in the peel position  40  is known; and the motor  26  may be controlled to position the label selectively with respect to the peeler edge  38 .  
         [0031]     A transponder unit  70  has an output antenna  72  for transmitting an activation signal  74  to the RFID label  20 . If operative, the RFID label is responsive to the activation signal  74  to produce an output or verification signal  78  for transmission to the antenna  72  and the the transponder  70 . If the verification signal  78  produced by the RFID  20  is correct, the transponder  70  produces an accept output A indicative of an acceptable RFID label. If the verification signal  78  is advanced to not received, the transponder  70  produces a reject output R. The accept output A and the reject output R are coupled to the processor  62  as illustrated.  
         [0032]     In response to an accept output A, the microcontroller  62  produces an activation signal  80  for the reject solenoid  36 , which causes the solenoid to position the peeler  30  so that the peel edge  38  is the peel position  30  as illustrated. In response to a reject signal R, the processor  62  produces a reject output  82  which causes the reject solenoid  36  to position the peeler edge  30  so that the peel edge  38  is retracted to the reject position  42  behind the reject surface  32 . A reset to the microcontroller, conditions as each label passes through the dispenser position.  
         [0033]     The arrangement in  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrates a modular system, similar to the arrangement in Gunderson et al., noted above. In the arrangement, a chasis  90  supports the modular selectable RFID label dispenser  10  and controller  60  discussed above. The dispenser  10  is positioned on the chasis  90  upstream of a Label Tamp  92  having vacuum chuck  52  that picks up each peeled label  48  as it separates from the web  16 . Vacuum chuck  52  then applies the label  48 A to advancing article  53 , as shown. The dispenser  10  supports the motor  26  gap detector  66 , antenna  72 , and reject solenoid  36  as shown.  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  illustrates a flow chart  100  for operation of the controller illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The present invention is operable in a variety of modes, including an electronic product code (EPC) Apply Only mode  102 ; an EPC Verify Mode  104 ; and an EPC Encode and Verify Mode  106 . In the Tamp Only Mode  102 , the label is simply applied to the advancing article without checking the operability of the RFID label. In the Verify mode  104 , the RFID label is applied to the advancing article in accordance with the operability of the RFID, or it is rejected if inoperable. In the Encode and Verify mode  106 , the RFID label is first encoded with data specific to the product and is thereafter tested to verify operability before application to the advancing article.  
         [0035]     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , an enable signal  110  initiates operation of the device. Mode selection occurs at  102 . In the exemplary illustration, mode selection is to Verify Mode  104 . The verification sequence includes initiating a Read Tag operation at  114 , whereupon a signature is produced to activate the RFID. If the appropriate verification response is received, a Good Tag Present output is produced at  116 . The Good Tag Present output causes the drive to advance one label at high speed to the application location, whereupon the label peels from the web at block  118 .  
         [0036]     It should be understood that in an exemplary embodiment, the peeler  30  defaults to the peel position  40 . If the Read Tag signal  114  does not result in an appropriate response, the Bad Read block  120  produces an output which initiates a selected number of attempts at Retry block  122  to verify the operability of the tag. If after the selected number of attempts, a Bad Read signal presists, Retry  122  expires and Reject Tag Present is set at  124 . The drive moves the web forward at high speed through one label position at  126 . If the reject is indicated, the controller is activiated to cause the reject solenoid  36  to rotate the peeler  30  to the reject position  42 , to thereby allow the RFID to remain on the web  16 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 10  illustrates the Encode and Verify mode  106  in detail. In this arrangement, the tag is read at Read Tag  128 . If a Good Read  130  output is produced, write EPC Data is initated at block  132 . Thereafter, the tag is read again  134  to verify that the data written on the tag is correct. If the data is correct, a Good Tag present output is set block at  136  and the controller sees a Good Tag present signal. This signal advances the web at  138  by one label that reset the module. If verification does not result in a good signal, Read Tag Block  133  produces an output. After a number of retrys at  140 , Retry Expires at  142 . The output of the Retry Expires  142  causes the controller to set Reject Tag present Block  144  peeler to retract and thereby reject the label at  146 . In the arrangement, if the initial Read Tag step at  128  results in a Bad Read at  148 , including a selected number of retrys at  150 , the Reject Tag block  144  is set as well.  
         [0038]      FIG. 11  illustrates a Timing sequence for the system verify mode  104 . A Good Tag Sequence  160  is illustrated. The enable signal causes the initiation of a Good Tag Present signal the end of which a reset pulse is initiated. If the tag is good, the Reject Rotate is inhibited and the peeler remains at the peel position. Likewise, in the Reject Tag sequence  162 , any failure of the enabler sequence to detect a verification signal causes the tag reject signal to initiate operation of the reject solenoid. Feedback is provided to allow the controller to detect the position of the reject solenoid.  
         [0039]     While there has been described what a present is considered to be the exemplary embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.