Abstract:
An apparatus for handling information carriers has at least one longitudinally movable striplike belt which holds information carriers detachably and successively, and at least one device for detaching at least some information carriers from the belt, removing selected information carriers from the detached information carriers, and transferring other information carriers from the detached information carriers back onto the belt for being transported onwards.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
   The invention described and claimed hereinbelow is also described in European Patent Application 05025313.7 filed on Nov. 19, 2005. This German Patent Application, whose subject matter is incorporated here by reference, provides the basis for a claim of priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to an apparatus for handling information carriers. 
   Such information carriers involve for instance RFID labels, that is, substrates provided with an adhesive side on the back, which are equipped with integrated circuits that have contacts, or instead with integrated circuits that are contactless and provided with antennas, and which are detachably held and transported with the adhesive side on a striplike belt. In handling such information carriers, the problem arises for instance of removing information carriers from the belt that have been found nonfunctional, for instance, and separating them out. This must be done by machine as continuously as possible and at high speed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for handling information carriers, which is a further improvement of the existing apparatuses. 
   More particularly it is an object of the present invention to create an apparatus for handling information carriers of the type defined at the outset which makes it possible for selected information carriers, especially those found nonfunctional, during belt travel which is done continuously and at high speed, to be removed reliably and quickly from the belt, without damage to the belt and the information carriers and without having to interrupt the continuous travel. 
   In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in an apparatus for handling information carriers, comprising at least one longitudinally movable striplike belt which holds information carriers detachably and successively; and at least one device for detaching at least some information carriers from said belt, removing selected information carriers from the detached information carriers, and transferring other information carriers from the detached information carriers back onto said belt for being transported onwards. 
   The design according to the invention of the apparatus makes it possible, during continuous travel of the belt provided with information carriers and at a high travel speed, to sort out information carriers found to be nonfunctional and remove them quickly and reliably, without damage to the belt, which might be so extensive as to tear it apart. 
   The apparatus is simple and functionally reliable, and among other things it also creates the prerequisites for pressing those information carriers that need not be sorted out but that have initially been detached from the belt, at least in part with some surface regions or even entirely, to be pressed back against the belt and thus for the adhesive holding to be restored. 
   The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic side view, partly in section, of an apparatus for handling information carriers in a first exemplary embodiment and in one phase of operation; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view, partly in section, of the apparatus in  FIG. 1 , in a second phase of operation; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic side view, partly in section, approximately corresponding to that of  FIG. 1 , of an apparatus for handling information carriers, in a second exemplary embodiment; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic side view, partly cut away, of a part of an apparatus for handling information carriers, in a third exemplary embodiment; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic side view of the part of the apparatus in the direction of the arrow V in  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first exemplary embodiment of an apparatus  10  is shown which is embodied for handling information carriers  11  that are transported in succession, for example with spacings between them, on at least one longitudinally moved striplike belt  12 . These information carriers  11  are for instance RFID labels, such as labels, tickets or the like, especially those that are embodied as substrates with integrated circuits. The integrated circuits may typically have contacts, or they are contactless and provided with antennas, so that a contactless exchange of information with these information carriers  11  is possible. Each substrate, bearing an integrated circuit, of the information carrier  11  has an adhesive side  13  on the back and is held detachably by it on the top side  14  of the belt  12 , for instance by adhesive bonding. 
   In these information carriers  11  transported by means of the belt  12 , the problem exists of separating those information carriers  11  from the belt  12  that have been found, on the basis of a test performed, to be defective and in particular nonfunctional, and removing them. There is a need for this to be done, during continuous high-speed travel of the belt  12  with information carriers  11  on it, in such a way that the belt is not damaged and in particular does not tear. 
   These demands are met to a high degree by the apparatus  10  according to the invention, and with a simple and functionally reliable design. The apparatus  10  is characterized according to the invention by at least one device  20  by means of which at least some selected information carriers  11  are at least partly or entirely detachable from the belt  12 , which is moved progressively continuously in the direction of the arrow  15 , or in other words from left to right in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . By means of the device  20 , of these information carriers  11  that have been entirely or partly detached, selective information carriers, as illustrated taking the example of the information carrier  11   a  in  FIG. 2 , in particular information carriers  11   a  found to be nonfunctional, are removable, while the other information carriers  11  that have been at least partly or entirely detached can be transferred back onto the belt  12  so as to be transported onward in the direction of the arrow  15 . 
   The device  20  has a deflector  21 , which deflects the belt out of its level and course and then, at a spacing from this that is adjustable and under some circumstances can be very slight returns it to its level again. This process is shown clearly in  FIG. 1  for the information carrier marked  11   b  there, which as a result of a deflection of the belt  12  is already detached from the top side  14  of the belt  12  because of the belt deflection by a front portion in terms of the travel direction of the belt  12  and in this portion is exposed with its adhesive side  13  on the underside and no longer has any connection with the belt  12 . 
   The deflector  21  has a deflection member  22 , which in the first exemplary embodiment is formed of a slide body  23  and conversely in the second exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 3  is formed of a roller body  33 , in particular in the form of a deflection roller. The deflection member  22  in the first exemplary embodiment, in the form of the slide body  23  there, is formed for example of a deflection edge  24 , such as a rib edge or knife edge. The slide body  23  that is for example in the form of a strut or a knife extends relative to the plane of the belt  12  at an angle α to it, and this angle may for instance be approximately 45°. 
   The deflector  21  also, viewed along the deflected belt course, at a spacing from the deflection member  22  has at least a first deflection body  25 , which in particular is embodied as a deflection roller. This first deflection body  25  is placed relative to the deflection member  22  and the belt course such that by means of the deflection member  22 , the belt  12  can be deflected out of the belt level and belt course at the deflection edge  24  by such a sufficient angle, which here is about 90°, that as a consequence of this belt deflection, the belt  12 , in the region of the deflection edge  24 , distances itself from the individual information carriers  11 , as shown for information carrier  11   b  in  FIG. 1 . This causes detachment of the information carriers  11   b , whereupon the information carriers  11 , such as the information carrier  11   b , stay at least substantially at the belt level. 
   The detached information carriers  11  accordingly do not go along with the deflection of the belt  12 , which after all is performed precisely in order to bring about a detachment of the individual information carriers  11 , with the adhesive side  13  on the underside, from the top side  14  of the belt  12  in an automatic way. This detachment is shown in  FIG. 1  for the information carrier  11   b , specifically its front portion, which is detached from the belt  12  but stays essentially at the belt level. 
   The spacing between the deflection member  22  and the first deflection body  25 , in particular the deflection roller, is variable and adjustable. For this purpose, the first deflection body  25  is adjustable in terms of its spacing from the deflection member  22 , which is indicated by the arrow  26  and by an adjusting device  27 , for instance in the form of an adjusting cylinder. 
   The deflector  21  has a second deflection body  28 , which is for instance also embodied as a deflection roller, and which is adjacent to the deflection member  22  and returns the belt  12  to its level and course. The second deflection body  28  can be adjustable together with the belt  12  out of the belt level and belt course, particularly in a direction that is facing away from the first deflection body  25 , or in other words upward in terms of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Because of the disposition of the second deflection body  28 , the belt  12  as thus again extends at its original level a result of deflection. As a result, it is attained that the particular information carrier  11   b  that was detached from the top side  14  of the belt  12  by deflection of the belt  12  by means of the deflection member  22  then again, because of the forward travel by the belt  12  then again, with the adhesive side  13  on its underside, reaches the belt  12  that has been deflected by the second deflection body  28  and returned to its level, and the adhesive bond is restored by means of the adhesive side  13 . 
   Thus after detachment from the belt  12  the information carrier  11   b  that is not selected, and that in particular is found to be nonfunctional, arrives again, by deflection of the belt, with its adhesive side  13  on the top side  14  of the belt  12  and adheres to it again by adhesive action. It has merely changed places on the belt  12 . The change in place can be adjusted by adjusting of the first deflection body  25  in the direction of the arrow  26 . 
   Conversely, if an information carrier  11   a  ( FIG. 2 ) is selected as one to be removed from the belt  12  and rejected, for example for being nonfunctional, then this information carrier  11   a  that is to be separated out, unlike the information carrier  11   b , is removed so that it does not return to the top side  14  of the belt  12  and enter into an adhesive bond with it. For that purpose, the device  20  has a removal device  40 , for removing individual information carriers  11   a  that have been removed from the belt  12 . 
   The removal device  40  is designed such that by means of it, at least information carriers  11   a , or those selected without exception and in particular those found nonfunctional, from which the belt  12  has distanced itself because of belt deflection, are picked up and carried out of the region of the belt  12 . The removal device  40  has a suction and/or pressure device  41  for subjecting the information carriers  11  to suction/pressure and carrying defective information carriers  11 , for instance, away. This suction and/or pressure device  41  has at least one drum  42 , which is continuously or intermittently drivable to rotate about an axis  43  by means of a drive mechanism, not further shown, in a direction of rotation indicated by the arrow  44 . The drum  42  is adjacent to the belt  12 , specifically in such a way that a circumferential portion is located approximately in the region of the deflection member  22 , or between the deflection member  22  and the second deflection body  28 . 
   The direction of rotation of the driven drum  42  indicated by arrow  44  corresponds to the belt travel direction indicated by arrow  15 , or in other words is counterclockwise. The drum  42  can preferably be driven at an rpm that matches the travel speed of the belt  12 . On its circumferential surface, the drum  42  has openings  45 , which communicate with respective chambers  46 . The chambers  46  are in turn subjected, from a source not further shown, to gas, in particular air, and this medium, as needed, is at underpressure for imposing suction or at overpressure for imposing pressure. As a result, it can be attained that via the drum  42  and its openings  45 , by means of subjection to gas, in particular air, it is possible to subject individual information carriers  11  to suction and/or pressure. 
   By subjecting at least one chamber  46  and at least one opening  45  communicating with it to underpressure in the corresponding circumferential region of the drum  42 , an information carrier  11   a  which has been found defective and is thus to be removed and which because of the deflection of the belt  12  is detached with its adhesive side  13 , at least in a front region, from the belt  12  is picked up by suction action by the drum  42  and removed from the region of the belt  12 . This is shown clearly in  FIG. 2  for one such information carrier  11   a.    
   In the first exemplary embodiment, the drum  42  has a nondeformable circumference, with openings  45  distributed on it in the circumferential direction. The drum  42  may be embodied solely for subjecting individual information carriers  11   a  to suction and aspirating them. In that case, this removal device  40 , in particular the drum  42 , will for example be activated and supplied with underpressure only whenever a signal for removal by suction of an information carrier  11   a  found to be defective is furnished by a test device, and on the basis of that at least those chambers  46  and openings  45  communicating with them that are located in the region of the information carrier  11   a , already separated from the belt  12  by its front portion, and to be removed by suction are subjected to underpressure. 
   That is, if the information carrier  11   b  in  FIG. 1  has been found to be in need of removal, then the lower region of the drum  42 , with chambers  46  and openings  45  located there, is subjected to underpressure for removing the information carrier  11   b  by suction, at least in its front portion that is free of the belt  12 . By further rotation of the drum  42  in the direction of the arrow  44 , as the information carrier  11   b  is progressively detached further from the belt  12 , the region of the information carrier  11   b  that follows the front portion is then also picked up by suction by the drum  42  and removed from the region of the belt  12 . This is shown in  FIG. 2  for one such information carrier  11   a.    
   In the first exemplary embodiment, the drum  52  has a nondeformable circumference, with openings  45  distributed in the circumferential direction. The drum  42  may be embodied merely for subjecting individual information carriers  11   a  to suction and aspirating them. In that case, this removal device, especially the drum  42 , is activated and subjected to underpressure for example only whenever a testing device furnishes a signal accordingly that an information carrier  11   a  found to be damaged should be removed by suction. On the basis of this, at least those chambers  46  and openings  45  communicating with them and located in the region of the information carrier  11   a  that has already been separated by its from portion from the belt  12  are subjected to underpressure. 
   For instance, if the information carrier  11   b  in  FIG. 1  has been found to require removal, then the lower region of the drum  42  with the chambers  46  and openings  45  there is subjected to underpressure, for removing the information carrier  11   b , initially by its front portion that is free of the belt  12 . By further rotation of the drum  42  in the direction of the arrow  44 , with further progressive detachment of the information carrier  11   b  from the belt  12 , the region of the information carrier  11   b  that follows the front portion is them also picked up by suction by the drum  42 , resulting in the situation shown in  FIG. 2  for the information carrier  11   a  shown there. 
   The removal device  40  in this form also makes it possible for information carriers  11 , detached one after the other from the belt  12 , each to be aspirated by subjection to underpressure at the circumference of the drum  42  and initially moved out of the region of the belt  12  so that then, upon further revolution of the drum  42 , by suitable triggering of individual openings  45  and chambers  46  communicating with them, information carriers  11   a  found for instance to be defective can be blown off by overpressure in the direction of a collection point. Other information carriers  11  adhering by suction to the circumference of the drum  42 , are transferred back onto the belt  12 , as the drum revolves and as they reach the belt, for instance by means of subjection to overpressure through the openings  45  and chambers  46 . With this transfer, the subjection of pressure can have a further reinforcing effect, such that as a result, the particular information carrier  11  is pressed with its adhesive side  13  on the underside against the top side  14  of the belt  12 . 
   The removal device  40 , even if it is embodied only for subjecting defective information carriers  11   a  to suction and aspirating them, can also be used in such a way that those information carriers  11   b  which have initially been detached by their surface regions, such as their front portion, from the belt  12  but are not to be removed, like those that have been found defective, and instead are meant to stay at the level of the belt  12  and be transferred back onto the belt  12 , if at all possible without changing places, for being carried onward can be pressed against the belt  12  by means of the drum  42 . 
   By exertion of pressure on the openings  45  of the region of the drum that is located at the level of what in  FIG. 1  is the exposed, front surface region of the information carrier  11   b , the latter can, on being transported onward, thus be pressed with its adhesive side  13  against the top side  14  of the belt  12 . It stays at the belt level. Any change in its place on the belt  12  can be avoided here. The device  20 , in particular the removal device  40 , thus opens up this possibility as well as needed. 
   A receiving device  50 , schematically indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is associated with the removal device  40 , in particular the drum  42 , and those information carriers  11   a  ( FIG. 2 ) that have been picked up, in particular aspirated, by the removal device  40  are transferred to it. This receiving device  50  has a cylinder  51 , for instance comprising paper, cardboard, or the like, which is retained by means of a mount  52  and is pressed on its circumference against the circumference of the drum  42 . The cylinder  51 , viewed in the direction of the arrow  44 , is located at the circumferential spacing of the circumferential region of the drum  42  located adjacent to the deflector  21 , for instance, at the spacing of a circumferential angle of approximately 90°. 
   As the drum  42  revolves, the information carrier  11   a  adhering to it and transported away by it is transferred to the cylinder  51 , and the information carrier  11   a  adheres by adhesive bonding, with its adhesive side  13  on the back, to the circumferential surface of the cylinder  51 . The cylinder  51  is pressed against the circumferential surface of the drum  42 , and as the number of information carriers  11   a  adhering to the cylinder  51  increases, the circumference of the cylinder grows. Once the cylinder  51  has reached a certain diameter, it can be removed and replaced with a new one. 
   By removal of selected information carriers  11   a  from the belt  12 , in particular those found to be nonfunctional, gaps are created on the belt. These gaps can later be filled by functional information carriers  11  additionally applied to it, resulting then in a belt  12  with successive functional information carriers  11 . 
   In the second exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the same reference numerals are used for those elements that correspond to the first exemplary embodiment, and so for them, reference is made to the description of the first exemplary embodiment. The second exemplary embodiment differs from the first solely in that as the deflection member  22 , instead of a slide body  23 , a roller body  33 , for instance in the form of a deflection roller, is provided. 
   In the third exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , for the same reasons, the same reference numerals as in  FIGS. 1 through 3  are likewise used for identical elements. 
   The drum  42  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  has a perforated flexible covering, such as a membrane over at least a circumferential portion or, as shown here, over its entire circumference. In this exemplary embodiment, the drum  42  is embodied as needed for both subjection to underpressure and aspiration of any information carriers  11  that are to be removed and for subjection to overpressure and pressing of those information carriers  11  that have detached from the belt  12  but are not to be removed but are instead to be pressed back onto the belt  12  against the belt  12  by means of the flexible covering  57 . Here, the drum  42  is embodied as a ring  58  that is driven to revolve and is retained and guided on a fixed supporting part  59 . This supporting part  59  has a cylindrical circumferential surface  60  and in it circumferential conduits, for instance two circumferential conduits  61  and  62  ( FIG. 4 ), with which the chambers  46  of the ring  58  are in communication via conduits  63 . 
   The conduits  63  are each open to the respective circumferential conduit  61  and  62 . Via the circumferential conduits  61 ,  62 , conduits  63  and chambers  46 , the flexible covering  57  can be subjected to underpressure for removal by suction through the openings  45  and/or to overpressure to cause the flexible covering  57  to bulge at least slightly. For this purpose the circumferential conduits  61 ,  62  are in communication, or it can be brought into communication as needed, with a source of underpressure or overpressure, not further shown. 
   The arrangement may be made such that a circumferential conduit, for instance the circumferential conduit  61 , which extends over the greatest proportion of the circumference of the supporting part  59 , for instance over approximately 90° of the circumference, is subjected only to underpressure for aspirating various information carriers  11 . Another circumferential conduit, such as the circumferential conduit  62 , can then extend over the remainder of that proportion of the circumference of the supporting part  59  and can be selectively subjected to underpressure for aspirating various information carriers  11  or to overpressure for pressing various information carriers  11  against the belt  12  through the covering  57 . 
   In this embodiment of the removal device  40  as well, a mode of operation is possible in which all the information carriers  11  are removed by suction one after the other. Those information carriers  11  that are good or in other words functional can then, as the drum  42  revolves and as they reach the belt  12  again, be transferred from the drum  42  again by subjection to overpressure and transferred to the belt  12  by contact pressure. 
   The transfer of information carriers  11  to the belt  12  can also be accomplished or at least reinforced by providing that the second deflection body  28  in  FIGS. 1 through 3  is moved, together with the belt  12  guided above it, upward in the direction of the drum  42 , and as a result the belt  12  is pressed against the circumference of the drum. 
   The removal device  40  of  FIGS. 4 and 5  can also be driven in such a way that the large circumferential conduit  61  is subjected to underpressure, so that as the drum  42  in the form of the ring  58  revolves, its chambers  46  each coming into communication with this circumferential conduit  51 , and as a result the openings  45  in the flexible covering  57  that are located there, are subjected only to underpressure, for aspirating defective information carriers  11   a , for example. The other, smaller circumferential conduit  62 , conversely, can be subjected to underpressure or overpressure selectively; in the case of underpressure, aspiration of information carriers is done, while in the case of overpressure, information carriers can be pressed against the belt  12  as a result of the flexibility of the covering  57  and its being caused to bulge out. 
   It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
   While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for handling information carriers, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
   Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 
   What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.