JP2000343765A - Apparatus and method for printing on cylindrical vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To position a cylindrical vessel without adjusting irrespective of a wrapping pattern or a color tone of the cylindrical vessel, to raise the printing accuracy and to improve the productivity. SOLUTION: A positioning means 2 for rotatably supporting and positioning a cylindrical vessel body W is provided in a transporting passage 1 of the cylindrical vessel body W. At least one image receiving device for imaging a discriminating symbol such as a rod like color mark indicated on a surface of the cylindrical vessel body W is provided above the cylindrical vessel body W which is stopped by the positioning means 2. A robot 6 that prints a discrimination symbol on the surface of the cylindrical vessel body W in at least one direction of the longitudinal direction and the circumference direction by moving a nozzle head 5 attached to a robot hand 4 in the directions of X, Y, and Z axes by means of a control device in accordance with the image signal from the image receiving device is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for printing a cylindrical container, and more particularly, to a method for printing a cylindrical cartridge packed with contents such as a sealing agent and an adhesive. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for printing a cylindrical container for printing an identification symbol in at least one of a direction and a circumferential direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a serial number, a lot number, and a product name are printed on the surface of a cylindrical cartridge packaging form (cylindrical container) filled with contents such as a sealing agent and an adhesive, the cylindrical cartridge is printed. After positioning, a method of printing by moving a head such as an ink jet by a robot (longitudinal printing) is performed. When printing in the circumferential direction, a positioning mark is detected during rotation of the cylindrical cartridge, and the ink jet is printed. Is turned on to perform printing.

[0003]

By the way, in recent years, O
There are many types of packaging patterns and colors, such as EM supply, and it is difficult to detect the color mark printed on the surface of the cylindrical cartridge in advance under the same conditions. Especially when the colors are different, it is necessary to adjust the sensitivity each time. There was a problem.

In the conventional printing apparatus, one cylindrical cartridge is required for one ink jet head, and in order to further increase the production capacity, it is necessary to increase the number of each cartridge to a plurality. Similarly, a plurality of positioning marks are detected, and there is a problem that further adjustment is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to perform positioning without adjustment regardless of the packaging pattern and hue of a cylindrical container body, to improve printing accuracy, and to improve productivity. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for printing on a cylindrical container, in which a plurality of printings can be performed in the same cycle.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for printing on a cylindrical container according to the present invention. A method of printing an identification symbol at a predetermined position in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a circumferential direction of the cylindrical container body, wherein the surface of the cylindrical container body stopped at a printing position is displayed on the cylindrical container body in advance. The discrimination symbol is imaged by at least one or more receivers, and based on a video signal from the receiver, the movement of the robot hand equipped with the print head is controlled via the control device to control the movement of the surface of the cylindrical container body. The gist of the invention is to print an identification symbol in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction.

[0007] The printing apparatus for a cylindrical container according to the present invention includes:
Positioning means for rotatably supporting and positioning the cylindrical container main body is installed on the transport path of the cylindrical container main body, and is displayed on the surface of the cylindrical container main body in advance on the cylindrical container main body stopped by the positioning means. At least one or more receivers that image the discrimination symbols that have been picked up, and, based on the video signal from this receiver, rotate the print head attached to the robot hand via the control device around the print head center, and The gist is that a robot that moves in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions and prints an identification symbol on at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction of the surface of the cylindrical container body is installed.

According to the present invention, at least one discriminating symbol is displayed on the surface of the cylindrical container body stopped at the printing position by the at least one receiver. On the basis of the video signal from the receiver, the identification symbol is printed on at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction of the surface of the cylindrical container body while controlling the movement of the robot hand having the print head via the control device. Thereby, regardless of the packaging pattern and hue of the cylindrical container body, positioning can be performed without adjustment, printing accuracy can be improved, and productivity can be improved. It can be done in a cycle.

In the case where an identification symbol is printed on at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction of a plurality of cylindrical container bodies while controlling the movement of a robot hand based on a video signal from a receiver, a plurality of cylindrical containers are printed. When printing in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical container body, a plurality of print heads are performed in parallel, and when printing in the longitudinal direction, a plurality of print heads are simultaneously printed.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a printing apparatus for a cylindrical container embodying the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1. In the transport path 1 of the cylindrical container body W, the cylindrical container body W is rotated. Positioning means 2 for freely supporting and positioning is provided.

On the cylindrical container body W stopped by the positioning means 2, at least one image pickup device (not shown) such as a bar-shaped color mark or the like which is displayed in advance on the surface of the cylindrical container body W is taken. The above receiver 3 (for example, CCD
A camera or the like is installed, and based on a video signal from the receiver 3, the robot hand 4 is controlled via a control device (not shown).
Is moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and an identification symbol (not shown) (not shown) is provided on at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction of the surface of the cylindrical container body W. A robot 6 for printing numbers, lot numbers, product names, etc.) is provided.

In this embodiment, the positioning means 2 is installed horizontally in two sets, and a pair of rotating rollers 7a, 2 rotatably supporting the cylindrical container body W in a state of being installed horizontally.
7b and a rotary drive motor M for rotating or stopping the rotary rollers 7a and 7b.
After printing in the longitudinal direction or the circumferential direction of the surface of the cylindrical container main body positioned by the above, it is configured to be carried out to the next step.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the nozzle head 5 has a print head 8 rotatably mounted around the center of the print head, and is set at an arbitrary position according to the direction and size of the identification symbol. It is configured to be able to.

Next, a printing method for the cylindrical container will be described. When a cylindrical container body W such as a cylindrical cartridge filled with contents such as a sealing agent or an adhesive is conveyed while maintaining a constant pitch, and stopped at the position of the rotating rollers 7a and 7b of the positioning means 2, the cylindrical container An identification symbol (not shown) such as a bar or a line displayed on the surface of the container body W is imaged by the two front and rear receivers 3.

A video signal from the receiver 3 is input to a control device (not shown) and is subjected to arithmetic processing. Based on the control signal from the control device, the motion of the robot hand 4 having the nozzle head 5 is controlled. Meanwhile, the identification symbol is printed on at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction of the surface of the cylindrical container body W.

When printing is performed by the control device in the circumferential direction of the plurality of cylindrical container bodies W based on the video signal from the image receiver 3, the plurality of nozzle heads 5 are operated in parallel, and , It is also possible to print a plurality of lines at the same time.

As described above, the discrimination symbol displayed in advance on the cylindrical container main body W is imaged on at least one of the receivers 3 on the surface of the cylindrical container main body W stopped at the printing position. An identification symbol is printed on at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction of the surface of the cylindrical container body W while controlling the movement of the robot hand 4 having the nozzle head 5 via the control device based on the video signal from the machine 3. By doing so, regardless of the packaging pattern and hue of the cylindrical container body W, positioning can be performed without adjustment, printing accuracy can be improved, and productivity can be improved. Can be performed in the same cycle.

[0019]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it can be positioned without adjustment irrespective of the packaging pattern and hue of the cylindrical container body, and can improve printing accuracy and productivity. In addition, a plurality of printings can be simultaneously performed in the same cycle.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a cylindrical container printing apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a nozzle head.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the nozzle head.

[Explanation of symbols]

 W Cylindrical container body 1 Transport path 2 Positioning means 3 Image receiver (for example, CCD camera) 4 Robot hand 5 Nozzle head 6 Robot 7a, 7b Rotary roller 8 Print head M Rotary drive motor

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An identification symbol is printed at a predetermined position on the surface of a cylindrical container body which is filled with contents and conveyed while maintaining a constant pitch, in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a circumferential direction of the cylindrical container body. A method, on a surface of the cylindrical container body stopped at a printing position, an image of a discrimination symbol previously displayed on the cylindrical container body is captured by at least one or more receivers, and a video signal from the receiver is output. A method for printing an identification symbol on at least one of a longitudinal direction and a circumferential direction of a surface of a cylindrical container body while controlling the movement of a robot hand having a print head via a control device. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an identification symbol is printed on at least one of the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction of the plurality of cylindrical container bodies while controlling the movement of the robot hand based on a video signal from a receiver. The printing method of the cylindrical container described in the above. 3. When printing is performed in the circumferential direction of a plurality of cylindrical container bodies based on a video signal from the receiver, a plurality of printing heads are operated in parallel, and when printing is performed in a longitudinal direction, 3. The method for printing on a cylindrical container according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of lines are simultaneously printed. 4. A positioning means for rotatably supporting and positioning the cylindrical container main body is provided on a conveying path of the cylindrical container main body, and the cylindrical container main body is stopped on the cylindrical container main body stopped by the positioning means. At least one or more receivers that image the discrimination symbols displayed in advance on the surface of the robot, and a print head attached to the robot hand via a control device based on a video signal from the receiver. A cylindrical container having a robot that rotates as an axis and moves in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions and prints an identification symbol on at least one of a longitudinal direction and a circumferential direction of the surface of the cylindrical container body; Printing device.