Selective tag applicator

Abstract

A tagging apparatus configured to selectively tag articles on a conveyor, such as hooked members by activating an automated tag injector to apply a tag to a selected article or hooked member. The automated tag injector has a linear slide moveably mounted inside, and a motor and a separating mechanism both coupled to the linear slide. The linear slide is driven by the motor. The movement of the linear slide activates the separating mechanism to separate a foremost tag from a remainder of tags. The linear slide applies the tag to an object. When the tags are connected to one another in a roll, the automated tag injector, mounted adjacent to a conveyor, can be configured to separate the tag from the roll, and apply the separated tag to a hooked member on the conveyor while the hooked member is moving on the conveyor along the conveyor path. A computer system in conjunction with a counting device, such as a photo sensor and reflector, when connected to the automated tag injector, creates an automated tagging system by activating the automated tag injector after determining a location of the slot holding a selected hooked member, the speed of the conveyor, and the speed of the automated tag injector. The automated tagging system can be used to create an automated sorting system. In the automated sorting system, the automated tag injector may tag either the first or last article belonging to each distinct group of articles before unsorted articles on a conveyor are removed and sorted into different groups. The tagged articles visually separate each distinct group from the other adjacent groups after all the articles have been sorted into the different groups and the groups are placed next to one another.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An automated tagging apparatus comprising: 
 a linear slide configured to receive a plurality of tags;    a motor coupled with the linear slide to drive a movement of the linear slide; and    a separating mechanism coupled to the linear slide, the movement of the linear slide activating the separating mechanism to separate one tag from the plurality of tags.    
     
     
         2 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the linear slide moves towards an object adjacent to the slide, and the linear slide applies the separated tag to the object.  
     
     
         3 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the motor includes a crankshaft coupled to the linear slide via a connecting rod, a revolution of the crankshaft moving the connecting rod and driving the linear slide at least one of towards and away from the object.  
     
     
         3 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the motor includes a clutch connected to the crankshaft to drive the revolution of the crankshaft.  
     
     
         4 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the clutch is a single-revolution clutch.  
     
     
         5 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the clutch is selectively connected to a clutch power supply via a selectively closing clutch relay, the clutch driving the revolution of the crankshaft by closing the clutch relay, connecting the clutch to the clutch power supply and energizing the clutch with the power from the clutch power supply.  
     
     
         6 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a computer system connected to the clutch relay, the computer system being configured to control activation the automated tagging apparatus by controlling the closing of the clutch relay.  
     
     
         7 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the computer system is configured to control the closing of the clutch relay by having a capability of transmitting a trigger signal to close the clutch relay.  
     
     
         8 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a computer system connected to the motor and configured to control the actuation of the motor.  
     
     
         9 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tags is a roll of connected tags, an end of the roll of connected tags being threaded through the linear slide.  
     
     
         10 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a side edge of the roll has notches.  
     
     
         11 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a slide pawl connected to the linear slide, the slide pawl engaging a notch on the roll and coupling the end of the roll with the linear slide to advance the end of the roll towards the object when the linear slide moves towards the object.  
     
     
         12 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the automated tagging apparatus reloads when the linear slide moves away from the object.  
     
     
         13 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a stationary pawl to reload the automated tagging apparatus, the stationary pawl engaging a notch on the roll to maintain a position of the end of the roll relative to the object when the linear slide moves away from the object.  
     
     
         14 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the separating mechanism is a cutting mechanism separating a foremost tag at the end of the roll from a remainder of the roll.  
     
     
         15 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the cutting mechanism includes a cutting edge.  
     
     
         16 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the cutting mechanism includes at least one cutting pin, the at least one cutting pin separating the foremost tag by being pushed against at least one tab where the foremost tag is attached to the remainder of the roll, and breaking the at least one tab.  
     
     
         17 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one cutting pin engages an edge of the at least one broken tab to retain the foremost tag in the linear slide until the linear slide applies the foremost tag to the object.  
     
     
         18 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the cutting mechanism includes a cutting cam configured to push the at least one cutting pin against the at least one tab, the cutting cam being connected to the linear slide, the at least one cutting pin being mounted to the cutting cam.  
     
     
         19 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the cutting mechanism includes a cam roller configured to interact with the cutting cam, the cutting cam engaging the cam roller at an end of the movement of linear slide and the cutting cam towards the object, the engaged cam roller squeezing the cutting cam towards the at least one tab, the squeezed cutting cam pushing the at least one cutting pin against the at least one tab.  
     
     
         20 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the squeezed cutting cam engages the at least one cutting pin with an edge on the broken at least one tab to retain the foremost tag in the linear slide until the linear slide applies the foremost tag to the object.  
     
     
         21 . The automated tagging apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the tag has a narrow opening at one end connecting with an inner aperture, the tag encircling a part of the object and becoming secured to the object when applied to the object.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for identifying a location on a conveyor, the conveyor including a plurality of slots configured to transport articles suspended therefrom along a conveyor path, each of the plurality of slots having a window, the apparatus comprising; 
 a computer system;    a photo sensor connected to the computer system and mounted adjacent to a position on the conveyer path; and    a reflector mounted adjacent to the position, the reflector and photo sensor mounted to face opposite sides of a portion of the conveyor at the position; 
 wherein a beam of light transmitted by the photo sensor is reflected back to the photo sensor when a slot on the conveyor moves past the position and the window in the slot exposes the photo sensor to the reflector;  
 wherein the photo sensor transmits a signal to the computer system for each reflected beam of light sensed by the photo sensor, and  
 wherein the computer system identifies the location of a select slot with respect to a remainder of the plurality of slots as a function of the number of signals received from the photo sensor.  
   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the computer system determines a speed of conveyor by measuring a passage of time between each transmitted signal.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the conveyor includes a reference slot having a reference window larger than the windows in the plurality of slots to reset a counter in the computer system, a movement of the reference slot and window past the position resulting in the photo sensor sensing a longer duration of a reflected beam of light and transmitting a signal to the computer system for a longer duration than for the passage of the plurality of slots.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising a hanger photo sensor mounted adjacent to the position, the hanger photo sensor being configured to determine a presence of a hooked member in a slot at the position and transmit a hanger signal to the computer system when it determines a presence for a hooked member in the slot at the position by sensing a reflected beam of light.  
     
     
         26 . An apparatus for selectively tagging articles while the articles are being transported by a conveyer along a conveyor path, the apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of connected tags; and    an automated tag injector mounted adjacent to the conveyor path, the automated tag injector retaining an end of the roll and being configured to separate a foremost tag at the end of the roll and tag a selected article on the conveyor with the separated tag.    
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the articles are hooked members, each hooked member having a hooked portion with a free end, a neck and a body for supporting a garment thereon.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the automated tag injector includes a linear slide moveably mounted therein, the end of the roll being threaded through the linear slide, and the linear slide tagging a selected hooked member by moving towards the selected hooked member and the conveyor and applying the separated tag to the neck of the selected hooked member.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein each tag has a narrow opening at one end connecting with an inner aperture, the separated tag encircling the neck of the selected hooked member and becoming secured to the selected hooked member when applied thereto.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the automated tag injector includes a cutting mechanism coupled with the linear slide to separate the foremost tag, the cutting mechanism activated by the movement of the linear slide towards the selected hooked member and the conveyor.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the automated tag injector included a motor coupled with the linear slide, wherein actuation of the motor drives the movement of the linear slide.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , further comprising a computer system connected to the motor and configured to control the automated tag injector by controlling actuation of the motor.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the computer system is configured to determine when to activate the automated tag injector to tag the selected hooked member as a function of a speed of the automated tag injector, a presence and a location of the selected hooked member, and a speed of the conveyor.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , further comprising a photo sensor and reflector connected to the computer system and mounted on opposite sides of the conveyor adjacent to the position along the conveyor path to detect the location of the selected hooked member and the speed of the conveyor for the computer system.  
     
     
         35 . A method of selecting tagging hooked members on a conveyor, the method comprising the step of: 
 selecting a hooked member to be tagged; and    tagging the selected hooked member while the selected hooked member is moving with the conveyor along a conveyor path.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of selecting a hooked member includes the step of using a computer system to select the hooked member to be tagged.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of using a computer system to select the hooked member includes the step of referencing a database, the database correlating identification information of each respective article with a location of the respective article on the conveyor.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the step of receiving identification and location information for each article as the article is loaded at a location on the conveyor.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of storing the identification information and location information in the database.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of tagging the selected hooked member includes the step of activating an automated tag injector to tag the selected hooked member.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of activating the automated tag injector includes the step of determining when to activate the automated tag injector.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of determining when to activate the automated tag injector includes the step of locating a position of the selected hooked member.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the step of locating the position includes the step of identifying a location of a selected slot from which the selected hooked member is suspended.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the step of identifying a location of the selected slot includes the step of using a photo sensor to count a number of slots which pass the photo sensor after a reference slot passes the photo sensor to signify a start of a loop around the conveyor.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of determining when to activate the automated tag injector includes the step of measuring a speed of the conveyor.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of determining when to activate the automated tag injector includes the step of measuring a speed of the automated tag injector.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of determining when to activate the automated tag injector includes the step of using a computer system to determine when to activate the automated tag injector.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of tagging the selected hooked member includes the step of advancing an end of a roll of connected tags towards the conveyor.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising the step of threading the end of the roll through a linear slide in an automated tag injector.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the step of advancing the end of the roll includes the step of moving the linear slide towards the conveyor to move the end of the roll towards the conveyor.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the step of moving the linear slide includes the step of actuating a motor coupled to the linear slide to drive the movement of the linear slide.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the step of actuating the motor includes the step of receiving a trigger signal from a computer system to actuate the motor.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of tagging the selected hooked member includes the step of separating a foremost tag at an end of a roll of connected tags.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the step of tagging the selected hooked member includes the step of applying the foremost tag to the selected hooked member.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the step of tagging the selected hooked member includes the step of applying the separated foremost tag to the selected hooked member.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the step of separating the foremost tag includes the step of activating a cutting mechanism to separate the foremost tag.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the step of activating the cutting mechanism includes the step of moving the end of the roll towards the conveyor to activate the cutting mechanism.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the step of applying the separated foremost tag includes the step of moving the separated foremost tag towards the selected hooked member.  
     
     
         59 . A method for visually separating at least one group of articles in a plurality of groups of articles from a remainder of the plurality of groups of articles adjacent to the at least one group, the method comprising the steps of: 
 tagging at least one of a first article and a last article belonging to the at least one group amongst a plurality of unsorted articles being transported by a conveyor along a conveyor path, each unsorted article belonging to a group; and    after the tagging step, sorting the plurality of unsorted articles into the plurality of groups.    
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising the step of determining a location for each of the at least one of the first article and the last article on the conveyor.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the step of determining the location includes the step of using a computer system to determine the location for each of the at least one of the first article and the last article.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the step of tagging the at least one of the first article and the last article includes the step of using the computer system to activate an automated tag injector to tag the at least one of the first article and the last article.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the step of using the computer system to determine the location includes the step of referencing a database correlating group identification information for each article with a position of the article on the conveyor.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising the step of receiving the group identification information and position information for each article as the article is loaded at a respective position on the conveyor.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising the step of storing the group identification information and the position information for each article in the database.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the step of sorting the plurality of unsorted articles includes the step of referencing the database to determine the position of each article on the conveyor belonging to the at least one group.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the step of sorting the plurality of unsorted articles includes the step of moving the articles belong to the at least one group from the conveyor to a rail.