Printer or other media processor with on-demand selective media converter and variable peeler

Abstract

On demand apparatus for use in a printer, printer module, stand-alone media converter, or other media processor comprises a print device and a converting system. The print device receives a series of labels, tickets, tags, cards or other media samples and responds to a set of form and content print instructions which direct the print device regarding what and where to print on selected media samples. The converting system includes an applicator which receives the series of media samples from the print device and a series of value-adding elements. The applicator responds to a set of application instructions which direct the applicator to apply a value-adding element to selected media samples. A corresponding method is disclosed.

1 . A method of selectively peeling or not peeling a succession of peelable web-carried transponders, comprising: 
 a. providing an adjustable peel member having a first position wherein it is effective to peel a transponder from the web and a second position wherein it is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web, when the web is moved relative to the peel member;    b. providing a web carrying a spaced series of peelable transponders which are responsive to electromagnetic wave energy;    c. moving said peel member from said first position to said second position in a first pattern of movement when it is desired not to peel a predetermined transponder from the web; and    d. while said peel member is being moved to said second position, moving said web across said peel member in a second pattern of movement different from said first pattern of movement.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first pattern of movement is substantially linear, and second pattern of movement is nonlinear.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said first pattern of movement is unidirectional and said second pattern of movement is bidirectional.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein when peel member is moved unidirectionally from said first position to said second position, said web is moved initially in the opposite direction and is then moved in the same direction as said peel member surface is moved, so as to fix the relative positions of said web and peel member during said adjustment of said peel member position.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said peel member has a peel edge and a convex body surface, and wherein said peel member is rotated between said first position in which said peel edge is effective to peel a transponder from the web and said second position wherein said convex body surface is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said peel member has a peel edge and a convex body surface, and wherein said peel member is rotated between said first position in which said peel edge is effective to peel a transponder from the web and said second position wherein said convex body surface is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said peeler is moved to the second position and stopped, after which the web is moved to draw a length of web over the peeler.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said length of web is equal to an element length plus an inter-element spacing.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said length of web is such as to place an element at a position adjacent the peeler where it can be peeled by the peeler.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein as said peeler is moved to the second position and before reaching the second position, the web is accelerated to draw a length of web over the peeler effective to place an element at a position adjacent the peeler where it can be peeled by the peeler.  
   
   
       11 . A method of selectively peeling or not peeling a succession of peelable web-carried elements, comprising: 
 a. providing an adjustable peel member having a first position wherein it is effective to peel an element from the web and a second position wherein it is ineffective to peel an element from the web when the web is moved relative to the peel member;    b. providing a web carrying a spaced series of peelable elements;    c. unidirectionally moving said peel member from said first position to said second position when it is desired not to peel a predetermined element from the web; and    d. while said peel member is being moved unidirectionally to said second position, moving said web bidirectionally across said peel member such that said the position of said element relative to said peel member remains substantially fixed and said element is not peeled.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said elements comprise transponders responsive to electromagnetic wave energy.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said peel member has a peel edge and a convex body surface, and wherein said peel member is rotated between said first position in which said peel edge is effective to peel a transponder from the web and said second position wherein said convex body surface is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein when peel member is moved unidirectionally from said first position to said second position, said web is moved initially in the opposite direction and is then moved in the same direction as said peel member surface is moved so as to fix the relative positions of said web and peel member during said adjustment of said peel member position.  
   
   
       15 . A method of selectively peeling or not peeling a succession of peelable web-carried transponders, comprising: 
 a. providing an adjustable peel member having a first position wherein it is effective to peel a transponder from the web and a second position wherein it is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web when the web is moved relative to the peel member;    b. providing a web carrying a spaced series of peelable transponders which are responsive to electromagnetic wave energy;    c. unidirectionally moving said peel member from said first position to said second position when it is desired not to peel a predetermined transponder from the web;    d. while said peel member is being moved unidirectionally to said second position, moving said web bidirectionally across said peel member such that said the position of said transponder relative to said peel member remains substantially fixed and said transponder is not peeled;    e. with the peel member in said second position, moving the web a distance substantially equal to the length of a transponder plus the inter-transponder spacing on the web; and    f. returning the peel member to said first position.    
   
   
       16 . In an RF transponder applicator for applying RF transponders to objects or to labels, tickets, tags, cards or other media samples, a method comprising: 
 providing a web having a series of RF transponders;    inspecting a transponder;    if the transponder passes inspection, at a predetermined peel station and in response to program-controlled, on-demand variable application instructions, selectively peeling the transponder and applying it to a media sample or object; and    if the transponder fails inspection, moving the transponder having the failed transponder past the peel station and storing it.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  including: 
 providing an adjustable peel member having a first position wherein it is effective to peel a transponder from the web and a second position wherein it is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web, when the web is moved relative to the peel member;    adjusting the position of said peel member to said first position to accomplish said selective peeling of the transponder having the transponder which passed inspection.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  including adjusting the position of said peel member to said second position to prevent the transponder having the failed transponder to be peeled as it is moved past the peel station.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  further including: 
 a. moving said peel member from said first position to said second position in a first pattern of movement when it is desired not to peel a predetermined transponder from the web; and    b. while said peel member is being moved to said second position, moving said web across said peel member in a second pattern of movement different from said first pattern of movement.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said first pattern of movement is substantially linear, and second pattern of movement is nonlinear.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said first pattern of movement is unidirectional and said second pattern of movement is bidirectional.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  including unidirectionally moving said peel member from said first position to said second position and while said peel member is being moved unidirectionally, moving said web bidirectionally across said peel member such that said the position of said element relative to said peel member remains substantially fixed.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said peel member has a peel edge and a convex body surface, and wherein said peel member is rotatable between said first position in which said peel edge is effective to peel a transponder from the web and said second position wherein said convex body surface is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web.  
   
   
       24 . A method of selectively peeling or not peeling a succession of peelable web-carried elements, comprising: 
 a. providing an adjustable peel member having a first position wherein it is effective to peel an element from the web and a second position wherein it is ineffective to peel an element from the web when the web is moved relative to the peel member;    b. providing a web carrying a spaced series of peelable elements which are responsive to electromagnetic wave energy and which have a memory for storing information;    c. verifying that information stored in an element is correct and that the element is not defective;    d. unidirectionally moving said peel member from said first position to said second position if said verifying step indicates that the stored information is not correct or that the element is defective; and    e. while said peel member is being moved unidirectionally, moving said web bidirectionally across said peel member such that the position of said element relative to said peel member remains substantially fixed and said element is not peeled.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said peel member has a peel edge and a convex body surface, and wherein said peel member is rotated between said first position in which said peel edge is effective to peel an element from the web and said second position wherein said convex body surface is ineffective to peel an element from the web.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein when peel member is moved unidirectionally from said first position to said second position, said web is moved initially in the opposite direction and then moved in the same direction as said peel member is rotated so as to fix the relative positions of said web and peel member during said adjustment of said peel member position.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said element comprises a transponder including an RFID transponder.  
   
   
       28 . An improved selective peeling system for use with a web carrying a series of spaced peelable elements, comprising: 
 a. an adjustable peel member having a first position wherein it is effective to peel an element from the web and a second position wherein it is ineffective to peel an element from the web;    b. a web drive responsive to commands from a control system and configured to move the web bidirectionally;    c. a peel member drive responsive to commands from the control system and configured to adjust said peel member between said first and second positions; and    d. said control system being coupled to said web drive and to said peel member drive and configured to cause a selected element to not be peeled by issuing coordinated drive commands to said web drive and said peel member drive effective to cause said peel member to move linearly from said first position to said second position while said web is caused to move nonlinearly as said peel member moves from said first position to said second position.    
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein said control system commands cause said web drive to move said web backward and forward as necessary to maintain said web in a substantially fixed position on said peel member as said peel member is moved from said first position to said second position.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 28  wherein said peel member has a peel edge and a convex body surface, wherein said peel member drive rotates said peel member between said first position in which said peel edge is effective to peel an element from the web and said second position wherein said convex body surface is ineffective to peel an element from the web.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein when said peel member drive moves the peel member continuously and unidirectionally from said first position to said second position, said web drive initially moves the web in the opposite direction and then moves the web in the same direction as said peel member is moved so as to fix the relative positions of said web and peel member during said adjustment of said peel member position.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 30  wherein said element comprises a transponder including an RFID transponder.  
   
   
       33 . An improved selective peeling system for use with a web carrying a series of spaced peelable RFID transponders, comprising: 
 a. an adjustable peel member having a first position wherein it is effective to peel a transponder from the web and a second position wherein it is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web;    b. a web drive responsive to commands from a control system and configured to move the web bidirectionally;    c. a peel member drive responsive to commands from the control system and configured to adjust said peel member between said first and second positions; and    d. said control system being coupled to said web drive and to said peel member drive and configured to cause a selected transponder to not be peeled by issuing coordinated drive commands to said web drive and said peel member drive effective to cause said peel member to move linearly from said first position to said second position while said web is caused to move nonlinearly as said peel member moves from said first position to said second position.    
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein said control system commands cause said web drive to move said web backward and forward as necessary to maintain said web in a substantially fixed position on said peel member as said peel member is moved from said first position to said second position.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 33  wherein said peel member has a peel edge and a convex body surface and wherein said peel member drive rotates said peel member between said first position in which said peel edge is effective to peel a transponder from the web and said second position wherein said convex body surface is ineffective to peel a transponder from the web.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 35  wherein when said peel member drive moves the peel member continuously and unidirectionally from said first position to said second position, said web drive initially moves the web in the opposite direction and then moves the web in the same direction as said peel member is moved so as to substantially fix the relative positions of said web and peel member during said adjustment of said peel member position.  
   
   
       37 . For use in a system which processes a series of RFID transponders carried on a web, a peeler receiving the series of transponders and being configured to selectively delaminate transponders from the web, said peeler being adjustable between a first state wherein it is effective to delaminate transponders from said web and a second state wherein it is ineffective to delaminate media samples from said web.  
   
   
       38 . The peeler of  claim 37  comprising a peeler member mounted for movement between first and second positions which create said first and second states.  
   
   
       39 . The peeler of  claim 38  wherein said peeler member is mounted for rotation and is configured to present a rounded surface to said web when in said first position and to present a peeling edge to said web when rotated to said second position.  
   
   
       40 . The peeler of  claim 38  including a means for controlling the movement of said peeler member between said first and second states.  
   
   
       41 . The peeler of  claim 39  including a motor for rotating said peeler member between said first and second positions.  
   
   
       42 . The peeler of  claim 41  located in an on-demand printer, said motor being configured to receive computer-generated rotation instructions.  
   
   
       43 . The peeler of  claim 37  in combination with an RFID transceiver positioned and configured to verify the transponder before it is processed by the peeler.  
   
   
       44 . The peeler of  claim 42  in combination with an RFID transceiver positioned and configured to verify the transponder before it is processed by the peeler, the peeler motor receiving instructions to rotate the peeler to said second position when a transponder which failed verification is processed by the peeler.  
   
   
       45 . A method comprising: 
 providing on a web a series of peelable RF transponders of like or unlike type;    selecting a particular RF transponder to be peeled;    providing a peeler adjustable between a peel and a no-peel state;    adjusting the peeler to the peel state;    moving the web to bring the selected particular transponder in a position to be peeled by said peeler;    peeling said selected transponder; and    applying the peeled transponder to an object or to a ticket, tag, label, card or other media sample.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the transponder is applied to a media sample, the method including the step of printing on said media sample before the applying step.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45  wherein said peeler has a convex no-peel surface presented to the web when the peeler is in its no-peel state, and a peeling edge presented to said web when said peeler is in its peel state.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 45  wherein said transponder is applied to a media sample which is then applied to an object.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48  including printing on said media sample before it is applied to an object.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 45  including a step of testing the functionality of the selected transponder.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein if the tested transponder fails the testing step, the peeler is adjusted to its no-peel state and the transponder is maintained on the web and not peeled.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the series of transponders on the web include different types of transducers which are sequentially selected, peeled and applied.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 45  wherein selecting is performed by one of: identifying a particular transponder by interrogating it with an RF signal, sensing an electrical or physical attribute of the transponder, or employing a computer to catalog the location and identity of transponders on the web.