Automated system and method for constructing card multipacks, and card multipack constructed using the same

• US 10,248,816 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harvard Label LLC
• Original Assignee: Harvard Label LLC
• Inventors: Tang, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US15/636,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20180018479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 235475, 235478, 235479, 235483, 23546201, 23546214, 23546241
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 13/185 Details of tools B65B13/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/18 by suction-operated grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/105 by grippers B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/32 Cooling, or cooling and pressing, package closures after heat-sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/005 for marking or coding articles prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2807 Feeding closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2878 by heat-sealing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1439 including a method step for retrieval of the optical code

Abstract

Automated systems, methods for constructing card multipacks, and a card multipack constructing using the same are provided. An automated system for constructing card multipacks includes: a movable conveyor including a plurality of tooling plates, each configured to receive a height adjusting member; a first carrier placing station configured to place a first carrier portion of a carrier on a tooling plate of the plurality of tooling plates; a first card placing station configured to place a first stored value card on the first carrier portion; a first data capture station configured to read a first card bar code of the first stored value card in-line in the automated system; and a software system adapted to verify the first card bar code with a data file.

Claims

1. An automated system for constructing card multipacks, the automated system comprising:

a movable conveyor comprising a plurality of tooling plates, each configured to receive a height adjusting member on an upper surface thereof;

a first carrier placing station configured to place a first carrier portion of a carrier on a tooling plate of the plurality of tooling plates;

a first card placing station configured to place a first stored value card on the first carrier portion;

a first data capture station configured to read a first card bar code of the first stored value card in-line in the automated system; and

a software system adapted to verify the first card bar code with a data file,

wherein the height adjusting member is configured to support the first carrier portion thereon.

2. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the first data capture station comprises a first camera configured to create a first image of the first card bar code, and the software system is adapted to verify the first card bar code using the first image.

3. The automated system of claim 1, further comprising another data capture station configured to read a carrier bar code of the carrier, wherein the software system is further adapted to verify the carrier bar code with the data file.

4. The automated system of claim 3, further comprising a second carrier placing station between the first data capture station and the another data capture station, the second carrier placing station configured to place a second carrier portion of the carrier on the first stored value card subsequent to the first data capture station reading the first card bar code, wherein the second carrier portion comprises the carrier bar code.

5. The automated system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second card placing station configured to place a second stored value card on the first carrier portion subsequent to the first data capture station reading the first card bar code; and

a second data capture station configured to read a second card bar code of the second stored value card in-line in the automated system,

wherein the software system is further adapted to verify the second card bar code with the data file.

6. The automated system of claim 5, wherein the second data capture station comprises a second camera configured to create a second image of the second card bar code, and the software system is adapted to verify the second card bar code using the second image.

7. The automated system of claim 5, wherein the second card placing station is configured to place the second stored value card on the first stored value card such that the second stored value card at least partially covers the first card bar code.

8. The automated system of claim 1, further comprising a sealing station configured to seal the carrier, wherein the first data capture station is configured to read the first card bar code between the first card placing station and the sealing station.

9. The automated system of claim 8, wherein the software system is adapted to verify the first card bar code in-line in the automated system and provide an output before the sealing station seals the carrier.

10. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the height adjusting member is removably provided on the upper surface of a respective one of the tooling plates.

11. The automated system of claim 1,

wherein the first carrier placing station is further configured to place another first carrier portion of another carrier on the conveyor,

wherein the first card placing station is further configured to place another first stored value card on the another first carrier portion,

wherein the first data capture station is further configured to read another first card bar code of the another first stored value card in-line in the automated system,

wherein the software system is further adapted to verify the another first card bar code with the data file, and

wherein each of the plurality of tooling plates is configured to support the first carrier portion and the another first carrier portion.

12. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the software system is further adapted to create another data file including information of the first card bar code.

13. A card multipack constructed using the automated system of claim 1 and comprising:

a carrier;

a first stored value card supported on the carrier and comprising a first card bar code; and

a second stored value card supported on the carrier such that the second stored value card at least partially covers the first card bar code, the second stored value card comprising a second card bar code.

14. A method of constructing a card multipack using an automated system, the method comprising:

placing a first carrier portion of a carrier on a conveyor of the automated system using a first carrier placing station of the automated system, the conveyor including a plurality of tooling plates, each configured to receive a height adjusting member on an upper surface thereof, wherein the height adjusting member is configured to support the first carrier portion thereon;

placing a first stored value card on the first carrier portion using a first card placing station of the automated system;

reading a first card bar code of the first stored value card in-line using a first data capture station of the automated system; and

verifying the first card bar code with a data file using a software system of the automated system.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

reading a carrier bar code of the carrier in-line using another data capture station of the automated system; and

verifying the carrier bar code with the data file using the software system of the automated system.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

placing a second stored value card on the first carrier portion using a second card placing station of the automated system subsequent to reading the first card bar code;

reading a second card bar code of the second stored value card in-line using a second data capture station of the automated system; and

verifying the second card bar code with the data file using the software system of the automated system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein placing the second stored value card on the first carrier portion comprises placing the second stored value card on the first stored value card such that the second stored value card at least partially covers the first card bar code.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein reading the first card bar code comprises creating an image of the first card bar code using a first camera.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising sealing the card multipack in-line using the automated system subsequent to verifying the first card bar code.

20. A card multipack constructed using the method of claim 14 and comprising:

a carrier;

a first stored value card supported on the carrier and comprising a first card bar code; and

a second stored value card supported on the carrier such that the second stored value card at least partially covers the first card bar code, the second stored value card comprising a second card bar code.