Abstract:
There is disclosed a hand-held portable labeler and labeling method that enables the label web supply to be quickly threaded into the labeler. The path of the carrier web for the labels from the nip of the print head and platen roll, about the delaminator, into the nip between the platen roll and a pressure roll, and out of the labeler is short and the pressure roll is widely separable from the platen roll to facilitate threading.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-In-Part of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/801,281 filed May 9, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The embodiments of the invention relate to the field of hand-held portable labelers. 
         [0004]    2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    The following documents are made of record: U.S. design patent D486,512; U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,228; U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,669; U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,800; U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,259; U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,121; U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,249; U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,666; U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,407; U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,922; and U.S. Publication No. US2007/0166092. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An embodiment relates to a hand-held portable labeler including a hand-held portable housing having a handle and having space to receive a label roll comprised of a carrier web and labels disposed along and releasably adhered to the carrier web, a print head mounted on the housing, a driven platen roll cooperable with the print head to print on the labels, a delaminator disposed downstream of the print head and capable of delaminating printed labels from the carrier web, a mounting member, a shelf disposed on the mounting member downstream of the delaminator, an applicator disposed above the level of the shelf and in label applying relationship to the printed label, a pivot axis below the platen roll, the mounting member being pivotally mounted to the housing about the pivot axis, a pressure roll rotatably mounted on the mounting member, the platen roll and the pressure roll being the sole means to advance the carrier web, wherein the mounting member, the pressure roll and the shelf are pivotal as a unit about the pivot axis between an operating position in which the printed label is between the applicator and the shelf and in which the carrier web is in pressure relationship between the platen roll and the pressure roll and a non-operating position in which the platen roll and the pressure roll are spaced apart and accessible to the user for threading of the carrier web between the platen roll and the pressure roll. 
         [0007]    The labeler can be quickly threaded as follows: after inserting a new label roll of a composite label web having labels releasably adhered to a carrier web into the labeler, the composite web is fed from the label roll to between the print head and platen roll and passed over the delaminator. With the shelf and pressure roll mounting member in the open position, wherein the pressure roll is spaced from the platen roll, the free end portion of the composite web can be inserted into the wide space between the platen roll and the pressure roll, and thereafter the mounting member can be pivoted to the operating position. With a slight tug on the free end portion of the composite web, any slack can be taken up and the labeler is ready for use. The web which is in the path between the nip of the print head and platen roll and between the nip of the platen roll and the pressure roll is taut and it remains taut so that peeling of successive labels at the delaminator can occur reliably. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment relates to a hand-held portable labeler, comprising a hand-held portable housing having a handle and having space to receive a label roll comprised of a carrier web and labels disposed along and releasably adhered to the carrier web, a print head mounted on the housing, a driven platen roll cooperable with the print head to print on the labels, a delaminator disposed downstream of the print head and capable of delaminating printed labels from the carrier web, a mounting member, a shelf disposed on the mounting member downstream of the delaminator, an applicator disposed above the level of the shelf and in label applying relationship to the printed label, a pivot axis below the platen roll, the mounting member being pivotally mounted to the housing about the pivot axis, a pressure roll rotatably mounted on the mounting member, the platen roll and the pressure roll being the sole means to advance the carrier web, wherein the mounting member, the pressure roll and the shelf are pivotal as a unit about the pivot axis between an operating position in which the printed label is between the applicator and the shelf and in which the carrier web is in pressure relationship between the platen roll and the pressure roll and a non-operating position in which the platen roll and the pressure roll are spaced apart and accessible to the user for threading of the carrier web between the platen roll and the pressure roll, wherein the mounting member includes an exit opening to allow passage of the spent carrier web from which labels have been delaminated. It is preferred that the exit opening is the only opening through which the spent carrier web can pass. 
         [0009]    An embodiment of a method for loading a labeler with a composite label web having a carrier web and labels releasably adhered to the carrier web along its length, wherein the composite web is wound into a supply roll includes providing a labeler having a label roll mounting space, a print head and a cooperable platen roll, a delaminator capable of delaminating printed labels from the carrier web, a applicator for applying printed labels to articles, wherein the print head and the platen roll are movable between a cooperating position and a spaced-apart position to enable the supply roll to be loaded into the labeler, a pressure roll disposed downstream of the delaminator and cooperable with the platen roll, wherein the platen roll and the pressure roll are movable between a cooperating position and a space-apart position, loading the supply roll into the label roll mounting space while the print head and platen roll are in the spaced apart position, passing a leading free end of the composite web into space between the spaced print head and platen roll, partially about the delaminator and to between the platen and pressure rolls in their spaced-apart positions but short of the exit opening, moving the print head and the platen roll relative to each other into the cooperating position, and moving the pressure roll and the platen roll relative to each other into their cooperating position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMMATIC DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of a hand-held portable labeler in accordance with an embodiment, with a mounting member in its operating position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the labeler shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary pictorial view of the front portion of the labeler, showing the mounting member in a non-operating, open position to enable easy threading of the labeler; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged pictorial view of the mounting member and a fragmentary portion of the housing or frame of the labeler; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a pictorial view of a hand-held portable labeler in accordance with another embodiment, with a mounting member in its operating position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the labeler shown in  FIG. 5 , showing the labeler fully threaded or loaded; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary sectional view of the labeler of the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 through 11  with the labeler shown in its open or non-operating position in which the print head and platen roll are separated to enable the label supply roll to be positioned or loaded into a label roll space and to enable a free end portion of the composite web to be positioned between the spaced print head and platen over, partially about the delaminator and to a position between the spaced platen and pressure rolls, as shown; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the labeler showing a mounting member in an open or non-operating position with the pressure and platen rolls spaced apart and the composite label web as having been passed to a position confronting the platen roll; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a pictorial view showing the underside of the mounting member and the pressure roll mounted thereon; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a partly sectional view of the right side of the labeler, showing the manner in which the holder is pivotally mounted to the housing; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 10 , but showing the left side of the housing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a hand-held portable labeler generally indicated at  10 . The labeler  10  includes a hand-held portable housing  11  including a manually graspable handle  12 . A trigger switch  13  is disposed adjacent the handle  12 . The trigger switch  13  underlies a front portion  14  of the labeler  10 . A rear portion  15  of the labeler  10  includes a keyboard or touchscreen  16  and printed circuit boards  17  ( FIG. 2 ). The housing  11  includes an upper housing section  18  pivotally mounted about a pivot  19  and releasably latched to a lower housing section  20 . A parting line between the upper and lower housing sections  18  and  20  is indicated at  18 ′. The handle  12  extends downwardly from the bottom or lower region or underside  20   b  of the lower housing section  20  of the housing  11 . The handle  12  can extend both downwardly and rearwardly and preferably contains a rechargeable battery (not shown). The front portion  14  includes an applicator generally indicated at  21  preferably in the form of an applicator roll  22 . A laser scanner  9  is also mounted on the upper housing section  18  of the housing  12 . With reference to  FIG. 2  it shows that the housing  11  includes a space  23  for a roll R of a composite label web C. The web C includes a carrier web W to which labels L are releasably adhered by tacky or pressure sensitive adhesive L′. The composite label web C can pass along a path from the roll R to beneath a guide or direction changing roll  24  and from there to the nip between a thermal print head  25  and a driven platen roll  26 . The platen roll  26  is preferably comprised of a resilient material. An electric motor  27  is gear-connected to the platen roll  26  to drive or advance the composite web C and its web W while the print head  25  is printing on the leading label L. A delaminator generally indicated at  28  is disposed downstream of the print head  25  and the platen roll  26 . The delaminator  28  can take the form of a small diameter roll  28 ′ as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  or a peel edge. As the composite web C passes from the print head  25  and platen roll  26  in the downstream direction, the web W is trained partially around the delaminator  28  where the web W makes an abrupt change in direction. Thus, the delaminator  28  is capable of causing the leading label L which has been printed to be delaminated from the web W. In the position shown in  FIG. 2 , a short trailing end portion of the leading label L still remains adhered to the web W so that the leading label L is in underlying or label applying relationship to the applicator roll  22 . After the web W passes the delaminator  28 , the web W passes between the platen roll  26  and a pressure roll  29 . The pressure roll  29  is in the operating position shown in  FIG. 2 , the pressure roll  29  exerts pressure against the web W which in turn exerts pressure against the platen roll  26 . Accordingly, traction is applied to the web W both at the nip between the print head  25  and the platen roll  26  and at the nip between the pressure roll  29  and the platen roll  26  when the platen roll  26  is driven. In that the pressure roll  29  is preferably an idler roll, the driving force is applied by the platen roll  26  with assistance from the pressure roll  29  in maintaining good pressure contact of the web W with the platen roll  26 . The pressure roll  29  is shown to be disposed forward of the platen roll  26 . As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the web W exits at the front portion  14  of the housing  12  at the front of the labeler  10  a short distance after having passed between the nip of the platen roll  26  and the pressure roll  29 . 
         [0022]    With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown a mounting member or holder generally indicated at  30  which mounts a shelf  31  and the pressure roll  29 . The shelf  31  preferably has label-contacting ridges  32  which can support the essentially entirely delaminated leading label L. But for the shelf  31 , the leading label L could droop below the level at which the applicator  21  can apply the leading label L to a product or surface, depending on the material composition of the labels L and/or the length of the trailing marginal edge of the leading label L which is still adhered to the web W. The pressure roll  29  is preferably comprised of a material such as plastic. The pressure roll  29  preferable has annular ridges  33  which contact the web W. The roll  29  include opposed stub ends or stub shafts  34  snap-fitted into C-shaped openings  35  in the mounting member  30 . The pressure roll  29  is free to rotate as the platen roll  26  is driven. The mounting member  30  includes a curved front portion  36  which terminates at an edge  37 . Each side of the mounting member  30  has a pair of leg portions  38  which extend beyond the edge  37 . The edge  37  and the leg portions  38  provide an opening or passage  39  for the web W to exit the housing  11 . Each arm  38  has an outwardly extending pivot or pivot portion  40  received in the housing  11  so that the mounting member  30  can pivot between an operating position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and an open, non-operating, or threading position shown in  FIG. 3 . The pivots  40  are aligned and extend along axis A. 
         [0023]    As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the applicator  21  overlies the shelf  31  and the leading label L, and the leading label L can pass between the applicator  21  and the shelf  31  in label applying relationship to the applicator  21  in the operating position. The pressure roll  29  bears against the web W and the web bears against the platen roll  26  in the operating position. In the open position shown in  FIG. 3 , the composite web C can simply be advanced over the platen roll  26  and the delaminator  28  and the hand-fed or inserted downwardly in the throat between the platen roll  26  and the pressure roll  29  and through the opening  39 . From there the web W can naturally enter a tapered chute  11 ′ which may be part of the housing  11 . The chute  11 ′ terminates at a tear edge  11 ″. In order to bring the shelf  31  into its label-supporting position and to bring the pressure roll  29  into pressure relationship with the platen roll  26 , the mounting member  30  is manually pivoted about its axis A into the position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0024]    The mounting member  13  has opposed projections  41  which fit into recesses  42  in the housing  12  to releasably hold the mounting member  30  in the operating position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The mounting member  30  and the housing  12  are constructed of molded plastics material and there is enough “give” or flexure to enable the mounting member to be snapped into and out of the operating position. A projection or stop  43  on one leg portion  38  limits the movement of the mounting member toward the operating position. The housing  11  has a pair of opposed, tapered, lead-ins  44  to facilitate guiding of the mounting member  29  to the operating position. 
         [0025]    To load the labeler  10 , the upper housing section  18  and the lower housing section can be opened by unlatching the upper housing section  18  from the lower housing section  20  by dispensing opposed buttons  18 ″. When the upper housing section  18  is pivoted to its open position from the operating position shown in the drawings, the label roll R can be inserted into the label roll space  23  the same as in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,259, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. When the label roll R has been inserted into the labeler  10  with the free end portion of the composite web laid over the platen roll  26  and the delaminator  28  and extending to a position beyond the delaminator  28  and with the mounting member  36  in the open position, the remainder of the free end portion of the composite web C can be inserted into the space between the pressure roll  29  and the platen roll  26  and through the chute  11 ′. Then the mounting member  29  can be moved to the operating position and the free end portion that projects out through the chute  11 ′ can be manually tugged to remove any slack, and the labeler  10  is ready to be operated. 
         [0026]    With reference to the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 through 11 , the labeler is designated at  10 A. Since essentially the entire labeler  10 A is the same as the labeler  10 , the same reference characters are used for components having the same construction, arrangement and purpose. 
         [0027]    The labeler includes a holder or holder member generally indicated at  50  having a pressure roll  51  cooperable with the platen roll  26 . The holder  50  is shown to have a pair of oppositely outwardly extending stub ends or pivots  53  and  53 ′ which are captive in open-ended, opposite, aligned, arcuate, bearings  52  and  52 ′ in the housing  11 . The pivots  53  and  53 ′ pivot about a pivot axis A′ at the bottom  20   b  of the main part of the lower housing section  20 . The pressure roll  51  is rotatably mounted by stub ends  51 ′ in C-shaped notches  51 ″ in the holder  50 . The holder  50  has a shelf  31 ′ with label-supporting ridges  32 ′. The holder  50  has a generally angle-shaped configuration and has a front portion or front wall  54  and a bottom portion or wall  55  joined to each other. The front and bottom portions  54  and  55  make an obtuse angle with respect to each other as best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The holder  50  has an exit opening  56  at the bottom portion  55 . The opening  56  extends to a bend  57  in the holder  50 . The holder  50  is preferably of one-piece molded plastics construction. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate how the holder  50  is connected to the housing  11 .  FIG. 10  illustrates the right side and  FIG. 11  illustrates the left side of the labeler  10 . To connect the holder  50  to the housing  11 , the user holds the holder  50  in a certain attitude wherein flats  53   f  and  53   f ′ of stub ends  53  and  53 ′ are aligned with gaps G and G′ between the respective bearings or pivots  52  and  52 ′ and bosses  11 C and  11 C′. With the stub ends  53  and  53 ′ thus inserted to the position shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the bearings  52  and  52 ′ and bosses  11 C and  11 C′ will capture the stub ends  53  and  53 ′ to retain the holder  50  pivotally mounted to the housing. To remove the holder  50  from the housing  11 , the user aligns the flats  53   f  and  53   f ′ so that the stub ends  53  and  53 ′ can pass out of the gaps G and G′. There is a slight interference fit between the bosses  11 C and  11 C′ and the stub ends  53  and  53 ′ to prevent accidental disconnection of the holder  50  from the housing  11 . There is enough “give” or yield between the bosses  11 C and  11 C′ and the bearings  52  and  52 ′ and the stub ends  53  and  53 ′ for the stub ends  53  and  53 ′ to be inserted to the position shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  and to be removed therefrom. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , in use, the composite web C is paid out of the roll R and can pass partially around a direction-changing roll  24  to between the platen roll  26  and the print head  25 . From there the composite web C passes to a delaminator preferably in the form of a peel roller  28  where the printed label L is progressively peeled from the carrier web W as the carrier web W moves through a sharp angle about the delaminator  28 . From there the carrier web W passes into the nip between the platen roll  26  and the pressure roll  51 . The carrier web W then passes through the narrow throat  61  between a front housing wall  11 ′ and spaced elongate ribs  58  on the underside of the holder  50 . The carrier web W passes generally downwardly through a throat opening  62  past a tear edge  59  and directly through the exit opening  56 . There is only one exit opening  56  through the holder  50  so the leading end  60  of the carrier web W cannot exit anywhere except at the exit opening  56 . 
         [0030]    As best shown in  FIG. 6 , the front wall  54  of the holder  50  and its ribs  58  and the front housing wall  11 ′ provide the narrow passage or chute or throat  61  preferably with a convergence or tapering to the throat opening  62 . The front wall  54  of the holder  50  and the bottom wall  55  of the holder  50  can be joined by a pair of arms  63 . The arms  63 , the front wall  54  and the bottom wall  55  help define the exit opening  56 . The bottom wall  55  is spaced rearwardly of the tear edge  59 . The opening  56  extends rearwardly far enough so that there is no opportunity for the carrier web W to do anything except pass through the throat opening  62  and through the exit opening  56 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  shows how the labelers  10  and  10 A are threaded. The upper housing portion  18  is unlatched and moved to an open position, as shown. The roll R can be inserted into the label roll receiving space  23  and free end or marginal end portion M can be passed between the platen roll  26  and the print head  25 . Specifically, the composite web C can be laid over the platen roll  26  and slightly beyond. The upper housing section  18  can now be moved to the closed or operating position shown in  FIG. 6  wherein the composite web C is in the nip between the print head  25  and the platen roll  26 . The marginal end M can be bent around the delaminator  28  to the position shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The holder  50  can then be moved from the open position shown in  FIG. 7  to the closed or operating or cooperating position shown in  FIG. 6 , thereby pinching the leading marginal end M between the platen roll  26  and the pressure roll  51 . The trigger switch  13  can now be operated to advance the carrier web W through the exit opening  56  and, as the carrier web W moves, one or more labels L can be peeled from the web W at the delaminator  28 . It is to be noted that there is no need to try to feed or stuff the marginal end M through the exit opening  56  before the pressure roll is moved into pressure cooperation with the marginal end M and the platen roll  26 . This saves time and enables the final advance of the carrier web W to be made by the motor-driven roll  26  and pressure roll  51 . While it is preferred to move the upper housing section  18  into the closed or operating position before the holder  50  is moved to the operating position, the holder  50  can be moved to the operating position before the upper housing section  18  is moved to the closed position, if desired. It should also be noted that when bringing the margin end of the composite web C to the position shown in  FIGS. 7  and  8 , it is not necessary to remove labels L from the marginal end M. This also saves time for the operator of the labeler  10  or  10 A. 
         [0032]    Other embodiments and modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.