Patent Publication Number: US-10328731-B2

Title: Printer for printing objects

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a printer for printing objects for marking electrical components, comprising a housing, a printing space formed inside of the housing, a printing device, a receiving device for a replaceable magazine for receiving the object to be printed, a control and evaluation unit, and an input and display device, wherein the receiving device can switch between a loading and unloading position outside of the printing space and a printing position inside of the printing space. 
     Description of Related Art 
     In industrial and commercial practice, different types of labeling and marking signs are used to label and mark machines, devices, terminals, cables, or conductors. Information regarding the components to which the signs correspond is placed on these same labeling and marking signs. To this end, the labeling or marking signs are placed in a printer with a corresponding printing pattern—usually alphanumeric characters. Different printers with different printing methods are used for marking—for example, inkjet printers, thermal transfer printers, or UV printers. These types of marking printers are, for example, known from the catalogue “Markierungssysteme Werkzeuge Montagematerial, 2013/2014,” pages 28 to 37, from Phoenix Contact GmbH &amp; Co. KG. 
     In practice, printing objects in card format that have a number of individual marking signs are often used. The printing objects are thereby especially designed as plastic injection parts or as punched plastic parts. In the case of plastic injection parts, which are also called Universal Card Material (UniCard or UC-Material), the marking signs are secured in an external frame via holding strips. After printing, the individual marking signs, which are often used for conductor and cable marking or for terminal marking, can be detached from the frame. In the case of punched plastic parts, which are also called Universal Sheet Material (UniSheet or US-Material), multiple rows of marking signs together form a printing object, whereby the individual marking signs can be separated from one another after the US-Material is printed on. 
     Additionally, multiple labeling or marking signs can be placed, especially affixed, on a common carrier sheet from which the individual labeling or marking signs can, after marking, be simply removed. Carrier sheets of this type are, in practice, also called label sheets or sticker sheets. 
     The different types of labeling materials will hereinafter be generally referred to as printing objects or objects to be printed, whereby the printing objects may be composed of different materials, especially different plastics, and have different dimensions, especially different material thicknesses. In order to be able to print different printing objects with different dimensions using a printer, the individual printing objects are deposited or inserted into a magazine appropriate for the printing object in the printer in question. Typically, multiple printing objects can be individually deposited into one magazine, so that the number of printing objects is greater than the number of magazines. If all magazines have the same external dimensions, the magazines can each be inserted into the receiving device of the printer, which can be moved between a loading and unloading position outside of the printing space and a printing position inside of the printing space like a drawer. 
     Thermal transfer printers have proven to be especially suited for printing of objects of this type. In thermal transfer printing, a special foil coated with a temperature-sensitive ink is passed between the printing object and a thermal printing head as a printing device, wherein the foil can be arranged as an ink ribbon in a corresponding printer cartridge. Thermal transfer printing produces an exact color print and a high printing quality with a high surface gloss level. 
     The printer in question (which should preferably be a thermal transfer printer) should be able to print a variety of different printing objects. There is thus a variety of different magazines for the printer which can be individually inserted into the receiving device. Furthermore, several different printer cartridges with different ink ribbons can be used. 
     In the case of a portable thermal transfer printer, known from practice, the housing has an essentially L-shaped housing part and a housing hood that can pivot laterally, attached on the upper side of the fixed housing part. The ink ribbon is arranged underneath the pivoting housing hood, so that an ink ribbon can be inserted or replaced by raising the housing hood laterally. Input of printing parameters and printing data can take place via the input and display device arranged in the fixed housing part. As the input and display device has relatively small dimensions and also few function keys, input of printing parameters and printing data preferably takes place via corresponding software, wherein the input then takes place on an external computer with the help of graphical user interfaces. This type of inputting printing data is very comfortable for the user, particularly since the printing parameters and printing data are often already provided by corresponding printing software packages. In this case, however, an external computer has to be connected to the printer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a printer of the type described at the outset for printing of objects for marking electrical components that has a compact design, and enables simple and user-friendly operation even when the printer is not connected to an external computer. 
     This object is accomplished by the printer according to the invention in that the housing has a lower housing part and an upper housing part, wherein the printing space, the printing device, the receiving device, and the control and evaluation unit are arranged in the lower housing part and that a tablet computer is provided as an input and display device. The tablet computer is thereby attached on the top side of the upper housing part, which can pivot about a rotational axis and can be locked in an upwardly pivoted position. Additionally, the upper housing part is mounted pivotable about a rotational axis on the lower housing part. 
     Because a tablet computer is provided as an input and display device for the printer according to the invention, the input of printing parameters and printing data is possible for the user in a very simple and easy manner “Tablet computer” is currently understood to mean a flat data processing unit that has a touch-sensitive screen (touchscreen) and can be operated with a finger and/or stylus. Such tablet computers are generally referred to as tablet-PCs or simply as tablets. As the size (screen diagonal) of conventional tablet computers amounts to at least 7 inches, commonly even 10 inches or more, it is possible to depict the input mask of a printing object to be printed on the touchscreen in such a manner that the input mask optically essentially corresponds to the printing object. Upon input of the printing data, the user directly sees how the corresponding printed printing object will look. For the input of printing data and printing parameters, a full keyboard—rather than just a few function keys—can be made available as needed via the touchscreen. 
     Operation of the printer according to the invention is made even easier for the user due to the fact that the tablet computer is mounted to be able to pivot on the top side of the upper housing part and can be locked in an upwardly pivoted position. By this means, the user can bring the tablet computer into a position in which inputting of the printing data as well as reading of data and values shown on the touchscreen are especially easy and comfortable for the user. On the other hand, the tablet computer can, especially during transport, be pivoted back into the base position and preferably also latched there in that it locks as flush as possible with the top side of the upper housing part so that the tablet computer is optimally protected against damage. 
     In order to ensure that loading and or replacing an ink ribbon or ink ribbon cartridge is easy and comfortable—even when the tablet computer is arranged on the top side of the upper housing part—the housing is designed as two parts, wherein especially the printing device with the print head and the ink ribbon or an ink ribbon cartridge are arranged in the lower housing part. Because the upper housing part is positioned so as to be able to pivot on the lower housing part, the upper housing part can be simply rotated upwards so that especially the printing device with the ink ribbon or the ink ribbon cartridge arranged in the lower housing part is then comfortably accessible for the user, so that an ink ribbon or an ink ribbon cartridge can be removed from the lower housing part or simply inserted into the lower housing part. Furthermore, when the upper housing part is pivoted upward, other components of the printer arranged in the lower housing part can also be removed for repair (where applicable). 
     According to one preferred configuration of the printer according to the invention, the rotational axis of the tablet computer is arranged in the vicinity of the front side of the printer, where the receiving device is also arranged. The tablet computer can thus be pivoted upward such that its user interface—i.e., the touchscreen—faces a user who is in front of the front side of the printer. As the receiving device for loading or removing a magazine slides out of the front side of the printer like a drawer, a user, as a general rule, is situated in front of the front side of the printer during operation of the printer. 
     Furthermore, according to another, especially preferred configuration of the printer according to the invention, the rotational axis of the upper housing part is arranged near the rear of the printer, so that a user, who, on the other hand, is standing in front of the front side of the printer, looks directly at the top of the lower housing part when the upper housing part is pivoted upward. As a result, the user—when the upper housing part is pivoted upward—has easy access to the printing device arranged in the lower housing part, so that he/she can (after disengaging a corresponding latch and/or opening a cover, where applicable) insert or replace an ink ribbon or ink ribbon cartridge. 
     More advantageously, the upper housing part can be locked in its upwardly pivoted position, so that an undesired closing of the upper housing part is prevented. The pivoting arrangement of the tablet computer on the upper housing part as well as of the upper housing part on the lower housing part can be implemented in various ways. The locking of the tablet computer or the upper housing part in their respective upwardly pivoted positions can likewise be achieved by means of various design measures. 
     According to one advantageous configuration, a U-shaped bracket with a Crosspiece and two Arms is provided mounted to pivot on the tablet computer. For this purpose, the ends of the Arms leading away from the Crosspiece are mounted to pivot on two opposite sides of the tablet computer. To this end, for example, a hole can be formed in each side of the tablet computer, into which hole a stud arranged on the end of the Arm protrudes. Studs can, however, just as well be formed on the sides of the tablet computer; in this case, corresponding holes are formed in the ends of the Arms. To achieve the locking of the tablet computer in its upwardly pivoted position, outwardly protruding studs are preferably designed on the ends of the Arms facing the U-back. These studs protrude into lateral guiding and locking grooves that are formed on either side of the upper side of the upper housing part. An indentation can thereby be formed on one end of each of the guiding and locking grooves, into which the lateral studs of the Arms of the bracket extend in the upwardly pivoted position of the tablet computer, so that the tablet computer is locked in this position. 
     In place of a U-shaped bracket, a rectangular frame can be pivotably mounted on the tablet computer, wherein especially one arm of the frame can serve as a pivot axis which, for example, can be locked in a corresponding groove on the bottom of the tablet computer. 
     As stated at the outset, the tablet computer, as an input and display device, is mounted to pivot on the top side of the upper housing part of the printer; that is, the tablet computer can pivot but is fixedly and permanently connected to the printer. Consequently, there is no provision for the tablet computer to be removed from the printer by a user or for another tablet computer to be attached to the printer. Because the tablet computer is thus mechanically permanently connected—albeit pivotably—to the upper housing part of the printer, the electrical connection of the tablet computer to the printer preferably also occurs via a fixed connection, namely via a cable, especially a flat ribbon cable. Especially the data exchange between the tablet computer and the control and evaluation unit in the lower housing part of the printer takes place via the cable. 
     Preferably, a first opening for the cable is formed in the upper housing part in the region of the rotational axis of the tablet computer and a second opening for the cable is formed in the lower housing part in the region of the rotational axis of the upper housing part. These openings serve to guide the cable simply and securely. By forming the openings in each of the regions of the rotational axes, there is no interference by the cable when the tablet computer or the upper housing part is pivoted upward and vice-versa: the cable is not damaged by pivoting the tablet computer or the upper housing part. The cable then runs essentially in an S-shape from the tablet computer arranged on the top side of the upper housing part through the first opening in the upper housing part, along the bottom of the upper housing part, to the opening in the lower housing part, through the second opening in the lower housing part, and then inside of the lower housing part to the control and evaluation unit. 
     Because the cable runs along the bottom of the upper housing part, the cable is also protected against damage when the upper housing part is open—for example, when a user replaces an ink ribbon cartridge while the upper housing part is open. As additional protection for the cable, a cover arranged on the bottom side of the upper housing part can be provided. 
     If the tablet computer is—as described above—connected to the printer, especially to the control and evaluation unit arranged in the lower housing part, via a cable, then it is preferably not only the data exchange between the tablet computer and the control and evaluation unit that takes place via the cable but also the power supply of the tablet computer as well. Alternatively, the power supply of the tablet computer can take place wirelessly, namely in that a charger interface for charging a rechargeable battery in the tablet computer is arranged on the top side of the upper housing part. The charging process thereby preferably takes place with the tablet computer pivoted downward, so that the charger interface is arranged to be away from the rotational axis of the tablet computer. The charger interface can thereby be configured as a contact charger interface or an inductive charger interface. Especially when the upper housing part has a charger interface for the power supply of the tablet computer, the printer is preferably configured such that the data exchange between the tablet computer and the control and evaluation unit also takes place wirelessly, especially by means of radio via WLAN or Bluetooth. 
     Specifically, there are a number of possible ways to configure and further develop the printer according to the invention as will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiment examples in connection with the accompany drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic depiction of a printer in a longitudinal cross-sectional view, 
         FIGS. 2 a    &amp;  2   b  are perspective views of an embodiment of the printer with an upwardly pivoted tablet computer at an angle, as seen from the front and from the side, respectively, 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the printer according to  FIGS. 2 a    &amp;  2   b  view at an angle from the back, 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the printer seen at an angle from the front with an upwardly pivoted upper housing part, 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the printer seen at an angle from the side with an upwardly pivoted tablet computer and an upwardly pivoted upper housing part, and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the printer with a downwardly pivoted upper housing part and a downwardly pivoted tablet computer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a printer  1  according to the present invention in a greatly simplified schematic depiction in a longitudinal cross-sectional view. The printer  1 , preferably a thermal transfer printer, serves for printing of printing objects  2 , especially in card form or in the form of carrier sheets. The printer  1  has a housing  3  in which a printing space  4  is formed. Additionally, a printing device  5  is arranged in the housing  3  and has a print head  6  and an ink ribbon cartridge  7  whose ink ribbon is, during the printing process, arranged above the object to be printed  2  with very little distance in between. A receiving device  8 , designed like a drawer or a transport carriage, can be switched between a loading and unloading position outside of the printing space  4  and a printing position inside of the printing space  4 . The movement direction of the receiving device  8  in  FIG. 1  runs in the direction of the arrow A, whereby the receiving device  8 , in the depiction according to  FIG. 1 , is arranged inside of the printing space  4 —that is, in the printing position. The receiving device  8  serves to receive a magazine  9 , into which the printing object(s)  2  to be printed can be loaded. In this way, it is ensured that the object to be printed  2  can be brought into the printing space  4  in a simple and comfortable manner and also that the printing object  2  is always in a prescribed position inside of the printing space  4 . 
     In order to control the printing process, especially a control and evaluation unit  10  as well as a storage device  11  that is connected to the control and evaluation unit  10  are additionally arranged in the printer  1 . These are only very schematically depicted in  FIG. 1 . The control and evaluation unit  10  is additionally connected to the print head  6 , which is, however, not shown in the figure. As implied in  FIG. 1  and as the rest of the figures, especially  FIGS. 4 &amp; 5  show, the housing  3  has a lower housing part  12  and an upper housing part  13 . The printing space  4 , the printing device  5  with the print head  6  and the ink ribbon cartridge  7 , the receiving device  8 , the control and evaluation unit  10 , and the storage device  11  are arranged in the lower housing part  12 . 
       FIG. 2  shows that a tablet computer  14  with a touchscreen  15  is provided as the input and display device of the printer  1 . The tablet computer  14  is mounted to pivot about a rotational axis  16  on the top side of the upper housing part  13 . Furthermore, the upper housing part  13  is also mounted to pivot on the lower housing part  12 , namely about a rotational axis  17 , as shown especially in  FIGS. 4 &amp; 5 . The rotational axis  16  of the tablet computer  14  is in the vicinity of the front side  18  of the printer  1 , in which vicinity the receiving device  8  is also arranged, so that the tablet computer  14 , in the upwardly pivoted position depicted in  FIG. 2 , faces a user who is in front of the front side  18  of the printer  1 . From this position, the user will also load a object to be printed  2  into the extended receiving device  8 . 
     In order to ensure that the tablet computer  14  is supported in the upwardly pivoted position and is also held there by means of a locking device when a user inputs printing data or printing parameters on the touchscreen  15  of the tablet computer  14 , a U-shaped bracket  19  is arranged pivotably on the rear of the tablet computer  14 , as  FIG. 3  especially shows. The U-shaped bracket  19  has a crosspiece  20  extending between two lateral arms  21 , wherein the ends  22  of the arms  21  opposite the ends connected to the crosspiece  20  are mounted to pivot on either side of the tablet computer  14 . Outwardly protruding studs are arranged on the ends  23  of the arms  21  connected to the crosspiece  20 . These studs each protrude into a guiding and locking groove  24 , which grooves  24  are formed on the opposing long sides on the top side of the upper housing part  13 . An indentation  25  is formed on one end of each of the guiding grooves  24 , into which the studs formed on the arms  21  lock when the tablet computer  14  is in the upwardly pivoted position depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
     To fold the tablet computer  14  in or pivot it downward, it is only necessary to gently raise the upper end of the tablet computer  14  or the bracket  19  so that the studs on the Arms  21  are lifted out of the indentations  25  of the guiding grooves  24 . Following this, the Crosspiece  20  of the bracket  19  can be pulled against the rear of the tablet computer  14  so that the tablet computer  14  may then be lowered until it rests in the recess  26  in the top side of the upper housing part  13  (which is provided for this purpose). As a result, the top side of the tablet computer  14  is located essentially flush with the top side of the upper housing part  13  when lowered, as  FIG. 6  shows. The button  27  provided on the upper edge of the tablet computer  14  ensures that the tablet computer  14  also latches in the downwardly pivoted position so that it is especially secured during transport. 
       FIG. 4  shows the preferred embodiment example of the printer  1  according to the invention with an upwardly pivoted upper housing part  13 , while the tablet computer  14  is depicted in the folded-down position. It is immediately clear that the rotational axis  17  of the upper housing part  13  is arranged in the vicinity of the rear  28  of the printer  1  or of the lower housing part  12 .  FIG. 4  shows that the upper housing part  13  can also be latched in the upwardly pivoted position. For this purpose, a pivoting bracket  29  is attached to the upper housing part  13 , which pivoting bracket  29  protrudes into an opening  30  in the top side of the lower housing part  12 . A protrusion  31  formed on the pivoting bracket  29  forms, together with the edge of the opening  30 , a latch for locking the upper housing part  13  in the depicted upwardly pivoted position. 
     The tablet computer  14  is connected via a flat ribbon cable  32  to the control and evaluation unit  10  in the lower housing part  12  for data exchange as well as power supply. For this purpose, a first opening  33  is provided in the upper housing part  13  near the rotational axis  16  of the tablet computer  14 , and a second opening  34  is provided in the lower housing part  12  near the rotational axis  17 , both for the flat ribbon cable  32 . The flat ribbon cable  32  thus runs essentially in an S-shape from the corresponding connection point on the tablet computer  14  through the first opening  33 , along the bottom of the upper housing part  13 , through the second opening  34 , and subsequently, inside of the lower housing part  12 , to the control and evaluation unit  10 . The flat ribbon cable  32  thereby runs snugly against the bottom side of the upper housing part  13 , for which purpose a guiding groove may be formed on the bottom of the upper housing part  13  so that the flat ribbon cable  32  does not protrude over the bottom of the upper housing part  13 . The flat ribbon cable  32  is thus also securely protected against damage when the upper housing part  13  is pivoted upward. 
     As  FIG. 4  shows, the ink ribbon cartridge  7  is arranged underneath a cover  35 . The cover  35 , on whose bottom side the printer head  6  is attached, is mounted to pivot in the lower housing part  13  and is held in the closed position by the locking lever  36 . To replace the ink ribbon cartridge  7 , the locking lever  36  must first be rotated back so that the cover  35  (with the attached print head  6 ) can then be pivoted upwardly. Following this, a user can remove the ink ribbon cartridge  7  from the lower housing part  12  from the front and replace it with another ink ribbon cartridge  7 . 
       FIG. 5  shows the printer  1  according to the invention with an upwardly pivoted upper housing part  13  and an upwardly pivoted tablet computer  14 , wherein both the upper housing part  13  and the tablet computer  14  are locked in position. This depiction especially shows that the rotational axis  16  of the tablet computer  14  and the rotational axis  17  of the upper housing part  13  are arranged on different sides of the printer  1 . The rotational axis  16  of the tablet computer  14  is near the front  18  of the printer  1 , while the rotational axis  17  of the upper housing part  13  is near the rear  28  of the printer  1 . 
     Lastly,  FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the printer  1  according to the invention with a downwardly pivoted upper housing part  13  and a downwardly pivoted tablet computer  14 . The printer  1  is configured as a portable device that can be deployed as needed to different field sites by a user due to its low weight of circa 6 kg and its small footprint, which roughly corresponds to the dimensions of a DIN A4 sheet. In addition to the touch screen  15 , the tablet computer  14  has an additional control panel  37  with an on/off switch  38  and an LED  39  that can show the charge level of the printer&#39;s  1  rechargeable battery. By pressing the buttons  40  formed on both long sides of the upper housing part  13 , the latches  41  formed on the upper housing part  13  can be released so that the upper housing part  13  can be pivoted upwardly. If the buttons  40  are not pressed, the upper housing part  13  is locked in the downwardly pivoted position, such that the printer  1  is not only very compact but is also protected against undesired opening or damage.