Patent ID: 8783323

Claim:
A platen opening mechanism in a labeling machine, comprising: the labeling machine including a side plate, a bottom cover disposed in a pivotally openable and closable manner relative to the side plate; a retaining portion located and configured for retaining at the side plate a label strip wound into a roll a platen located and configured for enabling the label strip drawn out in a strip form from the retaining portion to be transferred onto a top surface of the platen; the platen being pivotable to a closed position, and pivotable to an open position relative to the side plate that is sufficient to allow the label strip to be loaded past the platen and into the portable labeling machine, wherein the platen and the bottom cover are located and configured for the platen to be pivoted to the open position relative to the side plate and to be pivoted open in accompaniment with opening of the bottom cover from the side plate; a flange protruding from the platen; and the bottom cover having a platen-opening engagement/disengagement portion that is engageable with and disengageable from the flange portion.