HAND-HELD LABELER AND LABELING METHOD

ETIQUETEUSE MANUELLE ET MODE D'EMPLOI

English Abstract

Docket M-377
HAND-HELD LABELER AND LABELING METHOD
Abstract of the Disclosure
There is disclosed a labeling method and a labeler
including a frame with a handle, a support for a label roll,
a platen assembly with a platen and platen mounting means, a
print head cooperable with the platen, a delaminator adjacent
the platen, an applicator adjacent the delaminator, a driver
for advancing a label-carrying web, the platen being mounted
by the mounting means so that the platen can rock to accommodate
the print head during printing cooperation with the platen.

Claims

Docket M-377-C
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying
printed labels, a driver for advancing the web, means for guiding
the web from the roll, to between the platen and the print head,
about the delaminating means and to the driver, means including
an actuator disposed at the handle for effecting movement of
the print head into cooperation with the platen and for
effecting movement of the driver to advance the web, wherein
the platen supporting means includes a support cantilever-mounted
to the frame and cooperating bearing surfaces between the
cantilever-mounted support and the platen without any other
supporting means between the platen and the support for
compensating for deflection of the cantilever-mounted support
to enable the platen to accommodate to the print head during
printing coaction between the print head and the platen, and
means separate and distinct from the bearing surfaces for
connecting the platen, the support and the bearing surfaces
in assembled relationship without affecting the capability of
the platen to deflect during printing coaction.

Docket M-377-C
2. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying
printed labels, a driver for advancing the web, means for guiding
the web from the roll, to between the platen and the print head,
about the delaminating means and to the driver, means including
an actuator disposed at the handle for effecting movement of
the print head into cooperation with the platen and for
effecting movement of the driver to advance the web, wherein
the platen supporting means includes a support cantilever-mounted
to the frame and cooperating bearing surfaces between the
cantilever-mounted support and the platen without any other
supporting means between the platen and the support for
compensating for deflection of the cantilever-mounted support
to enable the platen to accommodate to the print head during
printing coaction between the print head and the platen, and
means separate and distinct from the bearing surfaces for
connecting the platen, the support and the bearing surfaces
in assembled relationship without affecting the capability of
the platen to deflect during printing coaction, wherein
one of the bearing surfaces is a projection which is less
than a hemisphere.

Docket M-377-C
3. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for
applying printed labels, a driver for advancing the web,
means for guiding the web from the roll, to between the platen
and the print head, about the delaminating means and to the
driver, means including an actuator disposed at the handle for
effecting movement of the print head into cooperation with the
platen and for effecting movement of the driver to advance
the web, wherein the platen supporting means includes a
support cantilever-mounted to the frame and cooperating
bearing surfaces between the cantilever-mounted support and
the platen without any other supporting means between the
platen and the support for compensating for deflection of the
cantilever-mounted support to enable the platen to accommodate
to the print head during printing coaction between the print
head and the platen, and means separate and distinct from
the bearing surfaces for connecting the platen, the support and
the bearing surfaces in assembled relationship without affecting
the capability of the platen to deflect during printing coaction,
wherein one of the bearing surfaces is a recess which is less
than a hemisphere.

Docket M-377-C
4. Hand-held apparatus for printing and appyling
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying
printed labels, a driver for advancing the web, means for guiding
the web from the roll, to between the platen and the print head,
about the delaminating means and to the driver, means including
an actuator disposed at the handle for effecting movement of
the print head into cooperation with the platen and for
effecting movement of the driver to advance the web, wherein
the platen supporting means includes a support cantilever-mounted
to the frame and cooperating bearing surfaces between the
cantilever-mounted support and the platen without any other
supporting means between the platen and the support for
compensating for deflection of the cantilever-mounted support
to enable the platen to accommodate to the print head during
printing coaction between the print head and the platen, and
means separate and distinct from the bearing surfaces in
assembled relationship without affecting the capability of the
platen to deflect during printing coaction, wherein one of
the bearing surfaces is a projection which is less than a
hemisphere and wherein the other bearing surface is a recess
which is less than a hemisphere.

Docket M-377-C
5. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying
printed labels, a driver for advancing the web, means for guiding
the web from the roll, to between the platen and the print head,
about the delaminating means and to the driver, means including
an actuator disposed at the handle for effecting movement of
the print head into cooperation with the platen and for
effecting movement of the driver to advance the web, wherein
the platen supporting means includes a support cantilever-mounted
to the frame and cooperating bearing surfaces between the
cantilever-mounted support and the platen without any other
supporting means between the platen and the support for
compensating for deflection of the cantilever-mounted support
to enable the platen to accommodate to the print head during
printing coaction between the print head and the platen, and
means separate and distinct from the bearing surfaces for
connecting the platen, the support and the bearing surfaces
in assembled relationship without affecting the capability of
the platen to deflect during printing coaction, wherein the
connecting means includes resilient snap means.
11

Docket M-377-C
6. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying
printed labels, a driver for advancing the web, means for guiding
the web from the roll, to between the platen and the print head,
about the delaminating means and to the driver, means including
an actuator disposed at the handle for effecting movement of
the print head into cooperation with the platen and for
effecting movement of the driver to advance the web, wherein
the platen supporting means includes a support cantilever-mounted
to the frame and cooperating bearing surfaces between the
cantilever-mounted support and the platen without any other
supporting means between the platen and the support for
compensating for deflection of the cantilever-mounted support
to enable the platen to accommodate to the print head during
printing coaction between the print head and the platen, and
means separate and distinct from the bearing surfaces for
connecting the platen, the support and the bearing surfaces
in assembled relationship without affecting the capability of
the platen to deflect during printing coaction, wherein one
of the bearing surfaces is a projection which is less than a
hemisphere, wherein the connecting means includes resilient
snap means.
12

Docket M-377-C
7. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying
printed labels, a driver for advancing the web, means for guiding
the web from the roll, to between the platen and the print head,
about the delaminating means and to the driver, means including
an actuator disposed at the handle for effecting movement of
the print head into cooperation with the platen and for
effecting movement of the driver to advance the web, wherein
the platen supporting means includes a support cantilever-mounted
to the frame and cooperating bearing surfaces between the
cantilever-mounted support and the platen without any other
supporting means between the platen and the support for
compensating for deflection of the cantilever-mounted support
to enable the platen to accommodate to the print head during
printing coaction between the print head and the platen, and
means separate and distinct from the bearing surfaces for
connecting the platen, the support and the bearing surfaces
in assembled relationship without affecting the capability of
the platen to deflect during printing coaction, wherein the
connecting means includes resilient snap means, the platen and
the snap means being of one-piece molded plastics construction.
13

Docket M-377-C
8. Hand-held apparatus for printing and appyling
pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of
supporting material, comprising: a frame having a handle,
means for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive labels, a
movably mounted print head, a platen assembly including a
platen and means for solidly supporting the platen on the
frame for rocking movement in any plane, means disposed
adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from the
web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying
printed labels, a driver for advancing the web, means for guiding
the web from the roll, to between the platen and the print head,
about the delaminating means and to the driver, means including
an actuator disposed at the handle for effecting movement of
the print head into cooperation with the platen and for
effecting movement of the driver to advance the web, wherein
the platen supporting means includes a support cantilever-mounted
to the frame and cooperating bearing surfaces between the
cantilever-mounted support and the platen without any other
supporting means between the platen and the support for
compensating for deflection of the cantilever-mounted support
to enable the platen to accommodate to the print head during
printing coaction between the print head and the platen, wherein
one of the bearing surfaces is a projection which is less than a
hemisphere, and means separate and distinct from the bearing
surfaces for connecting the platen, the support and the
bearing surfaces in assembled relationship without affecting
the capability of the platen to deflect during printing
coaction, wherein the connecting means includes resilient
snap means, the platen and the snap means being of one-piece
molded plastics construction.
14

Description

l~ocket ~1-377 1137~4~
Back~round of the Invention
___
Field of the Jnven~ion
This invention relates to label~rs and to a
method of labeling.
Brief ~scri~tion of the Prior Art
U.S. patent ~l~lo. 2,039l072 issued to Richard M. Dugdale
on April 28r 1936 and U.S. patent lio. 2,~63,893 issued to
Louis Schulman on Nover,~er 2~, 1941 disclose resllient
supports for printing plates. U.S. patent No. 3,957,56~
issued to Paul H. ~Iamisch, Jr. on ~ay 18, 1976 and o~med
by the same assignee as the present applicat on discloses
a prior art labeler having a fixed platen.
Summary Ol the Invention
The inven~lon relates to a low-cost, compact,
hand-held 'abeler and to a labelillg method which results
in imprcved print quality. The hand-held lab~ler of the
invention has a print head and a movably mounted platen,
a support for a label supply roll composed of a label
carryin~ web, a delaminator fox delaminating printed labels
from the ;ahel-carlying web, an applicator for applying
- printed labels, and a driver for advancing the la~el-
carryin~ web. The weh is guided from the supply roll to
a printing position betwe2n the print h~ad and the
platen, to the delaminator ~Ihere labels are successively
delaminated rom the web, and to the driver. B-aking
forces are applied to the weh ~oth upstream and downs~ream
of the platen during the time in the cycle when the web
is not bein~ advanced to thereby keep the web ~der
,~

'-~cket M-377
~37~8
tension a~ all times. The weh passes in generally
parallel face-to-face contac-t with the platen to hold
the platen app~oximately aligned with the print head.
When the print head cooperates with the platen the print
head rocks the platen on solid bearing surfaces so that
the platen is movecl slightly into exact alignment with
the print head to provide improved print quality. The inven
tion promotes quali~y printing even though manufacturing
variations exist in the parts from which the labeler is
constructed. This invention is par~l~ularly useful in an
arrangement in which t.he platen is cantilever-mounted to
a housing or a frame plate. In such cantilever
moun~ed arrallgements, it has been found that the platen
has a tendency to de1ect during prin~jng cooperation with
the print head, but the present invention compensates
automatically for such deflection.
Brief Description _f the Draw~ngs
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational diagrammatic view of
a labeler for carrying out the method of the invention;
2~ FIGURE 2 is a fragrnentary view of a portion of the
labeler ~hown in F~ ~sR~ 1, but showing the print head
cooperating wi~h the platen;
FI5URE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of
a portion of the labeler showing the print head, a platen
asse~bly, a delaminator, and an applicator;
FIGURE ~ is a sectional view taken along line 4--4
of FIGURE 2;
FIGURF 5 is a sectional view taken along line
5--5 of FIGUR~ 3 siiowinq only the pla~en and the delaminator;
and

Docket M-377 ~7~4~
FIGUR~ 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view ~howing
the underside of the platen support plate and the connectors
which project from the platen.
Descri tion of the Preferred Embodiment
p
With reference to FIGURE 1, there i8 shown a
diagrammatic view of a labeler or label printing and
applying apparatus generally indicated at 20 similar
to the apparatus shown in FIGURES 8 and 10 through 36 and
described in the 6pecification of U.S. patent ~o. 3,957,562.
Reference may be made to the disclosure in U.S. patent
No. 3,957,562 for additional constructional details.
The apparatus 20 ha~ a housing or frame generally
indicated at 21 including housing sections 22 and 23. The
frame 21 also has a rigid metal frame plate 22'. The
plate 22' mounts a print head generally indicated at 24
for reciprocating movement into and out of printing
cooperation with a label L carried on a web of supporting
material S. The web S and the label~ L compri~e composite
web C. One of the labels L is disposed between printing
2~ members 24' of a print head 24 and a platen 25. An actuator
generally indicated at 26 i9 ~hown to comprise a lever 27
pivotally mounted on a pivot 27'. The lever 27 carries a
gear ~egment 28. The frame 21 mounts a gear 29 in mesh
with the gear ~egment 28. The print head 24 carries a
gear section 30 in mesh with the gear 29. When the lever
27 is pivoted clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1, the gear
~egment 28 rotates the gear 29 counterclockwise and the
pr~nt head 24 is driven into printing cooperation with a
label L and the platen 25. Upon release of the lever 27,
a return spring assembly 31 drives the lever 27 counter-
clocXwise, thereby causing the year 29 to rotate clockwise to
--3--

~cket M-377 1137~4~
drive the print head 24 to the initial position shown in
FIGURE 1. Mounted coaxially ~ith the gear 29 is a driver
in the form of a feed wheel 33 having a plurality of
radially spaced-apart teeth 33' for engaging and driving
the supporting material web S. During return of the
print head 24 ~o its initial position, the gear 29
causes a pawl 29' carried by the gear 29 to drive a
ratchet wheel 32 to in turn drive the feed wheel 33 so
that the just printed label L is advanced into label
applying relationship to an applicator roll 34 and an
unprinted label L is advanced to the printing position
between print head 24 and the platen 25. When the print
head 24 returns to the initial position shown in FIGURE
1, extension 36 on the print head 24 cooperates with a
brake roll 37 to apply a braking force to the composite
web C. As shown, the composite web C is cla~ped betweer~
the roll 37 and a stationary member 38 which is connected
to the frame plate 22', ~len the components of the
labeler 20 are in the initial position shown in FIGUR~I
~ 1, an anti-backup pawl 39 acts on the ratchet wheel 32,
thus preventing loss of tensi.on in the web S.
The platen 25 is supported or mounted on a
platen mounting or support plate 40~ Tlle plate 40 is
secured in a cantilevered manner to the frame plate 22'.
The platen 25 i.s spaced from the support plate ~0 except
at the bearing 41 which is sho~n to include a projecting
bearing surface 42 on the underside of the platen 25 and a
bearing surface 43 on the plate 40. The bearing surfacP 42 is
--4--

~- ~cke t M- 3 7 7 ~l374 41~
shown to be coilvex and less th~n a hemispheLe and the
bearing sur~ace 43 is shown to be concave and less than a
h~misphere. Thus, the platen ~5 can rock on the support
40 without any resilient yielding when the print head 24
cooperates with the platen 25 in the event the platen
25 is slightiy out of alignment with the dixection of
movement of the print head 24 2S the print head 24 begins
cooperating with the platen 25. Tne bearing 41 can take
other forms, or example the platen 25 can have a concave
]- bearing surface in acldition to the concavP bearing
surace 43 on the plate 40 and a spherical ball can
contact and be held captive ~ith and by the bearing
surfaces. By this arrangernent and also by the illustrated
arran~ement the platen 25 can cant in any plane as the
print head 24 coopexates with it.
As shown in FIGURE 1, the web S passes from the
roll R, partially around the guide roller 44, around
a delaminator 45, partially around a guide roller 46,
and partially around a guide roller 47 to the fe~d wheel
33. The composite web C is thus passed under tension in
parallel face-to-face contact with the platen 25 and
tends to align the platen 25 approximately with the print
h~ad 2~. Any slight adjustment of the position of the platen
25 is ~ade by the force exerted by th~ print head 24. It
is to be noted that no springs are needed to resiliently
mo~nt the platen 25 and thus there is no spring force
that needs to be overco~e. The bearing 41 is disposed within
an area of the printing force which is applied to the platen
25 by the print head 24. Specifically the beariny 41 is
disposed generally c~ntrally within the area where the
printing m~inbcrs 24' contact the platen 25. The
platen 25 i.5 solidlv suppor~ed although it can rock

~cket M-377 ~.37~4~
on bearing surfaces. FIGun~ 4 shows the platen canted
- exaqgeratedly with respect to the support plate 40 to
illustrate how the platen 25 accommodates the print head
24.
The platen 25 is connected in assem~led relation-
ship to the plate 40 by means of connectors 44 and 45. ~t
least one and preferably both of the connectors 44 and 45
are fl~xible and resilient hook-shaped snap members which
enable the platen 25 to be quickly and easily snapped
onto the plate 40. The connectors 44 and 45 are molded
integrally with the platell 25 using a ~uitable moldable
plastics material.
Other e~bodiments and modifications of the
invention will suggest thernselves to those sl;illed 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. -