Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Printed ~arkers
The present inv~ntion relates to print~d markers for
identifyi~g electric cables, for exa~ple.
It is a common practice to provide tubular printed
mark~rs which a~e slipped on~o indi~idual cables. These
5 tubular markers may be heatshrinkable or non-heatshrinkable.
It is also common to provide markers as flat ytrips, which are
atta~hable to indi~idual cables. The kno~n types o~ markers
are ~uppli~d either support~d on a ladder-type o~ bandoli~r or
on a paper backing, and axe fed through the printer
10 transversely: the markers are accordingly restricted to
p~edetermined lengths.
we ha~re now devised arrang~ments w~ich of~er
signif icant advantages rela~ve to the arrangements which have
been provided hitherto.
I5 In accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a thermal transfer printer arranged to receive a wound
length of elongate strip or flattened tubing, the printer
~a~ing a thermal transfer print head and means for guiding the
strip or tubing past the print head, the guiding means being
20 arranged to constrain the strip or tubing against lateral
displacement as it advances ~hrough the print head.
Preferably the printer ls arranged to recei~e a wound
l~ngth of strip or tubing of selected width Prefer~bly the
printer ls arrang~d to receive two or more wound lengt~s of
25 strip or tu~in~, side-by-side.
The strip or tubing may be ~ound onto a reel, which is
then mounted for rotation. The guiding means in this case
co~prises a pair of elonga~e guides which extend from the ree].
towards the print head, the elongat~ guides having inwardly-
facing edges which are formed with longitudinal grooves inwhich the opposite ed~es o~ the strip or tubing are slidably
r~ceived. These elongate guides may comprise two separate
mem~ers which can be engaged, either side o~ the reel, onto a
spindle on which the r~l is fitted. Instead, the el~ngate
35 guides may be mounted to the reel, so that the reel and guides
form a single ~ni~ ~o~ fitting into the printer. The strip or
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tubing may ~e printed on one side, and rewound onto the same
or dif~erent reel, which is inserted into the printer for
printing onto the opposite side of the ~trip or tubing
In an another embodiment, the elongate strip or tubing
5 may be wound within a cassette, having an exit slot through
w~ich the ~eedstock passes. In this case, pref erably the
cassette i~cludes a portion which projects radially outwardly
and includes the exit slot at its outer end, so that opposite
side walls of this projectin~ portion constrain the strip or
lC tubing against transverse displacement as it ad~ances towards
the print head. Pre~erably the cassette is arranged so that
it can be ~eversed, to ena~l~ the strip or tubing to be printed
on either side: in particular, the strip or tu~ing can be
printed on one side, then re~ound into the cassette, for ehe
15 cassette thcn to be turned over to enable printing on the
opposite slde of the strip or tubing Pre~erably therefore,
the cassette is symmetrical about a plane which contains its
exit slo~ and the axis around which the strip or tubing is
wound.
Also in accorda~ce with the presen~ inv~ntion, there is
provided a thermal transfer printer in combination with a
length o~ elongate strip or flattened tubing, the printer
havi~g a thermal transfer print head and means for guiding the
strip or tubing past the print head, the guiding means being
arranged to constrain the strip or tubing against lateral
displacement as it advances throu~ the print head.
The strip or tubing is prefera~ly pre~ormed with
transverse lines of weakness at intervals along its length, to
de~i~e successive markers The iines of weakness may be
30 provided by a line of perforations or by a partial cut through
thc thickness of the material: however, the lines o~ weakness
may be ~ormed at any desired intervals, so ~orming mar~ers o~
any desired lengths.
Pre~era~ly, the strip is semi-rigi~. Preferably, the
35 str~p eomprises an adhesive backing.
In use, as the strip or tubing advances through the
printer, the position of the p~r~orations or lines o~ weakness
between successive markers needs to ~e determined, so that the
printer ca~ determine where to positio~ each successive print
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on each succesQive marker.
Thus, in accordance ~ith this in~ention, there is
pro~ided a printer in combination with a length o~ ~longate
strip or flattened tubing, formed with transverse lines o~
5 w~akness at i~tervals along its length to define successive
markers, da~um markings being formed at regular intervals along
the strip or tubing, the spacing between each marking being
related to the length of each markex, the printer compri3ing
a sensor arranged to sense the position of each marker as the
10 strip or tubing is advanced through the printer and control
~eans arranged to control the po~ition at which successive
prints are formed on successive ~arkers o~ the strip or tubing,
in accordance with the output of the sensor.
In usc, the sensor d~t~cts the position of the datum
15 markings, so that the printer kno~s whcn it can start printing
each suc~essi~e marker.
Prefera~ly a datum marking is provided on each o~ the
successi~e ~arkers. However, it is envisa~ed that datum
markings may not ~c provided on e~ery marker, in which case the
20 printer is preferably arra~ged to calculate the position a~
which each successive mark¢r is to be print~d.
Preferably the markings are transparent and thus do not
af fect the appearance of the markers on which they are
provided.
25Preferably the markings are formed of a Uv reflective
~aterial such as ink.
Preferably, the printer compri~es a W light source
which irradiates the strip or tubing, the sensor being arranged
to detect said ~ light re~lected ~rom ~h~ datum markings.
30A disadvantage of cut~ing or tearing markers ~rom a
length o~ markers is that the length of markers beco~es
fragmented, with the result that ~ome markers can become lost.
This is a particular problem ~rhere is each marker i3 princed
differently and selected markers ar~ then cut at random from
35 the length.
In order to overco~e ~his problem, the strip or tubing
i5 preferably joined to an axially extending carrier which
keeps the remaining markers together once ~arkers h~e been cut
or torn from the length
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In one em~odiment, the edge o~ the strip or tubing is
connected to the edge o~ the carrier. Preferably, t~o lengths
of strip or tubing are mounted side-by-side to respective
oppo~ite side edges of the carrier. Preferably, the or each
length o~ ~trip or tubin~ is frangibly connected to the
carrier
In an alternati~e embodiment, the strip or tu~ing is
~ounted on an elongate carrier of sheet ~aterial such as paper,
the strip or tubing being disposcd between opposite side edges
lo of the carrier. Pre~erably, a plurality o~ strips and l~ngths
o~ tu~ing coextend along the carrier.: Thi~ format aids
alignment, since the carrier can be tractor-fed, Qay by means
of perforations extending along the length of the c~rrier.
Also in accordance with the present in~ention, there is
15 provided a method of formin~ printed markers, comprising
advancing an elongate strip or length of flattened tubing
longitudinally of itself through a thermal transfer printer and
printing indicia at successive longitudinal interval~ onto said
strip or tubing.
Thc strip or tubin~ may be formed ~ith transverse lines
of weakness after it has been printed.
Further in accordance with thc pre~ent invention, there
is pro~ided feedstock for forming individual mark~rs,
co~prising an elongate strip or a flattened length o~ tubing,
formed wit~ transverse lines of weakness at intervals along its
leng~h, to define successi~e markers.
~ et further in accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a series of ma~kers ~ormed on an elongate
strip or length of flattened tubing, said ~trip or tubing being
formed with trans~erse ~ines of weakness at intervals and
carrying printed indicia ~etween the adjacent pairs of lines
of weakness.
Embodiments of the present invcntion will now be
described by way cxamples only and with reference to th~
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG~E l is a plan view of a ~irst embodiment of
fe~dstock in the form of flattened tubing;
FIGURE 2 is sectional view through a second embodiment
o~ feedstock in the for~ of two lengths o~ tubing mounted side-
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by-side to a carrier:
FIG~RE 3 is a plan view of thc feedstock o~ Figure 2;
FIGURE 4 is a plan ~fiew of a third embodiment of
~eedstock in the form of lengths of strip or ~lattened tubing
5 mounted on a carrier;
FIGURE S a plan vie~ oi~ a fourth e~r~odiment o~
feedstock in the form of elongate strip;
FIGURE: 6 is a schematic side view of an em~odiment of
thex~al transfer printer in zccordance ~ith th~ invention;
FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a ~ui~e arrangement of the
printer;
FI&URE 8 is a view of a cassette in ac~ordance with the
in~ention;
FIGURE 9 is a view of the cassette fitted into the
thermal trans~er printer o~ ~igure 6;
FIGURE 10 is a schematic section~l view of a portion o~
an alternative embodiment of th~rmal trans~er printer in
accordance with the invention.
Re~erring to Figure 1, there is s~own a portion of a
20 length of tubing 10 which has been flattened by ~eing passed
between a pair of rollers under ~oderate heat. ~he tubing may
be heatshrinkable or non-heatshrink~ble, and comprises a
plastics material e.g. PVC or a polyole~in. The tubing is semi-
sever~d across its width at periodic intervals, ~s indicated
25 at 12, so that individual markers, once printed, can be torn
from it, as indicated at 14.
Referring to Figures 2 an~ 3 of the drawings, two
lengths of flattened tubing lOa,lOb are arranged side-by-sid~
and are interconnected by a solid carrier 11. I'h~ lengths of
tubing lOa,lOb can be pri~ted simultaneously using a single
printer.
Once printed, the l~ngths o~ tubing lOa,lOb can be
detached from the carrier ll using a simple tearing action.
Both lengths of tubing lOa,'Ob a~e se~i-se~ered across their
35 width at periodic i~te~valj~ as indicated a~ 13, so that
selected individual ~arkers can be detachcd from various points
along the prin~ed length: the carrier 11 k~eps th~ remaining
portions of the tubing lOa,lOb together, so that they do not
get lost and so that further individual markers can easily be
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selected.
Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, one or more
lengths o~ strip and/or tubing 1~ can be supplied adhered to
a paper carrier 16 and prese~ted on a roll. The carrier 16
comprises a longitudinally extending series o~ perforations 17
w~ich can be engaged by a toothed dri~e wheel on the printer,
so as to ad~rance the carrier and strip or tubi~g through the
printer. The lengths of strip or tubing are scvered across
their width, as indicated at 18, so that indi~idual printed
lo markers can be selected at random from the carrier 16, whilst
keeping the remaining markers co~veniently together.
Figure 5 shows a portion of a length of flat strip 20
which is also semi-se~ered at int~rvals along its length, as
indicated at 22, to definc successive markers. ~he strip is
15 pre-punched to form each such marker wi~h a pair of rectangular
apertures 24 tor alternatively with a single aperture) adjacent
each of its oppositc ends, for attaching the marker, typically
using ~able ties, to a cable etc. to be marked.
Feedstock 19 of any of the types shown in ~igures 1 to
5 may ~e wound onto a reel 30, which is then ~itted into a
thermal transfer printer 25 as shown in ~igures 6 and ~, for
the feedstock 19 to pass the print hcad 36, where it is printed
on as required. The printer 25 co~prises a spindle 32
projecting from a side wall of the apparatus, and the reel 30
i~ r~ceived on this spindle. The feedstock 19 passes from the
reel 30, through a pair o~ closely-spaced guide plates 34, then
over a roller 3S which is positioned under the thermal p~int
head 36, and finally out through a slot 37 in the ~ront of the
pri~er. A printer ribbon 38 is advanced past the thermal
30 print head, over the feedstock 19, from a reel 39 to a reel ~o
In order to prevent the feedstock 19 wandering sideways
as it passes from its reel 3~ to the print head 36, a guide
arrangemcnt is provided, comprising a pair of elongate guide
members 42. At one end, the guide members 42 engage over the
3S spindle 32 either side of the recl 30 and ~re secured in
position b~ ~ightening respect screws 43: at their opposite
ends, the guide ~embers 42 engage in a slot 34a in a
downwardly-bent rear portion of the lower guide plate 3~. A~
shown in Figure 7, there is a gap between the t~o guide ~embers
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42: the inwardly facing edges of the two guide members 42 are
formed with longitudinally-extending groov~s (one of which is
shown at 42a in ~igure 6). The opposite edges o~ the feedstock
19 are received in the longitudinal grooves 42a of the two
5 guide me~bers 42.
In the example shown in Figure9 6 and 7, the two guide
members 42 are s~parate from the reel 30 and indep~ndently
fitted in place, at one end in the slot 34a of t~e lower guide
plate 34 and at the othcr end on the spindle 32. Instead, ~h~
two guide members 42 may be mounted to the reel 30, enabling
the reel and guide members to be fitted as a single unit into
the printer 25: for example, the two guide melT~ers 42 may fit
together through the centre op~ning in the reel.
Two or more reels 30, with ~heir respective guide
15 members, may be mounted side-by-side on the spindle 32, such
that their feedstock advance side-by-side past the print head
36. In this way, the correspon~in~ number o~ ~eedstock (~u~es
or strip) may be printed simultaneously.
The feedstock used .in thc printer ma~ be of a wide
20 range of di~ferent widths, the reel 30 being o~ correspond.ing
width. Where the fccdstock is preformed with transverse lines
o~ weakness at regular inter~als along its length, then use is
mad~ o~ a graduated support 44 projecting from the front of the
printer 25: thus, the feedstock is pulled through un~il its
25 leading end is aligned with one o~ the graduations, appropriate
for the distance between the succes~ive lines o~ weakness of
that particular feedstock; this ensures that the printing
process will ~e synchronised to the successive markers.
The feedstock may be formed to a profile in cross-
section, inst~ad o~ being ~lat. In this case, the guide plates34 and roller 36 ma~ be ~ormed with a correspondingly profiled
cross-section.
Instead of being wound on a reel, the feeds~ock may be
wound in~o a cassette as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The
35 cassette comprises a body part S0 having a flat base formed
with an upstanding peripheral ~all 51 and with ~n upstanding
core 52: the cassette further compris~s a ~lat cover 53 which
fits across the open top o~ the ~ody part 50 and is secured i~
place by a screw 54 which passes through the cover 53 and into
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the core 52. ~he cassette comprises a generally circular main
portion, with the core 52 at its centre, from whlch a tapered
portion projects: the end of the latter portion is provided
with a slot 55. The feeds~ock 19 is wound around the core 52
5 within the cassette and its free end passes outwardly throug~
the slot 55. The core 52 a~d ~astening screw 54 are ~ormed
~th a through-hol~ so that the cassette can be mounted on the
spindle 3Z of the print.er, alongsi~ one or more additional
cassettes. In passing to the print head, the ~eedstock 19 is
10 guided by t~e opposite sides o~ the cassette and so prevented
fro~ ~andering side~ays. ~s shown in Figure 9, when the
cass~tte is fitted into the printer, its tapered end terminates
a short distsnc~ from the entrance to the passagewa~ between
the two guid~ plates 34: the cassette r~mains free to turn on
15 the spindle 32, a~d to adopt its own position as the feedstock
is drawn past the print head.
It will be noted that the casset~e is s~mmetrical in
shape about a plane which contains the exit slot 55 and the
axis o~ the core 52. Thus, its ~eedstock 19 can be printed on
20 one side, then rewound into the cas~ette, and the cassette can
~en be turned over for the feed~tock to be printed on its
opposite side.
It ~ill be apprecia~ed that the printer can print any
desired indicia on the fe~dstock: the printing may run either
lengthwise or transversely of the feedstock. The printing may
also include graphics. Further, the printing may b~ ~ormed to
any selected colour, ~y appropriate choic~ o~ the p~inter
ribbon. The feedstock can be of any desired colour, and the
printing may be white lo~ other light colours) onto black (or
30 other dark colour) feeds~ock.
The printer may be adapted to ~ccepted large-diameter
r~els of feedstock, carried on a spindle mounted outside the
printer casing. The feedstock may then enter the printer
through it9 rear wall, pass over the spindle 3;2 of the printer
35 and then be guided by a pair of guide members 42 (as previously
described) to the passageway between the guide plates 34.
The ~lattened tubing feedstock 10 of ~igure l may be
pre~ormed ~ith its successive transverse lines o~ weakness 12
prior to printing, as sho~n: alternati~ely, these lines of
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weakness may be ~ormed subsequent to the printing. Similarly,
the strip 2~ of Figure 5 ~ay bc formed with its transverse
lines o~ ~eakness 22 and fi~ing apertures 24 prior to printi~g,
or ~ubsequent to the printing. Alternatlvely, the feedstock
(particularly the strip 20 of Figure 5~ may be supplied in it~
printed form, ~ithout its trans~erse lines of weakness, for the
user to cut indi~idual markers from it
In embodiments wherc the strip or tubing is preformed
with transverse lines of weakness defining successl~e markers,
the lines of weakness may be overprinted with a band of
transparent UV ink, in order to de~ine datum marks 90, as ohown
in Figures 1, 3 and 5.
Referring to Figure 10, the printer is arranged to
detect these datum marks ~0 be~ween successive markers, so that
it ~an determine where to form the prints on successive
markers. In order to achie~e this, the printer comprises a UV
light source 91 which illuminates the strip or tubing 10/20
with W light through a window 93 ~7 light is re~lected from
the strip or tubing 10~20 through a window 94 onto a W sensor
92 disposed adjacent the light source 91.
The output of the senQor 92 is connected to a print
control unit via a le~el detector. In use, a great~r amount
o~ UV light is reflec~ed by the strip or tubing 10/20 when the
datum marks 90 pass the seno.or 92. The level de~ector is
25 arranged to de~ect the increased output l~vel of the sensor 92
and in this manner the pxi~t control circuit can control the
position of successi~e prints to correspond with the position
of the successive markers as the strip or tubing advances
through the printer.
A particular advantage of using a thermal transfer
printer is that the print formed on the feedstock i8 resi~tant
to touch (in contrast to the print formed by dot matrix
printers, which requires "fixing", for example under W light).
Further, the prin~ is itself resistant to W li~ht, and will
3S therefore no~ fade over time.
It will ~urther be appreciated that the printer avoids
~astage. The reels and cassettes can be re-used. Further, the
~cedstock is free o~ contamination: the reels o~ dstock can
be enclosed in a ~rapper until use, whilst the cassettes are
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~nclosed and ensure protection for the feed-qtock.
