Claims
- 1. A labeler, comprising:
- a hand holdable labeler housing which defines an interior for supporting a label printing mechanism therein;
- an openable bottom cover mounted to the labeler housing, the bottom cover being openable to provide access to the interior and being movable between an open position and a closed position;
- a thermal print head supported in the labeler housing for printing information on labels which are conveyed through the labeler;
- means for guiding a backing sheet, to which the labels are detachably attached, past the print head;
- a first cutter, located on the bottom cover in a first location thereon to cut sections of the backing sheet which emerge from the labeler during a first mode of operation of the labeler; and
- a second cutter, located on the bottom cover in a second location thereon, the second cutter being effective to enable cutting a leading section of the backing sheet from which the printed labels have been peeled off and which leading section emerges from the labeler adjacent to the second cutter, during a second mode of operation of the labeler.
- 2. A labeler as in claim 1, further including:
- a bending pin; and
- pulling means disposed adjacent the second cutter for pulling the leading section of the backing sheet.
- 3. A labeler as in claim 2, further including:
- a rotatable platen roller, located adjacent the print head, for engaging the backing sheet and conveying the backing sheet past the print head;
- means for rotating the platen roller at a predetermined speed; and
- means for driving the pulling means faster than the platen roller in a manner which is effective to assure that no slack develops in the backing sheet between the bending pin and the pulling means whereby the labels may be separated from the backing sheet in a reliable manner.
- 4. A labeler as in claim 3, further including:
- a platen arm which is pivotably mounted in the interior of the labeler and which is disposed generally between the bottom cover and the print head, the platen arm being pivotable between a closed position and an open position thereof, the platen roller being supported on the platen arm and being so disposed thereon that in the closed position of the platen arm the platen roller abuts the print head and in the open position of the platen arm the platen roller is offset from the print head.
- 5. A labeler as in claim 4, further including a label retainer member and a guide surface over which the backing sheet is slidable toward the print head, the label retainer member extending along the guide surface and the backing sheet and the labels thereon being guided between the guide surface and the label retainer member.
- 6. A labeler as in claim 5, further including means for coupling the platen arm to the label retainer member, the coupling means being so constructed that moving the platen arm from its closed position to its open position causes the retainer member to disengage itself from the guide surface and to create a straight label threading passage which is relatively substantially larger than the cross sectional size of the backing sheet to facilitate threading the backing sheet through the labeler.
- 7. A labeler as in claim 6, in which the means for coupling the platen arm to the label retainer member comprises a slot in the label retainer member, a coupling pin in the slot and a coupling portion disposed on the platen arm and attached to the coupling pin; the slot, the coupling pin and the coupling portion being so disposed relative to each other that the movement of the platen arm from its closed to its open position causes the pin to slide in the slot and to pivot the label retainer member away from the guide surface.
- 8. A labeler as in claim 7, in which the label retainer member includes a respective pivot about which the label retainer member is pivotable and a guide roller which is disposed on the label retainer member longitudinally oppositely to the pivot.
- 9. A labeler as in claim 1, further including a set pin for holding the bottom cover in its closed position, a set pin guide slot through which the set pin is movable, a link member coupled to the set pin and a hook means coupled to the link member and engagable with the platen arm to secure the platen arm in its closed position whereby the set pin is effective for releasing the hook means to cause the bottom cover and the platen arm to move simultaneously to their respective open positions.
- 10. A labeler as in claim 9, further including a spring for urging the platen arm toward its open position when the platen arm is disengaged from the hook means.
- 11. A labeler as in claim 1, in which the labeler is a hand held labeler which is operable while being held in one hand of an operator.
- 12. A labeler as in claim 1, in combination with a self contained, hand holdable, controller including:
- a keyboard for entering information that is to be imprinted on the labels into the controller unit and a cable for connecting the controller unit to the labeler unit to enable the information which is to be imprinted on the labels to be transmitted to the labeler unit.
- 13. A labeling system as in claim 12, further including a stand having a first channel defined therein for supporting the labeler unit in an upright position and a second channel for supporting the control unit, the labeler unit further including a label roll support means on which a roll of labels may be supported and an opening in the label support means through which an external supply of labels may be threaded into the labeler unit.
- 14. A labeling system as in claim 13, further including a rear support upright which is effective for supporting thereon an external reel of tags, the rear support upright being disposed to face the opening in the label support means so that a tag strip which may be mounted on the rear support upright is capable of being threaded from the upright through the opening and into the labeler unit.
- 15. A labeling system as in claim 14, in which the second channel which holds the control unit has a low profile along one side thereof for providing unobstructed access to the keyboard.
- 16. A labeling system as in claim 15, in which the stand supports the labeler unit in a manner such that the stand does not interfere with the application of labels issuing from the labeler unit to articles to which the labels are to be attached.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
60-24455 |
Feb 1985 |
JPX |
|
61-132712 |
Jun 1986 |
JPX |
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a Continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 046,249, filed on May 5, 1987 which in turn is a Continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 828,070, filed on Feb. 10, 1986, both now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0000657 |
Feb 1979 |
EPX |
0126899 |
Dec 1984 |
EPX |
240470 |
Nov 1985 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Yarbrough, "Personal Computer Enclosure", IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 27, No. 6, Nov. 1984, pp. 3630-3631. |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
46249 |
May 1987 |
|
Parent |
828070 |
Feb 1986 |
|