The present invention relates to label applicators, and more particularly to a hand held label application mechanism for applying labels to items.
Hand labelers are well known for applying labels to items such as fruits, vegetables or other consumer goods. These labelers typically include a wheel that receives and holds a roll of labels, supported sequentially on a support liner, or web. The label web is advanced from the wheel through the labeler to an edge. The web is pulled over the edge to separate the labels from the support liner, allowing the labels to be deposited onto the items.
Although prior art labelers are generally acceptable, problems arise in a number of aspects of these labelers. For instance, it can be difficult to properly align the roll of labels in the labeler, such that each advancement of the label web results in the movement of one complete label to the edge. Multiple labels or partial labels often arrive at the edge, resulting in an item receiving too many labels, or no label at all. One solution to this problem is the use of a pin wheel for driving the label web. The pin wheel includes a plurality of protrusions that interfit with holes in the label web to drive the label web a desired distance for each rotation of the pin wheel. Unfortunately, however, pin wheels can lead to additional problems within the labeler, such as a jammed label web.
Additional problems with prior art label webs include a lack of storage for the waste support liner that has been separated from the labels, which can become tangled and obtrusive when hanging from the rear of the labeler, or create inefficiencies when users are forced to change or replace waste liner take-up reels.
As a result, manufacturers and users alike are continually striving for a cost efficient, hand-held label applicator that accurately and efficiently places labels onto items.
The present invention provides a hand held labeler having a support liner wheel that is driven by a motor to accurately advance the label web, while providing adequate storage for the support liner of an entire label web. The motor is connected to a micro-controller that controls the advancement of the label web to enhance accuracy.
In one embodiment, the labeler includes a label wheel supporting the label web, an applicator mechanism for applying labels to items, a support liner wheel receiving the support liner, a motor connected to the support liner wheel, the motor being actuatable to rotate the support liner wheel to pull the support liner onto the support liner wheel and to advance the label web from said label wheel, and a micro-controller for controlling the motor to vary the speed of the support liner wheel. The micro-controller controls the speed of the support liner wheel to accommodate for the increased speed of the label web as the circumference of the support liner grows on the support liner wheel. In one embodiment, a label sensor is included to signal the micro-controller when the web has advanced one label, and the micro-controller may be programmed to vary the speed of the support liner wheel as a function of label sensor's signal.
In one embodiment, the applicator mechanism includes an edge about which the label web is drawn to separate the labels from the support liner. The applicator mechanism may additionally include a trigger mechanism that is connected to the micro-controller, to signal the micro-controller that a label has been placed on an item. The micro-controller may be programmed to start the motor upon receiving the signal from the trigger mechanism. In one embodiment, the trigger mechanism includes a trigger roller and a trigger switch. The trigger roller may be movable between a first position and a second position when the roller engages and places a label on an item, and the trigger switch may be actuated by the movement of the trigger roller to send the signal to the micro-controller.
In another embodiment, the support liner wheel is sized to accommodate the support liner of an entire label web, such that the support liner wheel does not need to be emptied or replaced before depositing all of the labels of a particular label web. In one embodiment, the label wheel is sized to receive a roll of labels approximately five inches in diameter, and the support liner wheel is sized to accommodate the entire support liner of the five inch diameter wheel.
The present invention provides an efficient and accurate hand held labeler. The connection of the motor to the support liner wheel to pull the support liner and label web through the labeler reduces jamming of the web within the labeler, while the programming of the micro-controller to actuate the motor upon receiving a signal from the trigger mechanism, and to adjust the motor speed to accommodate for the changing size of the support liner on the support liner wheel increase accuracy in the placement of labels.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the current embodiment and the drawings.
A hand labeler in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown in
I. Structure
The labels 13 to be applied by the labeler 10 are generally conventional, and therefore will not be shown or described in great detail. Suffice it to say that the labels 13 can be made of plastic, paper, edible material or a combination thereof in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. The labels 13 may include an adhesive, which may be approved as edible by the FDA. The labels 13 may be attached to a support liner 17 to be dispensed by lifting the labels from the liner, or alternatively the labels may be connected end-to-end without a liner. The label support liner 17 may be made of paper, plastic, an edible material or a combination thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, shown in
The housing 18 may be made from a variety of materials, and is typically a molded thermoplastic or formed from a lightweight metal such as aluminum. It is sized to compactly support the components of the hand labeler 10 so that the entire unit can be easily held in one hand. As illustrated, the housing includes a label wheel 38 that extends from the housing 18. The label wheel 38 includes a label wheel post 20 that is substantially round and rotatably mounts over a post 37 that extends outwardly from a rear, upper portion 22 of the housing 18. A label wheel cover 40 removably attaches to the label wheel post 20. A label web 15 in roll formation (shown in
In one embodiment, the handle 14 extends from the housing 18. The handle 14 may be formed with the housing 18 as a single, unitary piece, or it may be formed from one or more pieces and attached to the housing. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 14 is designed to comfortably fit the hand of a user. In this embodiment, the handle 14 includes a rear surface 46 with an outwardly curved shape to fit within the palm of the user's hand. The front surface 48 of the handle 14 also includes a curved surface, with an outward projection 50 that provides a rest for the index finger. A ridge 52 extends around the sides of the handle to provide a rest for the thumb. The shape of the handle 14 may vary depending on the desired comfort characteristics of the handle. In an alternative embodiment, at least a portion of the handle is coated with a grip material such as an elastomer, or includes a padded surface or a padded sleeve. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 14 defines a space 51 inside the handle for receiving a battery pack 16 (described in more detail below). An end cap 57 removably attaches to the open bottom end 59 of the handle 14 to close the space 51 and retain the battery pack 16.
In the illustrated embodiment, the labeler 10 includes a label rewind wheel, or support liner wheel, 54 to collect the waste label liner after it has been separated from the labels. In one embodiment, the label rewind wheel 54 is sized to receive the entire waste liner from a 5″ diameter web of labels, however, the size of the label wheel may vary from application to application. As shown, in this embodiment the label rewind wheel 54 is mounted to the housing with a support post 53 that is attached to the housing 18 over the hole 30. As shown in
In one embodiment, the web 15 of labels 13 is advanced by the engagement of a motor 60 to the support liner wheel 54. As illustrated, in this embodiment the motor 60 is connected to the housing 18 on the opposite side as the post 53 such that the drive shaft 32 of the motor 60 extends through the hole 30 and engages the post 53. A variety of different motors 60 can be used, such as a DC brush or brushless motor, a stepper or servo motor, or another motor that is sufficient to rotate the label rewind wheel to pull the label web from the label wheel 38 and through the labeler 10. The drive shaft 32 may engage the post 53 directly, or via gears, a timing belt, an O-ring, or another known connection. In an alternative embodiment, the motor 60 may be positioned in other locations and the label web 15 may be advanced by other known methods, such as a pin wheel that engages the label support liner or a label web with no liner, or a pinch wheel. The motor 60 is supported by a rear cover 68 that defines an opening 69 for the motor 60.
Power may be provided to the motor 60 by a battery pack, or an external power supply or both. In one embodiment, the labeler 10 includes a removable battery pack 16. The battery pack 16 includes one or more batteries 64, which may be Ni-MH, Lithium, Alkaline, NiCad, Gel Cell or another battery type. A variety of known battery pack styles may be used, depending on the application. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack 16 includes four batteries 64. In the illustrated embodiment, a battery housing 66 retains the batteries 64, and provides electrical connections for connecting the batteries 64 to the motor 60 when the pack 16 is inserted. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable battery pack 16 fits inside the space 51 in the bottom end 59 of the handle 14. Alternatively, as shown in
A power switch 71 may be mounted on the rear of cover 68 of the housing 18 and is electrically connected to the motor 60 by conventional means. The power switch may include an indicator LED 73. The power switch is additionally connected to a micro-controller 70, a label sensor 72, and a trigger switch 74. The micro-controller 70 is programmed to selectively activate the motor 60. The label sensor 72 is one of a variety of electrical sensors, such as an optical sensor, a capacitive sensor, or a laser sensor, that is mounted to the labeler 10 such that it can detect the advancement of the label web 15. In one embodiment, shown in
The labeler 10 additionally includes a trigger mechanism, also known as an applicator mechanism, for advancing and/or applying labels to products. In one embodiment, the trigger mechanism is comprised of a trigger roller 12, a tension roller 82 and an edge 84 on the flange 34. Shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, a trigger switch 74 is activated by pressing the trigger roller 12 onto the product. The trigger switch 74 may signal the motor 60, or micro-controller 70 as discussed below, to start in order to index the web 15 of labels 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the trigger switch 74 is a mechanical switch. The mechanical switch is mounted to the housing 18 adjacent to the tension roller 82. As shown, the switch 74 is activated by movement of the trigger lever 75 when the trigger roller 12 is pressed against a product. The switch 74 may be otherwise activated by movement of the tension roller 82, or the switch 74 could be mounted in a different location, such as on the tension roller 82. In yet another embodiment, the trigger switch can be an electronic sensor that senses the movement of the trigger lever 75, the tension roller 82. The sensor could be an optical sensor, a capacitive sensor, a laser or another known sensor. In yet another embodiment, the electronic sensor could signal the micro-controller when it detects the presence of a product, for instance, by sensing the proximity to the product.
II. Operation
In operation, a label web 15 must first be threaded into the labeler 10. In one embodiment, shown in
The use of the labeler 10, and the labeling operation, starts when the power switch 71 is turned on and a label 13 is pressed onto a product. When a label 13 is pressed onto a product, the trigger roller 12 and lever arm 75 are caused to move, causing the trigger switch 74 to signal the micro-controller 70. Upon receiving the signal from the trigger switch 74, the micro-controller 70 activates the motor 60 to begin indexing the label web 15. In this way, the subsequent label is advanced to the trigger roller 12 such that it can be deposited. The label sensor 72 is programmed to send a signal to the micro-controller 70 when one label has moved past the sensor 72, such that the micro-controller can signal the motor 60 to stop. The micro-controller is additionally programmed to look for a signal from the label sensor 72 for a period of time, and to stop the motor 60 and signal the LED 73 to flash if no signal is received, in order to indicate that the labels are out or the support liner 17 is jammed.
In the illustrated embodiment, wherein the motor 60 is engaged with the label rewind wheel 54 to drive the label wheel 38, the micro-controller 70 is additionally programmed to accommodate for the change in speed of the advancing label web 15 as the circumference of the support liner 17 on the label rewind wheel 54 increases. A flow chart generally depicting the program of the micro-controller 70 in this embodiment is shown in
In another embodiment, the micro-controller is additionally programmed to blink the LED when the power source falls below a pre-determined voltage. The program could provide for the LED to blink rapidly for a short time, and then power the system off.
The above description is that of the current embodiment of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/CA2007/001850 | 10/19/2007 | WO | 00 | 11/11/2009 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60862274 | Oct 2006 | US |