Patent Application
20230119607
The present invention relates to a lightweight hand-held label applicator, and more particularly, a lightweight hand-held label applicator that, while simple in design, can efficiently apply a large number of labels from a strip to items.
Label applicators are used to apply labels to various items. The labels, which can be printed directly by the label applicator or a separate printer to include various information and/or ornamentation, typically are releasably attached to a backing strip to form a strip, usually a roll strip. Such a roll strip is mounted on a label applicator, and the labels are peeled off of the backing strip and attached to items by the label applicator.
Label applicators, which can be stationary or hand-held, typically include a roll strip container, printer, label dispenser, motor, battery, and handle. The strip may travel from the roll strip container to a printer so that the labels can be printed with intended information such as product information, logo or design, barcode, QR code, or the like. Then, the strip travels to the label dispenser where the labels are peeled off of the backing strip and attached to items such as products, packages, etc. The motor and battery are used to move the strip and the handle is used by a user to hold the label dispenser.
As noted above, the label applicator may or may not have a printer. If it does not have a printer, a strip with pre-printed labels is mounted on the label applicator. Also, the strip's movement may be powered by the motor and battery, or manually by a user. When the strip manually travels, the handle typically has a trigger and triggering structure to enable the movement of the strip by the trigger.
Each of the printer, motor, and battery can make the label applicator bulky and heavy. Even when the label application does not have a printer, motor, or battery, it is relatively bulky and heavy because of the handle, trigger, and triggering structure.
A bulky and heavy hand-held label applicator is not suitable for applying a large number of labels to items and may cause injury to a user, especially the user's hand after extended use. The applicator's weight may be decreased if it does not include a printer, motor, or battery; however, it still has to include a handle, trigger, and triggering structure, and is still relatively bulky and heavy.
Therefore, to solve the above problems, a lightweight hand-held label applicator, which has a simple structure, but is effective in quickly applying a large number of labels to items, is provided, as there is a need for a device that accomplishes this goal. This invention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-felt need.
The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art. The present invention provides a lightweight hand-held label applicator, which has a simple structure, but is effective in quickly applying a large number of labels to items.
The object of the invention is to provide a lightweight hand-held label applicator which includes a plate, a guide channel, a flexible wiping lip, and a strip container. The plate has a supplying surface and a sliding surface, and the strip is supplied along the supplying surface toward an edge of the plate. The plate is constructed to allow easy grip by a user's fingers on the supplying surface and the sliding surface such that the strip is in contact with the sliding surface and pulled away from the edge of the plate by the user's finger. Preferably, the user's thumb holds the supplying surface or the guide channel, and the user's index or middle finger holds the sliding surface and pulls the strip away from the edge of the plate.
The guide channel is formed on the supplying surface to laterally guide the movement of the strip. The flexible wiping lip is attached to an edge of the guide channel, and the strip container is formed on or attached to the supplying surface of the plate for mounting and storing the strip.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight hand-held label applicator which includes a plate, a guide channel, and a flexible wiping lip, and does not include a strip container. The plate has a supplying surface and a sliding surface, and the strip is supplied along the supplying surface toward an edge of the plate. The plate is constructed to allow easy grip by a user's fingers on the supplying surface and the sliding surface such that the strip is in contact with the sliding surface and pulled away from the edge of the plate by the user's finger. Preferably, the user's thumb holds the supplying surface or the guide channel, and the user's index or middle finger holds the sliding surface and pulls the strip away from the edge of the plate. The guide channel is formed on the supplying surface to laterally guide the movement of the strip, and the flexible wiping lip is attached to an edge of the guide channel.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight hand-held label applicator which includes a plate, a guide channel, a flexible wiping lip, a strip container, an item contact roller, and an idler roller. The plate has a supplying surface and a bottom surface. The strip is supplied along the supplying surface toward an edge of the plate, and the strip is pulled backward below the bottom surface. The guide channel is formed on the supplying surface to laterally guide the movement of the strip. The item contact roller and idler roller are located below the bottom surface such that the strip passes through in between the item contact roller and the idler roller. The item contact roller is located slightly below the idler roller such that the item contact roller contacts and rolls on a surface of the item to pull the strip.
The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the label applicator of the present invention has a very simple structure, but it is easy-to-use and very effective in quickly applying a large number of labels to items; (2) the label applicator of the present invention is lightweight and convenient to use, and thus, is less likely to cause injury especially when a user uses it for an extended period of time; (3) using the present invention, a user can work very fast in applying a large number of labels to items; (4) the present invention has a very simple structure that is easy to manufacture at a low cost; and (5) because of its simple structure, it is easy to clear label jams or remove labels stuck in the label applicator.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention.
Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about”, it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
The guide channel 20 is formed on the supplying surface 12 to laterally guide the movement of the strip 80. The guide channel 20 and the plate 10 may be integral with each other as a single piece, or they may be manufactured in two or more sections and assembled together. The flexible wiping lip 30 is attached to an edge of the guide channel 20, and the strip container 40 is formed on or attached to the supplying surface 12 of the plate 10 for mounting and storing the strip 80. The flexible wiping lip 30 may be manufactured from food grade polypropylene or any other material suitable for wiping or pressing the labels to help easy attachment of the labels to items.
The label application 100 may further include a cylindrical separator 50 formed on or attached to the edge 15 of the plate 10. The cylindrical separator 50 helps smooth movement of the strip 80 and easy separation of the labels 82 from the backing strip 84. The separator 50 may be integrally manufactured with the plate 10 as a single piece. Alternatively, the separator 50 may be separately manufactured and made of flexible material and installed on the edge 15 of the plate 10. The edge 15 of the plate 10 may have a cylindrical bulge to prevent the separator from being dislodged.
A window 23 may be formed on the guide channel 20 so that contents of the labels 82 are visible right before being applied to items. The window 23 may be an opening or made of a glass, film or transparent material. As shown in
The widths of the backing strip 84 may be 1″, 2.25″, 3″, or 4″, and the label application 100 may be manufactured to accommodate only one size. Alternatively, the guide channel 20 may be constructed to adjust its width to accommodate different sizes (widths) of the backing strip 84.
As shown in
As shown in
The strip container 40 may be box-shaped with its top side being open and extends diagonally from the supplying surface 12 of the plate 10 as shown in
The guide channel 20 is formed on the supplying surface 12 to laterally guide the movement of the strip 80. The guide channel 20 and the plate 10 may be integral with each other as a single piece, or they may be manufactured in two or more sections and assembled together. The flexible wiping lip 30 is attached to an edge of the guide channel 20. The flexible wiping lip 30 may be manufactured from food grade polypropylene or any other material suitable for wiping or pressing the labels to help easy attachment of the labels to items.
The label application 100 may further include a cylindrical separator 50 formed on or attached to the edge 15 of the plate 10. The cylindrical separator 50 helps smooth movement of the strip 80 and easy separation of the labels 82 from the backing strip 84. The separator 50 may be integrally manufactured with the plate 10 as a single piece. Alternatively, the separator 50 may be separately manufactured and made of flexible material and installed on the edge 15 of the plate 10. The edge 15 of the plate 10 may have a cylindrical bulge to prevent the separator from being dislodged.
A window 23 may be formed on the guide channel 20 so that contents of the labels 82 are visible right before being applied to items. The window 23 may be an opening or made of a glass, film or transparent material. As shown in
The widths of the backing strip 84 may be 1″, 2.25″, 3″, or 4″, and the label application 100 may be manufactured to accommodate only one size. Alternatively, the guide channel 20 may be constructed to adjust its width to accommodate different sizes (widths) of the backing strip 84.
As shown in
As shown in
The strip container 40 is formed on or attached to the supplying surface 12 of the plate 10 for storing the strip 80. The strip container 40 may be box-shaped or circular-shaped as a roll container. The item contact roller 60 and idler roller 65 are located below the bottom surface 14 such that the strip 80 passes through in between the item contact roller 60 and the idler roller 65. The item contact roller 60 is located slightly below the idler roller 65 such that the item contact roller 60 contacts and rolls on a surface of the item to pull the strip 80. In the alternative embodiment, there is only one roller of the item contact roller 60 and the strip 80 travels between the item contact roller and the bottom surface 14.
The label application 100 may further include a cylindrical separator 50 formed on or attached to the edge 15 of the plate 10. The cylindrical separator 50 helps smooth movement of the strip 80 and easy separation of the labels 82 from the backing strip 84. The separator 50 may be integrally manufactured with the plate 10 as a single piece. Alternatively, the separator 50 may be separately manufactured and made of flexible material and installed on the edge 15 of the plate 10. The edge 15 of the plate 10 may have a cylindrical bulge to prevent the separator from being dislodged.
A window 23 may be formed on the guide channel 20 so that contents of the labels 82 are visible right before being applied to items. The window 23 may be an opening or made of a glass, film or transparent material. As shown in
The widths of the backing strip 84 may be 1″, 2.25″, 3″, or 4″, and the label application 100 may be manufactured to accommodate only one size. Alternatively, the guide channel 20 may be constructed to adjust its width to accommodate different sizes (widths) of the backing strip 84.
As shown in
As shown in
The strip container 40 is constructed to store a roll of the strip 80. The strip container 40 may be box-shaped with its top side being open and extends diagonally from the supplying surface, or circular shaped to store a roll of the strip 80.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by accompanying claims.
