Patent Application
20220204205
This application relates generally to label printing. The application relates more particularly to in-line label printing on liner-less label stock.
Labels are affixed to packaging to display information, such as a destination address, return address, or product information. Early labels comprised a lined adhesive side and a printable surface side. After printing, the lining is removed and the adhesive surface is placed on the packaging. More recently, duplex printing, which is printing on both sides of a label is used. Duplex printing facilitates providing information, such item lists or return address labeling, on un-gummed or non-adhesive areas of an adhesive side of the label. The shipping label may be scored such that, when pulled away from a package, the un-gummed, printed portion is revealed. In-line printing involves use of label stock removed from a label roll. A series of labels are printed and cut sequentially.
Liner-Less label stock is a relatively new development in packaging and shipping. Labels can be comprised of a single sheet with a designated area on the front side for the shipping address. The back side of each label has an adhesive area around a periphery with a designated print zone in the middle for printing information such as shipping, customer invoice information or a return label. These labels can be retrieved from a roll or reel for printing. There is no release paper on the adhesive nor any plastic sleeve for the label. Waste is thus eliminated with this label.
Various embodiments will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings wherein:
The systems and methods disclosed herein are described in detail by way of examples and with reference to the figures. It will be appreciated that modifications to disclosed and described examples, arrangements, configurations, components, elements, apparatuses, devices methods, systems, etc. can suitably be made and may be desired for a specific application. In this disclosure, any identification of specific techniques, arrangements, etc. are either related to a specific example presented or are merely a general description of such a technique, arrangement, etc. Identifications of specific details or examples are not intended to be, and should not be, construed as mandatory or limiting unless specifically designated as such.
An example of in-line print of liner-less labels can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,537, entitled “Linerless Packing and Shipping Label System,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Duplex printing on liner-less label stock suffers with issues relative to peeling labels off a roll on which they are shipped. Exposed adhesive can create relatively high and inconsistent forces with label feed mechanisms.
Example embodiments herein provide a liner-less label pre-feed system that efficiently peels the continuous form labels off the roll and then presents them to an in-line printer such that the force required to feed them into the printer is low and consistent. An independent feed nip system is provided with a high gear ratio that can handle torque needed to strip labels off a roll and then feed them at, or close to, the same rate as an in-line printer consumes them. A feedback system verifies that a correct queue of labels is in place in front of the In-Line Printer.
Block 322 illustrates components associated with a duplex, in-line printer, also suitably controlled by microcontroller 304. Included are motor/roller pairs 324 and 326 which function for ribbon take up and ribbon pay out, respectively. Solenoid 328 is operable to control an upper print head and solenoid 330 is operable to control a lower printhead for duplex, in-line printing. Cutter motor 332 is operable to cut individual labels from the ribbon. An interface to each of the motors and solenoids of block is suitably accomplished with an associated brush driver.
Also under control of microcontroller 304 are main stepper motor 340 and feed stepper motor 342. Feed stepper motor 342 accomplishes speeding or slowing of a feed roller under control of microcontroller 304. An interface to each of the stepper motors is suitably accomplished with an associated motor driver.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the spirit and scope of the inventions.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63125543 | Dec 2020 | US | |
| 63239944 | Sep 2021 | US |
