Hand-Held Labeler

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the labeling field.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The following prior art is made of record: U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,745 of Paul H. Hamisch, Jr. granted July 13, 1976; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 408,310, filed Aug. 16, 1982 of Paul H. Hamisch, Jr., now U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,727 (corresponding U.K. patent application No. 2132167A): and U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,206 of James A. Makley granted Dec. 25, 1985.

It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved hand-held labeler with a protective cover with mechanism to facilitate loading and unloading of a label supply roll in response to movement of the cover.

It is another feature of the invention to provide an improved hand-held labeler in which a label supply roll can be mounted in mounting members in which the labeler includes a mechanism for moving at least one and preferably both roll mounting members away from each other to facilitate loading and unloading of label rolls.

It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved hand-held labeler in which operation of a protective cover for the label roll effects camming of the mounting structure for the label supply roll to facilitate loading and unloading label rolls from the labeler. It is a feature of the invention to provide a label roll cover for a hand-held labeler in which movement of the cover from a closed position to an open position will facilitate release of the label roll but only when the cover is near its open position.

In accordance with a specific embodiment of the invention a hand-held thermal labeler is provided with a cover which protects the label supply roll from dust, debris and damage. The label roll is supported on a pair of roll mounting members which are movable relative toward and away from each other between a label roll mounting position and a release position from which the label roll can be readily released. The cover operates cam means which effect movement of the roll holding members. A spring is used to urge a cam follower against the cam.

Although it is preferred to use compression springs to urge the roll mounting members toward each other, by an alternative construction the cam follower can be captive in a cam track so that both inward and outward movements of the roll mounting members can be effected by the cam means without the aid of any springs.

Although both roll mounting members are moved, it is within the purview of the invention to move only one roll mounting member to release the label supply roll.

Although the roll mounting members are shown to be moved outwardly beyond the sides of the label roll as is preferred, the cam means can be constructed to move the roll mounting members outwardly to a position in which there is still interference or slight holding of the label roll because the roll mounting members do not clear the sides of the label roll .

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand-held labeler in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of housing structure, a cover, roll mounting members, a protective cover and an arrangement for moving the roll mounting members relatively away from each other to facilitate loading and unloading of label rolls;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view, with the housing structure and one of the roll mounting members mounted thereby, rotated to promote clarity of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing the path of the label carrying web;

FIG. 5 is a partly broken-away perspective view of the cover in the closed position with the associated roll mounting member shown by phantom lines;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5 but showing the cover in the open position;

FIG. 7 is a generally vertical sectional view showing the label roll supported by the mounting members, and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to the left side of FIG. 7, but showing the roll mounting member moved to the left against the action of the spring.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 initially there is shown a hand-held labeler generally indicated at 10 having a housing generally indicated at 11 with a handle 12. The labeler 10 rotatably mounts a label supply roll R. The roll R is comprised of a carrier web W on which a series of pressure sensitive labels L are releasably adhered by pressure sensitive adhesive. The web W is threaded through the labeler 10 along a path diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4 and including a guide roller 13, a thermal print head 14 and a platen roller 14', a peel roller or delaminator 15, a guide roller 16 and a toothed feed wheel 17 and a back-up roll 18. The leading label L is delivered into underlying relationship with respect to an applicator 19 in the form of a roll 20. A keyboard 21 is mounted on the housing 11. Following entry of data into the keyboard 21, printing and feeding is effected by each operation of a manual switch 22. A cover generally indicated at 23 protects the label roll R from dust, debris and damage. For further details of a labeler of the type to which the invention is applied reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,206 incorporated herein by reference.

The housing 11 includes a pair of mirror-image housing sections generally indicated at 24 and 25. The housing sections 24 and 25 have axially aligned holes 26 defined by tubular members 27. Spaced about the respective tubular members 27 is another tubular member 28 having a pair of external guide grooves 29. A pair of identical roll mounting members 30 and 31 mount the label supply roll R. Each roll mounting member 30 and 31 has a central stud or shaft 32 received in the respective hole 26. The stud 32 is integrally formed with a wall 33. Spaced outwardly from the stud 26 is a generally annular flange 34 formed integrally with the wall 33. Spaced outwardly from the flange 34 is a generally annular flange 35. A compression coaxial spring 36 urges the respective mounting member 30 and 31 toward each other, that is, inwardly. Each spring 36 is received between the tubular portion 27 and the flange 34 and abuts against respective housing section 24 or 25 and wall 33. A washer 37 is drawn against the end of the stud 32 by a screw 38. The washer 37 abuts against surface 39 on the respective housing member 24 or 25 to limit the inward movement of the respective housing member 24 or 25. FIG. 7 shows the label supply roll mounting positions of the roll mounting members 30 and 31. The members 30 and 31 have integral keys or projections 40 which cooperate with grooves 29 to allow axial sliding movement of the members 30 and 31 but prevent rotation of the members 30 and 31.

The outer periphery of the wall 33 terminates at a ridge 41. An annular ring 42 of L-shaped section has an internal diameter slightly less than the outside diameter of the wall 33 at the ridge 41. The ring 42 is resilient enough to be snapped over the ridge 41. The ring 42 is loose enough to rotate freely on surface 43 of the member 30 or 31. Horizontal leg 44 of the ring 41 enters a central opening or hole R' in the label roll R and vertical leg 45 supports a marginal outer side of the roll R adjacent the opening R'.

The cover 23 has a generally arcuate portion 46 joined to walls 47. The walls 47 have outwardly extending tubular portions or flanges 48 rotatably supported by annular portions 49 of housing sections 24 and 25. The cover 23 is pivotal from the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 to the open position shown in FIG. 6. The cover 23 protects the label roll R in its closed position but enables a label roll R to be inserted or removed from the labeler 10 in the open position.

The cover 23 is a manually engageable member which can be grasped by the user by spaced friction pads 50 (only one of which is shown) and pivoted between closed and open positions. The cover 23 has two pairs or sets of cams 51 and 52 for respective roll holding members 30 and 31. The members 30 and 31 have integrally formed cam followers 53. The cam followers 53 of the member 30 cooperates with the cam 51, and the cam follower 53 of the member 31 cooperates with the cam 52. Each cam 51 and 52 includes a respective subset of cams 51a and 51b and 52a and 52b. The cams 51a and 51b are 180.degree. apart and are identical to each other, and the cams 52a and 52b are 180.degree. apart and are identical to each other. Each cam follower 53 includes a subset of cam followers 53a and 53b. Cam followers 53a of the members 30 and 31 cooperate with respective cams 51a and 52a, and cam followers 53b of the members 30 and 31 cooperate with respective cams 51b and 52b. Thus, the action of the cams 51 on the cam followers 53 is balanced and there is no tendency for the studs 32 to bind in the holes 26.

Each of the cams 51a, 51b, 52a and 52b has a relatively long dwell portion 54, a relatively short rise portion 55 terminating at a high point 56 and a detent notch 57 immediately beyond the high point 56. The cam followers 53a and 53b contact the dwell portion 54 over 125.degree. and the inclined cam portion over 32.degree. upon movement of the cover 23 from the closed position (FIGS. 1 and 5) to the open position (FIG. 6). Immediately after the cams 51 and 52 move past the high points 56, the cam followers 53 descend slightly into detent recesses or notches 57 under the action springs 36, thereby releasably holding or detenting the cover 23 in the open position. When the user desires to close the cover 23, the user pivots the cover 23 so that the cam followers 53 move out of the respective detent notches 57, and contact high point 56, inclined cam portion 55 and dwell portion 54 in sequence.

The inclined cam portions 55 are operative essentially only at or near the end portion of the open position. It is only on the portions 55 and, of course, the detent portion 57 when the follower 32 is in the notch 57 that the roll mounting members 30 and 31 are moved apart out of the position shown in FIG. 8. Whatever the movement of the members 30 and 31 away from each other, the easier it is to insert or remove a label roll R from mounted engagement therewith.

It is understood that, if desired, only one cam acting on one cam follower of one roll holding member can be used so that only one roll holding member moves, but such is not the preferred construction.

Other embodiments of modifications of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.