Hand-held labeler

Abstract

 There is disclosed a hand-held apparatus for applying pressure sensitive labels (L) releasably secured to a web (W) )f supporting material. The web (W) and labels (L) which it carries are arranged in a roll (R). The apparatus includes a housing (10) which rotatably mounts the label roll (R). The lousing (10) has a handle (16). The housing (10) also mounts a delaminator (31) at which labels (L) are delaminated from the web (W). An actuator (17) disposed at the handle (16) is coupled to a driver. Actuation of the actuator (17) advances the web (W) to delaminate labels. A curved leaf spring (21) mounted to the housing (10) extends partially about the label roll (R). A pair of fingers (64,65) cantilevered to the leaf spring (21) straddlethe label roll (R) to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll. The leaf spring (21) preferably extends in close proximity to the outer surface of a full label roll to prevent excessive unwinding of the roll. In addition the leaf spring (21) effects gradual paying out of the web from the label roll.

Description

Background of the Invention

Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention relates to the art of hand-held labelers.

Brief Description of the Prior Art

[0002] The following U.S. patents disclose hand-held labelers having means to prevent telescoping and/or mushrooming of a label roll: 3,440,123, 4,116,747 and 4,148,678. Patent 4,116,747 also discloses a curved leaf spring extending partially about the label roll.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to an improved hand-held labeler. The labeler includes a leaf spring cantilevered mounted to the labeler housing. The leaf spring has a pair of spaced retainers or fingers that straddle the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll. Telescoping can be especially problemsome when the outer passes of the label roll unwind or mushroom excessively due to excess rotation of the label roll. The present invention obviate excessive telescoping by means of simple, easy to manufacture, low cost structure having a minimum of parts. The fingers are preferably molded integrally with the leaf spring. The leaf spring prevents excessive mushrooming of the label roll and also serves to effect the gradual paying out of the web from the roll, while the fingers prevent excessive telescoping. The fingers are preferably offset along the length of the leaf spring to facilitate molding. The fingers are preferably flexible and resilient to obviate damage. The label roll is mounted on a pair of spaced rotatable mounting members. The fingers are spaced more widely than the mounting members to obviate interference. At least one of the fingers overlaps the respective mounting member.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0004] 

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hand-held labeler having a print head cover portion shown in its open position and illustrating a labeler in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the labeler shown in FIGURE 1, but showing a label- carrying web threaded through the apparatus, the web being arranged in a roll mounted by the labeler;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the labeler and label roll shown in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a leaf spring and a pair of spring fingers for straddling the label roll also shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0005] The hand-held labeler 9 illustrated in FIGURE 1 incorporates a housing 10 which includes two mating side sections 12 and 14 which are preferably molded of a plastics material. The housing 10 also includes a handle portion 16 having an actuator 17. The specific construction of the housing 10 and the components enclosed therein are described in above-mentioned U.S. patent 4,116,747 incorporated herein by reference. The labeler 9 is adapted to receive a supply of pressure sensitive labels L which are carried by a web W and wound into a roll R inserted between the opposing freely rotatable mounting members or hub members 19. A molded plastic leaf spring 21 guides the web W and labels L which it carries into the labeler 9, and the web W is directed upwardly across the inner surface of a flat platen 23 where the labels L are successively printed. Each pressure sensitive label L is printed on the platen 23 by movement of the print head 25 in response to retraction of the actuator 17, and the web W is advanced by a predetermined increment when the actuator 17 is released. The printed label L is peeled from the carrier web 10 at a delaminator 31 where the carrier web reverses and is directed downwardly and rearwardly through the labeler 9 and around a ratchet type indexing drive wheel 32 enclosed within the housing 10. As each printed label L is fed past the delaminator 31, the label is positioned to be applied to an article by a label applicator 35.

[0006] In a manner as illustrated in above-mentioned patent 4,116,747, the print head 25 is enclosed or covered by a molded plastic cover section 37 which is pivotally connected to the mating housing sections 12 and 14 by a cross shaft 38. The closure or cover section 37 is retained within its closed position by a latch mechanism which is released by pulling rearwardly on a set of outwardly projecting latch actuator knobs or pins 39, as explained in above-mentioned patent No. 4,116,747.

[0007] A replaceable ink applying roller 40 includes a porous ink retaining body or tube which is mounted on a pair of opposing hub members having corresponding outwardly projecting end journals 42. The ink roller 40 is supported and carried by a frame or holder 45 which is preferably molded of a plastics material and has a set of trunnions 47 projecting outwardly into aligned holes within the cover section 37 to form a pivot axis for the holder 45. The ink applying roller 40 and holder 45 are biased or urged toward a position where the ink roller 40 engages the printing characters on printing bands 27 and rolls across the characters in response to forward movement of the printing head 25. The biasing force is produced by a pair of spring members or elements 52 (FIGURE 6) which are also molded of a plastics material such as nylon.

[0008] The leaf spring 21 has a mounting portion 60 cantilevered in opposed pockets 61. The mounting portion 60 is joined to a relatively wide portion 62 which is joined to a narrower portion 63. The deflection of the wide portion 62 is less than the deflection of the narrower portion 63. A pair of fingers 64 and 65 are connected to a marginal end portion 66 of the spring 21. The marginal end portion 66 is opposite the mounting portion 60. The spring 21 and the fingers 64 are preferably of one-piece molded plastics construction for ease of manufacture and to provide the desired functions with a minimum of parts. The fingers 64 and 65 are shown to be generally parallel to each other and to be disposed in straddling relationship with respect to the label roll R as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. As best shown in FIGURE 3, the fingers 64 and 65 are spaced more widely apart than the mounting members 19 which mount the label roll R. Also the finger 64 overlaps the mounting members 19 whereas the mounting member 65 does not quite overlap. The fingers 64 and 65 prevent excessive telescoping of the label roll R. Excessive telescoping is especially problemsome when the diameter of the roll R is large. As the diameter of the label roll R decreases with repeated label cycles, there is less tendency of the roll R to telescope when the label roll R is full. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the spring 21 also keeps the label roll from mushrooming. Mushrooming occurs when the roll R unwinds excessively, thereby causing the outer passes of the roll R to become loose. As mushrooming occurs one of the passes of the roll R will contact the underside of the leaf spring 21 which will offer frictional resistance. As shown in the drawings, the fingers 64 and 65 are relatively thin and are flexible and resilient so that if the labeler 10 is dropped or otherwise abused, there is not the tendency of the spring fingers 64 and 65 or the flexible resilient spring 21 to break or become bent out of shape. The fingers 64 and 65 are shown cantilevered to the spring 21 at end portion 66. The fingers 64 and 65 are shown to be offset lengthwise of the spring 21 to facilitate molding and this is a feature of the invention.

[0009] Three hook-shaped projections 67 are formed integrally with the sides of the marginal end portion 66. The projections 67 are shown to be offset lengthwise. The projections 67 are acknowledged to be prior art. The projections 67 guide the outer pass of the web as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

[0010] Other embodiments and modifications of this 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.

Claims

1. Hand-held apparatus for applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material and including a housing having a handle, means for mounting a label roll on the housing, a delaminator mounted by the housing, an applicator for applying delaminated labels, a driver for advancing the web, means defining a feed path from the label roll, to the delaminator where labels are successively peeled from the web, to the driver, and to a place of exit from the housing, and means for moving the driver to advance the web including a manually engageable actuator disposed at the handle, the improvement comprising a leaf spring cantilevered to the housing and having a pair of spaced fingers for straddling the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll, the web being adapted to pass into contact with the leaf spring.

2. Hand-held apparatus for applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material and including a housing having a handle, means for mounting a label roll on the housing, a delaminator mounted by the housing, an applicator for applying delaminated labels, a driver for advancing the web, means defining a feed path from the label .roll, to the delaminator where labels are successively peeled from the web, to the driver, and to a place of exit from the housing, and means for moving the driver to advance the web including a manually engageable actuator disposed at the handle, the improvement comprising a leaf spring having a pair of spaced fingers for straddling the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll, the leaf spring having a first end portion cantilevered to the housing and the fingers being connected to the other end portion.

3. Hand-held apparatus for applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material and including a housing having a handle, means for mounting a label roll on the housing, a delaminator mounted by the housing,.an applicator for.applying delaminated labels, a driver for advancing the web, means defining a feed.path from the label roll, to the delaminator where labels are successively peeled from the web, to the driver, and to a place of exit from the housing, and means for moving the driver to advance the web including a manually engageable actuator disposed at the handle, the improvement comprising a leaf spring cantilevered to the housing and having a pair of spaced fingers for straddling the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll, wherein the leaf spring and the spring fingers are of one-piece molded plastics construction.

4. Hand-held apparatus for applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material and including a housing having a handle, means for mounting a label roll on the housing, a delaminator mounted by the housing, an applicator for applying delaminated labels, a driver for advancing the web, means defining a feed path from the label roll, to the delaminator where labels are successively peeled from the web, to the driver, and to a place of exit from the housing, and means for moving the driver to advance the web including a manually engageable actuator disposed at the handle, the improvement comprising a leaf spring cantilevered to the housing and having a pair of spaced fingers for straddling the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll, wherein the leaf spring and the spring fingers are of one-piece molded plastics construction, wherein the fingers are offset along the length of the leaf spring to facilitate molding.

5. Hand-held apparatus-for applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material and including a housing having a handle, means for mounting a label roll on the housing, a delaminator mounted by the housing, an applicator for applying delaminated labels, a driver for advancing the web, means defining a feed path from the label roll, to the delaminator where labels are successively peeled from the web, to the driver, and to a place of exit from the housing, and means for moving the driver to advance the web including a manually engageable actuator disposed at the handle, the improvement comprising a curved leaf spring cantilevered to the housing and having a pair of spaced fingers for straddling the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll, the leaf spring being slightly spaced from the outer periphery from a full label roll to obviate excessive mushrooming of the label roll, the web being adapted to pass over and contact the leaf spring.

6. Hand-held apparatus for applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material and including a housing having a handle, means for mounting a label roll on the housing, a delaminator mounted by the housing, an applicator for applying delaminated labels, a driver for advancing the web, means defining a feed path from the label roll, to the delaminator where labels are successively peeled from the web, to the driver, and to a place of exit from the housing, and means for moving the driver to advance the web including a manually engageable actuator disposed at the handle, the improvement comprising a curved leaf spring cantilevered to the housing and having a pair of spaced fingers for straddling the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll, wherein the label roll mounting means include a pair of spaced mounting members rotatably mounted to the housing, the fingers being spaced apart to a greater extent than the mounting members to enable at least one of the fingers to overlap the respective mounting member.

7• Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein there are two and only two fingers.

8. Hand-held apparatus for applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material and including a housing having a handle, means for mounting a label roll on the housing, a delaminator mounted by the housing, an applicator for applying delaminated labels, a driver for advancing the web, means defining a feed path from the label roll, to the delaminator where labels are successively peeled from the web, to the driver, and to a place of exit from the housing, and means for moving the driver to advance the web including a manually engageable actuator disposed at the handle, the improvement comprising a curved leaf spring cantilevered to the housing and having a pair of spaced fingers for straddling the label roll to obviate excessive telescoping of the label roll, the leaf spring being slightly spaced from the outer periphery from a full label roll to obviate excessive mushrooming of the label roll, the web being adapted to pass over and contact the leaf spring, wherein the leaf spring and the fingers are of one-piece molded plastics construction.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers are cantilevered to the leaf spring.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers are flexible and resilient and are cantilevered to the leaf spring.

Drawing