Label cutting apparatus

Details Label cutting apparatus Label cutting apparatus

1998-04-09

2001-02-06

Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)

Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture

Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor

With printing

C156S517000, C156S556000, C156S566000, C156SDIG003, C156SDIG003, C156SDIG003, C156S521000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06182730

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a label printing and label cutting apparatus, and, particularly, to such an apparatus having an applicator for applying a printed and cut label to an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
In labeling objects such as packages, envelopes and the like, an apparatus is typically provided with a supply roll of label material on a continuous backing web or the like. Alternatively, the label material can be “linerless”, i.e., without backing material. Typically, the label material on the backing is advanced from the supply reel past a printer which can provide desired indicia, such as text and graphics, onto the label, in addition to any indicia already pre-printed onto the label. The backing material is then advanced over a label separator roller or “peeler” bar onto a take-up reel while the label material, separated from the backing material, is advanced to a cutter and label applicator. By means of the cutter, the printed portion is cut from the continuous web of label material and is transferred to an object, such as package or envelope or the like, by the applicator.
The label cutter can comprise a lower fixed cutting blade and an upper guillotine-type blade which is mounted for oscillating movement with respect to the fixed cutting blade. Examples of prior art cutters of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,853 and commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/717,497, filed Sep. 20, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,023.
In order to ensure that the label affixes to the object onto which it is applied, an adhesive is often applied to a rear side of the label and allowed to set after the label is applied to the object. For convenience, the adhesive is often applied to the continuous label material prior to severing a discrete label portion from the continuous web. These types of guillotine-type cutting mechanisms often accumulate the adhesive on the cutting edges or blades as the label portion is severed from the continuous web. As the adhesives accumulate and set on the knife edges of the upper and lower blades, the movable blade can shift laterally with respect to the fixed blade causing labels to be improperly cut.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a label application apparatus comprising a main housing, a printer mounted to the housing, an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer for applying a label to an object, a supply reel rotatably mounted to the main housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon, a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator, and a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut labels from the continuous web of label material between the printer and the applicator.
In one embodiment, the applicator is mounted to the main housing on hinges for movement between a first position aligned with the printer and a second position pivoted away from the first position for servicing and a fastener for selectively retaining the applicator in the first position.
In another embodiment, the printer is pivotally mounted to the housing for movement between a first position aligned with the applicator and a second position pivoted away from the first position for servicing, and a fastener for selectively retaining the printer in the first position.
In an additional embodiment, the applicator comprises an applicator housing and an applicator head, and the cutting mechanism comprises a first blade mounted to the applicator head for movement with the applicator head between a retracted and a cutting position and for relative movement between a cutting position and an extended position, the cutting position being intermediate the retracted and extended positions.
In a further embodiment, the printer comprises a printer bracket, a first arm pivotally mounted to the printer bracket and supporting a print head which is in registry with the label bracket, and a first spring biasing the first arm toward a roller mounted to the main housing.
A second blade can be fixedly mounted closely adjacent to the first blade and at least one spring can be mounted to the first blade and to one of the applicator and the main housing for biasing the first blade toward the second blade. The first blade is preferably slidably mounted to the applicator head for movement between the first and second positions. The at least one spring can further bias the first blade toward the cutting position. A stop can preferably be located between the first blade and the applicator head to limit the movement of the first blade with respect to the applicator head at the second position. A second stop is preferably located between the first blade and one of the main housing and the applicator housing to limit the movement of the first blade with respect to the applicator head between movement of the applicator head between the cutting and extended positions. A take-up reel can be rotatably mounted to the housing for accumulation of at least a portion of the continuous web of label material and a drive roller can be provided for driving the at least a portion of the continuous web of label material toward the take-up reel. A second arm can be pivotally mounted to the printer bracket with an idler roller rotatably mounted to an outer end thereof wherein the idler roller is in register with the drive roller. A second spring can be mounted between the second arm and the printer bracket to bias the idler roller against the drive roller.
In another embodiment, an applicator support is provided on the main housing and is adapted to support the applicator, a main housing connector is provided on the applicator and is adapted to be received by the applicator support. Thus, the applicator support is selectively supported by the main housing connector and its movement is thereby restricted to a downwardly direction but not in another direction with respect to the main housing. The applicator is selectively removably mounted to the main housing for applying a label to an article when mounted to the main housing and is selectively removable from the main housing by moving the applicator in the other direction for replacement or servicing.
The applicator support and main housing connector preferably comprise quick-release hinges to pivotally mount the applicator to the main housing. The other direction can be upwardly with respect to the main housing. A fastener can be removably mounted between the applicator and the main housing for restricting pivotal movement of the applicator with respect to the main housing.
In yet another embodiment, the main housing or the printer has a socket and the other has a fastener wherein the fastener and socket are constructed to selectively mount the printer to the main housing. The mounting of the fastener within the socket can also pivotally mount the printer to the main housing.
In an additional embodiment, the printer can further comprise an adjustment plate movably mounted to a printer bracket and further mounting the printing head. At least one spring can bias the adjustment plate with respect to the printer bracket whereby the selective movement of the adjustment plate with respect to the printer bracket varies the force of the print head against the print roller.
The adjustment plate can have opposing lateral edges and the at least one spring can comprise a spring disposed between each lateral edge of the adjustment plate and the print head. The adjustment plate can also have at least one elongated slot and at least one fastener wherein the at least one fastener is selectively mounted to the printer bracket within the at least one elongated slot to selectively mount the adjustment plate at a particular longitudinal position with respect to the printer bracket.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3985605 (1976-10-01), Treiber et al.
patent: 4108706 (1978-08-01), Brands et al.
patent: 4662835 (1987-05-01), Fukuda et al.
patent: 4676859 (1987-06-01), Cleary, Jr. et al.
patent:

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