Bag printer and dispenser and packaging system with such a bag printer and dispenser
AssigneeId Technology LLC
InventorThomas L. GLATFELTER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bag printer and dispenser apparatus includes a holding structure for a bag supply web formed by a plurality of shingled bags, and a print and dispense mechanism engaged on the holding structure. The print and dispense mechanism includes a feed path along which the bag supply web is routed, and a thermal inkjet printer positioned adjacent the feed path and mounted for movement along a web traversing path that runs across at least part of a width of the bag supply web for printing on bags.
Claims18
A bag printer and dispenser apparatus, comprising:
- a holding structure for a bag supply web that is formed by a plurality of shingled bags;
- a print and dispense mechanism engaged on the holding structure, the print and dispense mechanism including a feed path along which the bag supply web is routed, and a thermal inkjet printer positioned adjacent the feed path and mounted for movement along a web traversing path that runs across at least part of a width of the bag supply web for printing on bags.
A bag printer and dispenser apparatus, comprising:
- a holding structure for a bag supply web that is formed by a plurality of shingled bags;
- a print and dispense mechanism engaged on the holding structure, the print and dispense mechanism including:
- a feed path along which the bag supply web is routed;
- an inkjet printer positioned adjacent the feed path and mounted for movement along a web traversing path that runs across at least part of a width of the bag supply web for printing on bags;
- a bag web feeder for selectively feeding the bag supply web along the feed path;
- a control system configured for detecting a leading end of a leading bag of the bag supply web when the leading bag reaches a retrieval location, the control system configured to control operation of the bag web feeder such that the leading bag is held in the retrieval location until the leading bag is separated from the bag supply web, wherein the web traversing path overlies a portion of a face of the leading bag when the leading bag is in the retrieval location, and a leading section of the bag runs in a downward direction when the leading bag is in the retrieval location.
A method of printing and dispensing bags from a bag supply web formed by a plurality of shingled bags, the method comprising:
- selectively feeding the bag supply web along a feed path past a print location;
- operating a thermal inkjet printer to traverse across at least part of a width of the bag supply web while printing on a face of a leading bag of the bag supply web;
- holding the leading bag of the bag supply web in a retrieval location in which a leading section of the leading bag extends in a downward direction and the face of the leading bag is still aligned with a traversal path of the thermal inkjet printer.
The method of 16, further comprising:
- upon separation of the leading bag from the bag supply web, operating the thermal inkjet printer to traverse across at least part of the width of the bag supply web while printing on a face of a new leading bag of the bag supply web and feeding the new leading bag to the retrieval location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.