US 4,226,183 AGranted

Ink supply device for label printing machine

AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Sato

InventorYo Sato

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An ink supply device for use with a desk type label printing or tagging machine: The machine includes a printing head that is movable up and down for printing the labels of a continuous strip. The ink supply device includes an ink roller for rolling over the type surfaces and an ink roller holding mechanism. A link mechanism is provided for moving the printing head up and down as the ink roller holding mechanism moves back and forth over the types. A guide mechanism, attached in a rocking manner to the printing head, guides the ink roller holding mechanism so that the ink roller applies a preset, constant pressure upon the type surfaces of the printing head. The guide mechanism includes two pairs of guide rollers, which are rotatably attached to both sides of the ink roller holding mechanism, and includes a pair of guide links formed with a pair of guide slots that receive the guide rollers and which are sized and positioned to regulate the spacing during the ink supply operation between the axis of the ink roller and the type surfaces. The guide links are supported by rocking links that define a parallelogram with the guide links.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A label printing machine, including:

a frame;
a platen supported by said frame;
a printing head, including type surfaces opposable to said platen;
means for moving said printing head toward said platen for engaging said type surfaces against a label on said platen and for moving said printing head away from said platen;
an ink supply device for inking said type surfaces;
said ink supply device comprising an ink roller for being rolled over said type surfaces;
an ink roller holding mechanism for holding said ink roller to rotate as said ink roller moves over said type surfaces;
said means for moving being further connected with said ink roller holding mechanism for moving said holding mechanism back and forth through said frame and across said type surfaces as said printing head moves toward and away from said platen;
guiding means for guiding said holding mechanism for moving said ink roller over said type surfaces with a predetermined pressure against said type surfaces as said guide mechanism also moves with said printing head;
said guiding means including a guide element attached to said holding mechanism;
a guide link rockably attached to said printing head and including a guide path means for being engaged by said guide element;
said guide path means being shaped and oriented for guiding said guide element and said holding mechanism attached thereto across said type surfaces and for regulating the spacing between the axis of said ink roller and said type surfaces as said guide path means is engaged by said guide element;
said guide means further comprising a first and a second spaced apart rocking link;
both said rocking links having one portion pivotally attached to said printing head, and said pivotal attachments being arrayed along the direction of motion of said ink roller across said printing head types;
both said rocking links having another portion pivotally attached to said guide link.

12 more elements

A label printing machine, including:

a frame;
a platen supported by said frame;
a printing head, including type surfaces opposable to said platen;
means for moving said printing head toward said platen for engaging said type surfaces against a label on said platen and for moving said printing head away from said platen;
said means for moving comprising:
a first rotatable link for being driven by a drive means and being pivotally connected to said frame;
a second rotatable link, also pivotally connected to said frame and being pivotally connected to said first rotatable link for being driven thereby;
an ink supply device for inking said type surfaces;
said ink supply device comprising an ink roller for being rolled over said type surfaces;
an ink roller holding mechanism for holding said ink roller to rotate as said ink roller moves over said type surfaces;
said means for moving further comprising:
a tracting and drawing link connected between said holding mechanism and said second rotatable link, such that rotation of said second rotatable link moves said tracting and drawing link back and forth along said frame for moving said holding mechanism back and forth through said frame and across said type surfaces as said printing head moves toward and away from said platen, which thereby moves said ink roller over said types;
a third rotatable link, also pivotally connected to said frame, and being pivotally connected to said first rotatable link for being driven thereby;
said third rotatable link being connected to said printing head for causing said printing head to move toward and away from said platen, as said third rotatable link rotates;
said second rotatable, said tracting and drawing and said third rotatable links being arranged so that after motion of said ink roller past said types in one direction, said printing head is caused to descend to said platen;
a guide mechanism rockably attached to said printing head;
said guide mechanism including guiding means for guiding said holding mechanism for moving said ink roller over said type surfaces with a predetermined pressure againt said type surfaces as said guide mechanism also moves with said printing head.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.