Hand-held labeler and labeling method

Hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing and applying labels releasably carried on a carrier web, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, printing means including a print head and a platen cooperable with the print head at a printing zone, means for inking the print head, means for advancing the web to bring labels to be printing to the printing zone between the print head and the platen, means for delaminating printed labels, means for applying printed labels, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, means coupled to the actuator for moving the printing means to print on the labels and for moving the web advancing means to effect label delamination to dispense a printed label into label applying relationship with the label applying means, a mask having a cutout for allowing printing at the printing zone but preventing printing on labels ahead of and beyond the printing zone, the mask including a masking member positioned immediately beyond the printing zone and at least a portion of the masking member in line with the printing zone being in closely spaced relation with respect to the printing surface of a printed label so that the printing applied at the printing zone will not be smeared as the web is advanced, the masking member being yieldable to enable the masking member to be deflected toward the printed label by the print head when the print head cooperates with the platen and being returnable to the closely spaced relation when the print head moves out of cooperation with the platen.

Method of applying a pressure sensitive label to a tag with a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing and applying labels releasably carried on a carrier web, the apparatus including housing structure having a handle, printing means for printing on labels, means disposed adjacent the printing means for deliminating printed labels from the carrier web, a label applicator disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying a printed label, means defining a label exit pathway at the underside of the label applicator, a manual actuator disposed at the handle, means moved by the actuator for moving the printing means to print on a label at the printing zone and to move the carrier web stepwise to bring the just printed label into label applying relationship with the label applicator at which only the trailing marginal edge of the just printed label remains adhered to the carrier web and at least the leading marginal edge of the just printed label projects into the label exit pathway in underlying relationship with respect to the label applicator, characterized in the steps of positioning a marginal end portion of a flexible tag in an initial position adjacent the label applicator, bending the tag away from and out of the label exit pathway, operating the actuator to print and dispense a label into the label applying relationship, and applying the label to the marginal end portion of the tag by moving the tag into contact with the label in the label exit pathway and pressing the label onto the tag using the label applicator while withdrawing the marginal end portion of the tag from the initial position.

Method of applying a pressure sensitive label to a tag with a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing and applying labels releasably carried on a carrier web, the apparatus including housing structure having a handle, printing means for printing on labels, means disposed adjacent the printing means for delaminating printed labels from the carrier web, a label applicator disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying a printed label, means defining a label exit pathway at the underside of the label applicator, a manual actuator disposed at the handle, means moved by the actuator for moving the printing means to print on a label at the printing zone and to move the carrier web stepwise to bring the just printed label into label applying relationship with the label applicator at which only the trailing marginal edge of the just printed label remains adhered to the carrier web and at least the leading marginal edge of the printed label projects into the label exit pathway in underlying relationship with respect to the label applicator, characterized in the steps of inserting a marginal end portion of a flexible tag into an initial position in a tag positioning device adjacent the label applicator, bending the tag away from the label exit pathway, operating the actuator to print and dispense a label into the label applying relationship, and applying the label to the marginal end portion of the tag by moving the tag into contact with the label in the label exit pathway and pressing the label onto the tag while withdrawing the tag from the tag positioning device.

Method of applying a pressure sensitive label to a tag with a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing and applying labels releasably carried on a carrier web, the apparatus including housing structure having a handle, printing means for printing on labels, means disposed adjacent the printing means for deliminating printed labels from the carrier web, a label applicator disposed adjacent the deliminating means for applying a printed label, means defining a label exit pathway at the underside of the label applicator, a manual actuator disposed at the handle, means moved by the actuator for moving the printing means to print on a label at the printing zone and to move the carrier web stepwise to bring the just printed label into label applying relationship with the label applicator at which only the trailing marginal edge of the just printed label remains adhered to the carrier web and at least the leading marginal edge of the just printed label projects into the label exit pathway in underlying relationship with respect to the label applicator, characterized in the steps of positioning a marginal end portion of a flexible tag in one or more selected initial positions adjacent the label applicator, bending the tag away from and out of the label exit pathway, operating the actuator to print and dispense a label into the label applying relationship, and applying the label to the marginal end portion of the tag by moving the tag into contact with the label in the label exit pathway and pressing the label onto the tag using the label applicator while withdrawing the marginal end portion of the tag from the selected initial position.

Method of applying a pressure sensitive label to a tag with a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing and applying labels releasably carried on a carrier web, the apparatus including housing structure having a handle, printing means for printing on labels, means disposed adjacent the printing means for delaminating printed labels from the carrier web, a label applicator disposed adjacent the deliminating means for applying a printed label, means defining a label exit pathway at the underside of the label applicator, a manual actuator disposed at the handle, means moved by the actuator for moving the printing means to print on a label at the printing zone and to move the carrier web stepwise to bring the just printed label into label applying relationship with the label applicator at which only the trailing marginal edge of the just printed label remains adhered to the carrier web and at least the leading marginal edge of the printed label projects into the label exit pathway in underlying relationship with respect to the label applicator, characterized in the steps of providing means disposed clear of the label exit pathway for positioning a marginal end portion of a flexible tag at one or more initial positions adjacent the label applicator, inserting a marginal end portion of a flexible tag into one selected initial positions in the tag positioning means, bending the tag away from the label exit pathway, operating the actuator to print and dispense a label into the label applying relationship, and applying the label to the marginal end portion of the tag by moving the tag into contact with the label in the label exit pathway and pressing the label onto the tag while withdrawing the tag from the tag positioning device.

Hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing and applying labels releasably carried on a carrier web, comprising:

• housing structure having a handle, printing means including a print head and a platen for printing labels at a printing zone, means disposed adjacent the printing means for delaminating printed labels from the carrier web, a label applicator disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying a printed label, means defining a label exit pathway at the underside of the label applicator, a manual actuator disposed at the handle, means coupled to the actuator for moving the printing means to print on a label at the printing zone and to move the carrier web stepwise to bring the just printed labels into label applying relationship with the label applicator at which only the trailing marginal edge of the just printed label remains adhered to the carrier web and at least the leading marginal edge of the printed label projects into the label exit pathway in underlying relationship with respect to the label applicator, a tag positioning device for receiving a marginal end portion of a flexible tag, and the tag positioning device being located clear of the label exit pathway at all times so as not to interfere with either the exiting of the printed label or the application of a label directly to merchandise, but the tag positioning device being closely adjacent the label exit pathway to enable a label to be applied to an end portion of a tag which has been positioned in the device as the tag is removed from the device.

Hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing and applying labels releasably carried on a carrier web, comprising:

• housing structure having a handle, printing means including a print head and a platen for printing labels at a printing zone, means disposed adjacent the printing means for delaminating printed labels from the carrier web, a label applicator disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying a printed label, means defining a label exit pathway at the underside of the label applicator, a manual actuator disposed at the handle, means coupled to the actuator for moving the printing means to print on a label at the printing zone and to move the carrier web stepwise to bring the just printed labels into label applying relationship with the label applicator at which only the trailing marginal edge of the just printed label remains adhered to the carrier web and at least the leading marginal edge of the printed label projects into the label exit pathway in underlying relationship with respect to the label applicator, means for positioning a marginal end portion of a flexible tag at one or more initial positions adjacent the label applicator, and the tag positioning means being located clear of the label exit pathway at all times so as not to interfere with either the exiting of the printed label or the application of a label directly to merchandise, but the tag positioning means being closely adjacent the label exit pathway to enable a label to be applied to an end portion of a tag which has been positioned in the tag positioning means as the tag is removed from the tag positioning means.