Linerless thermal label printer and applicator

A thermal printer and label applicator for use with thermosensitive recording paper comprising a substrate, a thermosensitive color-forming layer disposed on one side of the substrate, and an adhesive disposed on an opposite side of the substrate, said printer and applicator comprising:

• transport means for moving the thermosensitive recording paper from a stack or roll thereof to a printing station and a cutting station, said transport means including a pair of drive rollers disposed for engaging the thermosensitive recording paper therebetween;
• thermal print head means disposed at said printing station for causing a preselected heating pattern in said thermosensitive recording paper in order to form desired visible images in the thermosensitive color-forming layer;
• lever means for coordinated engagement and disengagement of the thermal print head means and the drive roller means with the thermosensitive recording paper, said lever means including a first and a second lever, said first lever having one end thereof attached to a thermal print head, said second lever having one end thereof attached to one of said drive rollers, said first and second levers having an opposite end thereof attached to a common shaft and each lever being mounted on a first and second pivot, respectively, with said first and second pivots being disposed between the thermal print head and the drive roller means, said lever means further including means for moving the shaft in order to cause the first and second levers to rotate about the first and second pivots, respectively, to simultaneously engage and disengage the thermal print head means and the drive roller means with the thermosensitive recording paper;
• cutting means disposed at said cutting station for cutting the thermosensitive recording paper into separated individual labels with visible images thereon;
• means for handling the separated individual labels without contact with the adhesive;
• and
• means for discharging the separated individual labels.

A thermal printer and lable applicator comprising:

• transport means for moving linerless thermosensitive paper having an adhesive on one side thereof from a stack or roll thereof to a printing station and a cutting station, said transport means including a pair of drive rollers disposed for engaging the thermosensitive recording paper therebetween;
• thermal print head means disposed at said printing station for causing a preselected heating pattern in said linerless thermosensitive paper in order to form desired visible images thereon;
• lever means for coordinated engagement and disengagement of the thermal print head means and the drive roller means with the thermosensitive recording paper, said lever means including a first and a second lever, said first lever having one end thereof attached to a thermal print head, said second lever having one end thereof attached to one of said drive rollers, said first and second levers having an opposte end thereof attached to a common shaft and each lever being mounted on a first and second pivot, respectively, with said first and second pivots being disposed between the thermal print head and the drive roller means, said lever means further including means for moving the shaft in order to cause the first and second levers to rotate about the first and second pivots, respectively, to simultaneously engage and disengage the thermal print head means and the drive roller means with the thermosensitive recording paper;
• cutting means disposed at said cutting station for cutting the linerless thermosensitive paper into separated individual labels with visible images on one side and adhesive on an opposite side;
• vacuum means for transporting the separated individual lables from the cutting station to a label ejection station;
• vacuum/blower means disposed at said label ejection station for causing airborne transport of the individual separated labels onto goods, said adhesive thereafter holding the individual separated labels to the goods;
• conveyor means for placing goods in a position to receive the airborne labels, said conveyor means including weighing means for determining the weight of the goods;
• and
• control means interconnected with said transport means, thermal print head means cutting means, vacuum means, vacuum/blower means and conveyor means for synchronizing the operation thereof so that the weight of the goods is indicated by the desired visible image created on the separated individual labels and the labels are placed on corresponding goods having the indicated weight.