Printer cutter laminator

Printer cutter apparatus to print and to cut accurately a composite that includes labels of a wide range of label lengths on a backing without requiring readjustment, without cutting the backing of the composite, that comprises:

• a transporter mechanism positioned to receive said composite and precisely operable to move the composite translationally in a direction at a selectively variable velocity;
• detection means suitable to ascertain the precise location of individual labels on the composite and interconnected to provide signals to the transporter mechanism to enable the transporter mechanism to move the composite precisely along said direction;
• and
• a printer positioned to apply indicia onto each said label;
• a cutter and actuator assembly, said cutter and actuator assembly including an elongated blade skewed a predetermined amount to describe a generally axially-oriented helical blade being interconnected with the transporter mechanism and responsive to said composite velocity to effect a precise cut of the composite label along the label forward and rearward edges while the transporter mechanism is moving the composite and further being operable to discontinue cutting once the cut is effected and thereafter reposition said cutter independently of the label position and velocity until the next label forward edge has been brought into place by said transporter mechanism the cutter and actuator assembly being operable, in combination with said transporter mechanism, to provide said precise cut in positioned synchronism with the composite despite variations in the velocity of the composite and despite said range of label length and during the application of the label.

Printer, cutter, laminator apparatus to print onto a label and to cut accurately a composite that includes labels of different label lengths on a backing and laminate on the imprinted labels without cutting the backing of the composite, that comprises:

• a transporter mechanism positioned to receive said composite and precisely operable to move the composite translationally in a direction at a selectively variable velocity;
• detection means suitable to ascertain the precise location of individual labels on the composite and interconnected to provide signals to the transporter mechanism to enable the transporter mechanism to move the composite precisely along said direction;
• and
• a printer positioned to apply indicia onto each said label as the label moves in said direction;
• a cutter and actuator assembly, said cutter and actuator assembly including an elongated blade skewed a predetermined amount to describe a generally axially-oriented helical blade being interconnected with and responsive to the transporter mechanism velocity and also responsive to the position of said label to effect a precise cut of the composite in synchronism with said composite, that is, the cutter during cutting moves the same incremental distances that the composite at the label forward and rearward edges are moving, and further being operable to discontinue cutting once the cut is effected and thereafter reposition said cutter independently of the label position and velocity until the next label forward edge has been brought into place by the transporter mechanism.

For use in a continuous labelling system that includes a printer, cutter apparatus to cut accurately a composite that includes a backing that carries labels that are imprinted by the printer, without cutting the backing of the composite, that comprises:

• a transporter mechanism positioned to receive said composite and precisely operable to move the composite translationally in a direction at a selectively variable velocity established by said printer;
• detection means suitable to ascertain the precise location of individual labels on the composite and interconnected to provide signals to the transporter mechanism to enable the transporter mechanism to move the composite precisely along said direction;
• and
• a cutter and actuator assembly, said cutter and actuator assembly including an elongated blade skewed a predetermined amount to describe a generally axially-oriented helical blade that is interconnected with and responsive to the printer selectively variable velocity and also responsive to the position of said label to effect a precise cut of a label along the label forward and rearward edges while the transporter mechanism is moving the composite, and further being operable to discontinue cutting once the cut is effected and thereafter reposition said cutter independently of the label position and velocity until the next label forward edge has been brought into place by the transporter mechanism, the cutter and actuator assembly being operable, in combination with said transporter mechanism, to provide said precise cut in synchronism with the composite, that is, the cutter moves the same incremental distance as the composite during cutting, printing onto each label being effected concurrently with said cutting.

Cutter apparatus to accurately cut a composite label, comprising:

• a transporter mechanism for moving said composite label translationally in a direction at selected velocities in response to a transporter control signal;
• a cutter and actuator assembly, said cutter and actuator assembly including an elongated blade skewed a predetermined amount to describe a generally axially-oriented helical blade that selectively rotates and engages said label at a cutpoint and in position registration with the cutpoint in response to a cutter control signal;
• and
• a controller providing said transporter control signal and said cutter control signal to cause said transporter mechanism to move said label and to cause said cutter and actuator assembly to move positionally synchronously with said label and continuously cut said label at said cutpoint while moving synchronously therewith in response to the velocity and size of said label, and to move independently of said label when said cutter is disengaged from said label.

A method of accurately cutting a composite that includes labels of a wide range of label lengths on a backing, without cutting the backing of the composite, that comprises:

• receiving the composite and transporting the same precisely to move the composite translationally in a direction;
• continuously determining position of the composite to ascertain the precise location of individual labels on the composite;
• continuously cutting said transported labels with a helical cutter at selected positions in response to the position and translational motion of said composite;
• discontinuing cutting once the cut is effected;
• and
• moving said helical cutter independently of said labels after discontinuing said cut while the composite is continuing to move in said direction, until the next label forward edge has been brought into place, wherein
• said precise cut is made and maintained in synchronism with the motion of said composite regardless of the speed of the composite and despite the wide range of label lengths and during imprinting of each said label.