US 5,642,666 AGranted

Hand-held label printer

AssigneeComtec Information Systems, Inc.

InventorsAlfred J. Petteruti, Robert A. Petteruti, Steven F. Petteruti

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Abstract

A hand-held label printer has an integrated label applicator mechanism pivotably and exchangably disposed in opposing side walls of a printer housing and across a front wall opening in the housing. The label applicator mechanism is pivoted into a label applying position in which the applicator mechanism receives and guides a printed label peeled from a web stock by a peeler rod along a label path extending from the peeler rod over a label shelf of the applicator mechanism to a position from which a label applicator roller of the applicator mechanism can engage a leading portion of the label for application to a surface to be labeled. The label applicator mechanism is pivoted into a web stock threading position to provide ready access by a user of the printer to facilitate threading of a leading portion of web stock along a web stock path from a roll past a printing mechanism and over the peeler rod to a web stock transport mechanism and to facilitate clearing of web stock jams or of label jams. A particular label applicator mechanism is adapted to receive and guide in the label applying position labels having one particular dimension along the label path. For labels having another particular dimension, another applicator mechanism adapted to receive and guide such labels is readily exchanged for the previously deployed label applicator mechanism.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A hand-held label printer comprising a housing, said housing having opposite side walls, a rear wall and a front wall, a top cover and a bottom cover, said front wall and a portion of said top cover having an opening, one of said side walls having a tub-shaped recess, said recess extending toward the other of said side walls and extending into said opening in said front wall, said tub-shaped recess having another opening oriented with respect to said top cover opening, a spool within said recess for receiving a roll of web stock, said web stock supporting labels having an adhesive backing releasably attached to one surface of said web stock, a printing mechanism for printing information on a surface of said labels opposite said releasably attached surface, a peeler rod disposed on said printing mechanism and extending across said top cover opening, said peeler rod having a center axis, means in said housing defining a path of transport for said web stock extending from said roll of web stock past said printing mechanism and over said peeler rod through said tub-shaped recess to said rear wall opening, transport means in said housing for transporting said web stock along said web stock transport path by a distance equal to a dimension of a label along said web stock path, and a label applicator mechanism, said label applicator mechanism pivotably and selectably exchangably disposed in said side walls proximate said front wall opening and extending thereacross, said applicator mechanism receiving a label peeled from said web stock by said peeler rod during said transport of said web stock, said applicator mechanism having means defining a label path therethrough, and having means for applying said label to a surface to be labeled.

A label applicator system for a hand-held label printer having a housing with a front wall with an opening, sidewalls, and a top wall with an opening, and which applies, to a surface, labels peelably disposed on web stock which is transported to said top cover opening, a plurality of separate label applicator mechanisms for handling labels of different sizes each comprising means pivotly and selectively exchangeably disposing different ones of said plurality of mechanisms in its entirety in said sidewalls proximate to said front wall and extending thereacross, said applicator mechanisms each having means for receiving a label of one of said different sizes peeled from said web stock during said transport of said web stock to said top cover opening, said applicator mechanisms each having means defining a label path therethrough and having means for applying said labels to said surface for labeling said surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.