Labeler and method

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to the art of printing and applying labels.

#2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the labeler of the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the labeler;

#FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing various components of the labeler;

#With reference to FIG. 1, there is depicted a hand-held labeler generally indicated at 10 including a housing 11, having a detachable battery containing handle 12, a keyboard 13 and a display 14 at the rear position of the housing 11, an applicator 15 at a front portion of the housing 11 for applying printed labels, and a trigger switch 16 for operating the labeler 10.

#With reference to FIG. 2, the labeler 10 is shown to have a movable housing section or cover 17 which carries a scanner 18 and a lens 19 mounted at the front end of the scanner 18. The cover 17 is movable between a closed position shown in FIG. 2 and an open position by pivoting the cover 17 about a pivot 20. A movable housing section 21 mounts the keyboard 13 and the display 14 about the pivot 20 so that the housing section 21 can be moved between its closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and an open position for servicing the electronic components (not shown) housed in a chamber 22 defined in part by a wall 23.

#The labeler 10 mounts a roll R of a composite web C of record members illustrated to be a series of labels L releasably adhered to a carrier web W. The roll R is mounted within the housing 11 and the composite web C passes from the roll R into guided relationship with a guide roll 24 and from there to between a print head 25 and a platen 26. The platen 26 is shown to include a platen roll 27. Adjacent the print head 25 is a delaminator 28 about which the carrier web W passes. A label L is delaminated from the carrier web W as the web W is advanced. The label L is advanced following printing into label applying relationship to and under an applicator 29 which is shown to comprise a roll 30. The carrier web W passes from the delaminator 28 into contact with the platen roll 27, about a guide roller 31 into the nip of a feed roll 32 and a back-up roll 33 and through a chute generally indicated at 34 from which the carrier web W exits the housing 11.