Label printer-cutter with mutually exclusive printing and cutting operations

A label printer-cutter comprising:

• a frame;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a print head for printing to a label media;
• wherein the print head assembly further comprises:
• a print head lift cam connected to the frame;
• and
• a print head assembly pin in operative association with the print head lift cam, the pin housing a print head load spring;
• wherein the load spring housed within the print head assembly pin can be compressed via rotation of the cam so as to transfer a media-specific load to the label media.

A label printer-cutter comprising:

• a frame;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a print head for printing to a label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly for cutting of the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print heads assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter
• wherein the cutting assembly further comprises:
• a cutting assembly frame connected to the frame;
• a plotter cutter slide rail pivotally secured to the cutting assembly frame;
• a plotter cutter connected to the plotter cutter slide rail for plotter cutting a label media;
• an end cutter slide rail secured to the cutting assembly frame;
• an end cutter connected to the end cutter slide rail for end cutting the label media;
• and
• a drive mechanism connected to the plotter cutter and the end cutter for driving at least one of the plotter cutter to perform a plotter cut to the label media and an end cutter to perform an end cut to the label media.

A label printer-cutter comprising:

• a frame;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a print head for printing to a label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly for cutting of the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter
• wherein the cutting assembly further comprises:
• a plotter cutter slide rail pivotally secured to the frame;
• a plotter cutter connected to the plotter cutter slide rail for plotter cutting the label media;
• an end cutter slide rail secured to the frame;
• an end cutter connected to the end cutter slide rail for end cutting the label media;
• and
• a drive mechanism connected to the plotter cutter and the end cutter for driving at least one of the plotter cutter to perform a plotter cut to the label media and an end cutter to perform an end cut to the label media.

A label printer cutter comprising:

• a frame;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a print head for printing to a label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly for cutting of the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter,
• wherein the cutting assembly includes a pair of rollers and wherein the printer-cutter further includes a roller positioning assembly comprising a slide plate for positioning the pair of rollers into one of a cutting position and a non-cutting position.

A label printer-cutter comprising:

• a frame;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a print head for printing to a label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly for cutting of the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with for print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter further comprising a platen roller to drive the label media in the label printer-cutter during printing and a pair of cutting assembly rollers to drive the label media in the label printer-cutter during cutting, and wherein the controller is programmed to transfer primary driving responsibility of the label media between the platen roller and the cutting assembly pair of rollers.

A label printer-cutter comprising:

• a frame;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a print head for printing to a label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly comprising:
• a cutter to cut the label media;
• and
• a pair of rollers connected to the frame;
• a roller positioning assembly comprising a slide plate for positioning the pair of rollers into one of a cutting position and a non-cutting position;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly, the cutting assembly and the roller positioning assembly;
• wherein the controller ensures that printing to and cutting of the label media in the label printer-cutter are mutually exclusive.

A method for selectively printing to and cutting of a label media in a label printer-cutter, the method comprising:

• printing to a label media using a print head assembly;
• cutting the label media using a cutting assembly, the cutting assembly including a pair of rollers;
• positioning the pair of rollers into one of a cutting position and a non-cutting position using a roller positioning assembly that is in engagement the pair of cutting assembly rollers;
• and
• using a controller that is in operable association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to the label media corresponds to the pair of cutting assembly rollers being positioned by the roller positioning assembly, into the non-cutting position, and cutting of the label media by the cutting assembly cutter corresponds to the pair of cutting assembly rollers being positioned by the roller positioning assembly into the cutting position.

A method for selectively printing to and cutting of a label media in a label printer-cutter, the method comprising:

• printing to a label media using a print head assembly;
• cutting the label media using the cutting assembly;
• using a controller that is in operable association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter
• wherein the cutting assembly includes a pair of rollers and wherein the printer-cutter further includes a roller positioning assembly comprising a slide plate.

A system for effecting mutually exclusive printing and cutting operations in a label printer-cutter, the system comprising:

• a frame;
• a label media supply to supply a label media;
• an ink ribbon supply to supply a thermally-sensitive ink for application to the label media;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a thermal print head for printing a dot line using the thermally-sensitive ink to the label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame the cutting assembly comprising:
• a cutter to cut the label media;
• and
• a pair of rollers connected to the frame;
• a roller positioning assembly in engagement with and for positioning the pair of cutting
• assembly rollers into one of a cutting position and a non-cutting position;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing by the print head to the label media corresponds to the pair of cutting assembly rollers being positioned by the roller positioning assembly into the non-cutting position, and cutting of the label media by the cutting assembly cutter corresponds to the pair of cutting assembly rollers being positioned by the roller positioning assembly into the cutting position.

A system for effecting mutually exclusive printing and cutting operations in a label printer-cutter, the system comprising:

• a frame;
• a label media supply to supply a label media;
• an ink ribbon supply to supply a thermally-sensitive ink for application to the label media;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a thermal print head for a dot line using the thermally-sensitive ink to the label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly for cutting of the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter.
• wherein the cutting assembly includes a pair of rollers and wherein the system further includes a roller positioning assembly comprising a slide plate for positioning the pair of rollers into one of a cutting position and a non-cutting position.

A system for effecting mutually exclusive printing and cutting operations in a label printer-cutter, the system comprising:

• a frame;
• a label media supply to supply a label media;
• an ink ribbon supply to supply a thermally-sensitive ink for application to the label media;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a thermal print head for printing a dot line using the thermally-sensitive ink to the label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly for cutting of the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter further comprising a platen roller to drive the label media in the label printer-cutter during printing and a pair of cutting assembly rollers to drive the label media in the label printer-cutter during cutting, and wherein the controller is programmed to transfer primary driving responsibility of the label media between the platen roller and the cutting assembly pair of rollers.

A system for effecting mutually exclusive printing and cutting operations in a label printer-cutter the system comprising:

• a frame;
• a label media supply to supply a label media;
• an ink ribbon supply to supply a thermally-sensitive ink for application to the label media;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly including a thermal print head for printing a dot line using the thermally-sensitive ink to the label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly for cutting of the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media does not occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter;
• wherein the print head is unloaded from the label media prior to the cutting assembly effecting cutting of the label media.

A label printer-cutter comprising:

• a frame;
• a print head assembly connected to the frame, the print head assembly comprising:
• a print head lift cam connected to the frame;
• a print head assembly pin in operative association with the print head lift cam, the assembly pin housing a print head load spring that can be compressed via rotation of the cam so as to transfer a media-specific load to the label media;
• a print head mount connected to the print head assembly pin;
• and
• a print head pivot pin that passes through, so as to pivotally connect, the print head assembly pin and the print head mount;
• and
• a thermal print head connected to the print head mount, the print head for printing a dot line to the label media;
• a cutting assembly connected to the frame, the cutting assembly comprising:
• a plotter cutter slide rail pivotally secured to the frame;
• a plotter cutter connected to the plotter cutter slide rail for plotter cutting the label media;
• an end cutter slide rail secured to the frame;
• an end cutter connected to the end cutter slide rail for end cutting the label media;
• and
• a drive mechanism connected to the plotter cutter and the end cutter for driving at least one of the plotter cutter to perform a plotter cut to the label media and an end cutter to perform an end cut to the label media;
• and
• a controller in operative association with the print head assembly and the cutting assembly;
• wherein the controller can be programmed to control the print head assembly and the cutting assembly such that printing to and cutting of the label media cannot occur simultaneously in the label printer-cutter.