Liner-free label printer with label adhesive activation
AssigneeNuLabel Technologies, Inc.
InventorBenjamin D. Lux
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for printing and activating an adhesive upon labels with fluid activatable adhesive having a print head and a path along which a label travels to the print head for printing on a front surface of the label. The path after printing reverses the orientation of the label to present the back surface of the label to the print head for applying a fluid for activating a layer of adhesive material on back surface of the label prior to the label exiting the apparatus.
Claims22
An apparatus for printing and activating an adhesive upon labels comprising:
- a print head;
- a path along which a label travels to said print head for printing on a front surface of said label;
- and
- said path after said printing reverses the orientation of said label to present the back surface of said label to said print head for applying a fluid for activating a layer of adhesive material on back surface of said label prior to said label exiting said apparatus, wherein said print head comprises a plurality of nozzles, a first group of one or more of said nozzles provides one or more inks for enabling printing, and a second group of one or more of said nozzles provides said fluid.
A method for printing and activating an adhesive upon labels with fluid activatable adhesive comprising the steps of:
- guiding a label along a path to present a front side of said label to at least one print head;
- printing one or more inks through a first group of one or more nozzles of said print head when guided along said path to present a front side of said label to said print head;
- reversing orientation of said label to present the back surface of said label to said print head;
- and
- applying a fluid for activating an adhesive along said back side of said label through a second group of one or more nozzles of said print head when said back side of said label is presented to said print head.
A system for printing and activating an adhesive upon labels with fluid activatable adhesive comprising the steps of:
- means for guiding a label along a first path to present a front side of said label to a head;
- means for printing one or more inks through a first group of one or more nozzles of said head when guided along said first path to present a front side of said label to said head;
- means for guiding a label for along a second path head after being driven along said first path to reorient said label with respect to said means for guiding said label along said first path so as to enable said back side of said label to be presented to said head;
- and
- means for applying a fluid for activating an adhesive along said back side of said label through a second group of one or more nozzles of said head when back side of said label is presented to said head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.