US3611929A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Label dispensing apparatus
Assignee: Meto International GmbH
•
Filing: 1969-08-11
•
Granted: 1971-10-12
•
Expires: 1989-08-11
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for printing and dispensing labels temporarily adhered to a support tape by means of a pressure-sensitive adhesive, the support tape being provided with openings, such as apertures or marginal indentations, at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the leading edges of the labels, the apparatus including a transport system which intermittently advances the support tape through successive increments corresponding to the advancement of a label to bring the labels sequentially into accurate registration with a printing position and a dispensing position, the transport system having a transport roll including a peripheral feed surface, means for intermittently driving the transport roll through successive angular increments which advances the peripheral feed surface through successive increments corresponding to the advancement of a label, projections extending from the feed surface for entering the openings in the support tape with sufficient clearance to permit the support tape to engage the feed surface only when the openings are registered with the projections, and means for maintaining the support tape against a portion of the feed surface extending around the transport roll through an angle of greater than 90* to establish a frictional force between the support tape and the feed surface sufficient to assure that the support tape will be frictionally gripped and advanced by the transport roll.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt Schrotz
- 👤 Werner Becker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:15
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65C; B65C11/00; B65C11/02; B65C11/0205; B65C11/021; B65C11/0215; B65C11/0236; B65C11/0247; B65C2210/00; B65C2210/0067
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
Apparatus for the printing and dispensing of labels temporarily adhered to a support tape by means of a pressuresensitive adhesive, the support tape being provided with openings, such as apertures or marginal indentations, at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the leading edges of the labels, the apparatus including a transport system which intermittently advances the support tape through successive increments corresponding to the advancement of a label to bring the labels sequentially into accurate registration with a printing position and a dispensing position, said transport system comprising; a transport roll including a peripheral feed surface, means for intermittently driving the transport roll through successive angular increments which advance the peripheral feed surface through successive increments corresponding to the advancement of a label; a plurality of projections extending from the feed surface and being receivable within the openings in the support tape for permitting the support tape to engage the feed surface only when the openings are registered with the projections; means for maintaining the support tape against a portion of the feed surface extending throughout an angle of greater than 90* such that a feeding force is transmitted from the feed surface to the support tape by friction and the support tape will be advanced with the advancement of the feed surface by the frictional feeding force between the support tape and the feed surface of the transport roll.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
Apparatus for the printing and dispensing of labels temporarily adhered to a support tape by means of a pressuresensitive adhesive, the support tape being provided with openings, such as apertures or marginal indentations, at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the leading edges of the labels, the apparatus including a transport system which intermittently advances the support tape through successive increments corresponding to the advancement of a label to bring the labels sequentially into accurate registration with a printing position and a dispensing position, said transport system comprising; a transport roll including a peripheral feed surface, means for intermittently driving the transport roll through successive angular increments which advance the peripheral feed surface through successive increments corresponding to the advancement of a label; a plurality of projections extending from the feed surface and being receivable within the openings in the support tape for permitting the support tape to engage the feed surface only when the openings are registered with the projections; means for maintaining the support tape against a portion of the feed surface extending throughout an angle of greater than 90* such that a feeding force is transmitted from the feed surface to the support tape by friction and the support tape will be advanced with the advancement of the feed surface by the frictional feeding force between the support tape and the feed surface of the transport roll.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for mounting the support tape against a portion of the feed surface maintains the support tape against a portion of the feed surface extending throughout an angle of greater than 180*.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feed surface is comprised of a material, such as silicone rubber, which has a high coefficient of friction relative to that of the support tape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the openings in the support tape are holes arranged at equal intervals along the center line of the support tape and the projections are smaller in the direction of the advancement of the tape than are the holes in the support tape, the spacing between adjacent projections being greater than the corresponding spacing between the holes in the support tape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 4 including opposite marginal shoulders on the periphery of the transport roll between which is guided the support tape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the openings in the support tape are in the form of marginal indentations having a predetermined profile and the projections on the transport roll have a matching profile, the dimensions of the profiles being such that there is clearance in the direction of the advancement of the support tape, and the spacing between adjacent projections is slightly greater than the corresponding spacing between adjacent indentations in the support tape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the transport roll includes continuous marginal flanges and the projections are a part of the continuous marginal flanges.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining the support tape against a portion of the feed surface includes a guide surface partially enveloping the transport roll.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the guide surface includes a funnellike entrance for the support tape and envelopes the transport roll by at least 180*.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the guide surface is provided by a strip of sheet steel resiliently biased toward the feed surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the strip of sheet metal is mounted for pivotal movement away from the transport roll.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for intermittently driving the transport roll includes a plurality of pins disposed concentrically and coaxially with the axis of rotation of the transport roll on a lateral surface thereof aNd spaced from one another along a circle at an angular spacing corresponding with the angular spacing of the projections; a transport pawl; and operating means for advancing and retracting the transport pawl tangential to the circle on which said pins are located by a displacement that is only slightly greater than the distance between adjacent pins for each operation of the operating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the operating means includes a hand lever mounted for pivotal movement about an axis, and the transport pawl is pivotally mounted upon the hand lever at a further axis, the pivotal axis of the hand lever being located at a distance from a straight line connecting the further axis to the particular pin which is to be engaged by the transport pawl.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 13 including a spring resiliently biasing the transport pawl against the pins; a tooth on said transport pawl normally falling between two adjacent pins and including a chamfered end face for raising the transport pawl over a corresponding pin when the pawl is advanced toward that pin; and an adjustable drag for holding the transport roll stationary as the transport pawl is so advanced.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the openings in the support tape are in the form of marginal indentations having a wavelike profile and the projections on the periphery of the transport roll have a corresponding wavelike profile.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the wavelike profile of the margins of the support tape and the corresponding wavelike profile of the projections have the form of a shallow sinusoidal line.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a printing mechanism at said printing position; means for holding a supply of the support tape with the labels thereon above the transport roll and the printing mechanism; and a passageway leading downwardly between the printing mechanism and the transport roll for guiding the support tape with the labels thereon to the printing position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the printing mechanism includes a printing platen at the printing position and the guideway includes a funnel-shaped entrance and extends to the printing platen.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 18 including a guide pin located below the axis of rotation of the transport roll for guiding the support tape from the printing position to the transport roll.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 19 including a label-catching plate mounted for adjustment relative to the guide pin and located between the guide pin and the transport roll such that any labels adhering to the support tape beyond the guide pin will be caught by the label-catching plate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-11 | 1975-04-12 | 1975-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-11 | 1979-04-12 | 1979-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-11 | 1983-04-12 | 1983-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |