Hand-held label marking device

Claim 2

A hand-held label marking device for printing information on labels, said device comprising: a frame; a printing station on the frame; print means located at said printing station; means for locating a label at the printing station in juxtaposition with the print means; means for locating a printing medium at the printing station in juxtaposition with the label and the print means; an actuating member; means mounting the actuating member upon the frame for advancing movement from a first position to a second position, in response to the application of an actuating force to the actuating member, and for retracting movement from the second position to the first position; a platen; means mounting the platen on the frame for movement along a path of travel extending between a first location and a second location spaced from the first location, said path of travel being so disposed relative to the print means at the printing station that the platen traverses the printing station and urges the label, the print means aNd the printing medium together at the printing station for printing a label during each movement of the platen from either one to the other of said first and second locations; and coupling means coupling the actuating member with the platen such that the actuating force is transmitted to the platen and the platen moves through a traversing movement along said path of travel from either one to the other of said first and second locations only in response to movement of the actuating member as a result of the application of said actuating force during said advancing movement and remains at the other of said first and second locations during said retracting movement of the actuating member.

Claim 3

A hand-held label marking device for printing information on labels, said device comprising: a frame; a printing station on the frame; print means located at said printing station; means for locating a label at the printing station in juxtaposition with the print means; means for locating a printing medium at the printing station in juxtaposition with the label and the print means; an actuating member mounted upon the frame for movement between a first position and a second position; a platen mounted on the frame for movement along a path of travel extending between a first location and a second location, said path of travel being so disposed relative to the print means at the printing station that the platen traverses the printing station and urges the label, the print means and the printing medium together at the printing station for printing a label during each movement of the platen from either one to the other of said first and second locations; and coupling means coupling the actuating member with the platen such that the platen moves through a traversing movement along said path of travel only in response to movement of the actuating member from the first position to the second position thereof; said coupling means including first and second drive members mounted upon the frame for movement relative thereto and coupled to the platen such that each drive member is movable from a first position to a second position as the platen travels through a traversing movement, said first drive member being at the first position thereof when the platen is in the first location and said second drive member being at the first position thereof when the platen is in the second location; detecting means for detecting the location of the platen when the actuating member is in the first position thereof; and engaging means responsive to the detecting means for engaging the actuating member with the one of the first and second drive members which is at the first position thereof, during movement of the actuating member from the first position toward the second position thereof, to move the platen through a traversing movement, said engaging means disengaging the actuating member from both drive members upon return movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof.

Claim 4

A hand-held label marking device for printing information on labels, said device comprising: a frame; a printing station on the frame; print means located at said printing station; means for locating a label at the printing station in juxtaposition with the print means; means for locating a printing medium at the printing station in juxtaposition with the label and the print means; an actuating member mounted upon the frame for movement between a first position and a second position; a platen mounted on the frame for movement along a path of travel extending between a first location and a second location, said path of travel being so disposed relative to the print means at the printing station that the platen traverses the printing station and urges the label, the print means and the printing medium together at the printing station for printing a label during each movement of the platen from either one to the other of said first and second locations; and coupling means coupling the actuating member with the platen such that the platen moves through a traversing movement along said path of travel only in response to movement of the actuating member from the first position to the second position thereof; said coupling means including first and second drive members mounted upon the frame for movement relative thereto and coupled to the platen such that each drive member is movable from a first position to a second position as the platen travels through a traversing movement, said first drive member being at the first position thereof when the platen is in the first location and said second drive member being at the first position thereof when the platen is in the second location; detecting means for detecting the location of the platen when the actuating member is in the first position thereof; and engaging means responsive to the detecting means for engaging the actuating member with the one of the first and second drive members which is at the first position thereof, during movement of the actuating member from the first position toward the second position thereof, to move the platen through a traversing movement, said engaging means disengaging the actuating member from both drive members upon return movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 2 including a handle on said frame and wherein the actuating member is an actuating lever so disposed as to be grasped with the handle, said actuating lever being mounted upon the frame for pivotal movement between the first position, which is a rest position away from the handle, and the second position, which is a depressed position toward the handle, said device including means resiliently biasing the actuating lever toward the rest position.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 3 wherein the platen is a roller and the coupling means includes a roller carrier mounted upon the frame for movement between a first position wherein the roller is at the first location and a second position wherein the roller is at the second location, said device including means on the frame for confining the roller to said path of travel.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 4 wherein the roller has a generally cylindrical surface which is resilient but relatively renitent.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 5 wherein the surface of the roller has a durometer reading of at least approximately 90.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 6 wherein the surface of the roller has a durometer reading in the range of 93 to 97.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 4 wherein the coupling means includes a carriage mounted upon the frame for reciprocating movement along a given path of travel between a first location and a second location in response to movement of the actuating lever, said carriage being at the first location thereof when the actuating lever is at the rest position and at the second location thereof when the actuating lever is at the depressed position, said detecting means and said engaging means being carried by the carriage, and an arm integral with the actuating lever and engaging the carriage for moving the carriage along said given path of travel.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 8 wherein the path of travel of the platen is transverse to the path of travel of the carriage.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 9 wherein the roller carrier is mounted for pivotal movement on the frame about an axis mutually generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the platen and to the path of travel of the carriage.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 8 wherein the path of travel of the platen passes through the printing station and the path of travel of the carriage is generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the platen.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 11 wherein the roller carrier is mounted for pivotal movement on the frame about an axis mutually generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the platen and to the path of travel of the carriage.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 12 wherein: the coupling means further includes a crank integral with the roller carrier and spaced axially from the second plane; said first and second drive members include first and second crank pins, respectively, spaced laterally from one another on said crank and projecting axially toward the path of travel of the carriage; the engaging means includes a pair of drive links carried by the carriage and spaced laterally from one another to correspond with the lateral location of said crank pins, each drive link being mounted upon the carriage for movement generally perpendicular to the path of travel of the carriage between a first position wherein a drive link will intercept a corresponding crank pin and a second position wherein said drive link will clear the corresponding crank pin upon movement of the carriage from the first location to the second location thereof; and the detector means includes sensing means carried by the carriage for sensing the position of the roller carrier when the carriage is in the first location, means responsive to the sensing means for moving the one of said drive links corresponding with the crank pin located at the first position thereof to the first position of the drive link and the other of said drive links to the second position thereof, and means resiliently biasing each drive link into the position determined by the sensing means.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 13 wherein the drive links are mounted for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to the first and second planes and mutually generally perpendicular to the axis of said roller carrier and the direction of travel of the carriage; the means responsive to the sensing means includes a rocker arm having opposite ends and mounted upon the carriage intermediate said opposite ends for rocking movement about an axis perpendicular to the first plane and parallel to the second plane, said rocker arm extending generally parallel to the pivotal axis of the drive links and located relative thereto such that each end of the rocker arm is displaceable in opposite directions about the pivotal axis of the drive links; the resilient biasing means includes spring means extending between each drive link and a corresponding end of tHe rocker arm; the sensing means includes a pair of fingers carried by the rocker arm and spaced apart laterally such that one finger is located adjacent each position of the roller carrier when the carriage is in the first location thereof so that upon return of the carriage to the first location thereof, one of said fingers will be engaged by the roller carrier and will be displaced, thereby rocking the rocker arm to bias the one drive link to the first position thereof and the other drive link to the second position thereof.

Claim 17

A hand-held label marking device of claim 14 for printing information on labels carried on a strip of indeterminate length, said device including: label supply means on said frame for holding said strip of indeterminate length; printing medium supply means on said frame for holding a printing medium in the form of a ribbon of indeterminate length; first means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said strip along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment corresponding to the length of a label; and second means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said ribbon along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment sufficient to juxtapose suitable printing medium with each label to be printed.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 15 including a guide extending along said paths of travel of the strip and of the tape for guiding the strip and the ribbon in juxtaposed relationship through the printing station, said guide being mounted on the frame for displacement toward and away from the print means, and means resiliently biasing said guide away from the print means.

Claim 19

The invention of claim 15 wherein the path of travel of the platen extends transverse to the paths of travel of the strip and the ribbon.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 17 wherein the ribbon is a carbon ribbon.

Claim 21

A hand-held label marking device for printing information on labels carried in a strip of indeterminate length, said device comprising: a frame; a printing station on the frame; print means located at said printing station; means for locating a label at the printing station in juxtaposition with the print means; means for locating a printing medium at the printing station in juxtaposition with the label and the print means; an actuating member; means mounting the actuating member upon the frame for advancing movement from a first position to a second position and for retracting movement from the second position to the first position; a platen; means mounting the platen on the frame for movement along a path of travel extending between a first location and a second location spaced from the first location, said path of travel being so disposed relative to the print means at the printing station that the platen traverses the printing station and urges the label, the print means and the printing medium together at the printing station for printing a label during each movement of the platen from either one to the other of said first and second locations; coupling means coupling the actuating member with the platen such that the platen moves through a traversing movement along said path of travel from either one to the other of said first and second locations only in response to movement of the actuating member during said advancing movement and remains at the other of said first and second locations during said retracting movement of the actuating member; label supply means on said frame for holding said strip of indeterminate length; printing medium supply means on said frame for holding a printing medium in the form of a ribbon of indeterminate length; first means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof For advancing said strip along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment corresponding to the length of a label; and second means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said ribbon along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment sufficient to juxtapose suitable printing medium with each label to be printed.

Claim 22

A hand-held label marking device for printing information on labels carried in a strip of indeterminate length, said device comprising: a frame; a printing station on the frame; print means located at said printing station; means for locating a label at the printing station in juxtaposition with the print means; means for locating a printing medium at the printing station in juxtaposition with the label and the print means; an actuating member; means mounting the actuating member upon the frame for advancing movement from a first position to a second position and for retracting movement from the second position to the first position; a platen; means mounting the platen on the frame for movement along a path of travel extending between a first location and a second location spaced from the first location, said path of travel being so disposed relative to the print means at the printing station that the platen traverses the printing station and urges the label, the print means and the printing medium together at the printing station for printing a label during each movement of the platen from either one to the other of said first and second locations; coupling means coupling the actuating member with the platen such that the platen moves through a traversing movement along said path of travel from either one to the other of said first and second locations only in response to movement of the actuating member during said advancing movement and remains at the other of said first and second locations during said retracting movement of the actuating member; label supply means on said frame for holding said strip of indeterminate length; printing medium supply means on said frame for holding a printing medium in the form of a ribbon of indeterminate length; first means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof For advancing said strip along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment corresponding to the length of a label; and second means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said ribbon along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment sufficient to juxtapose suitable printing medium with each label to be printed.

Claim 23

The invention of claim 19 wherein the platen is a roller and the coupling means includes a roller carrier mounted upon the frame for movement between a first location wherein the roller is at the first location and a second position wherein the roller is at the second location, said device including means on the frame for confining the roller to said path of travel.

Claim 24

The invention of claim 20 including a guide extending along said paths of travel of the strip and of the tape for guiding the strip and the ribbon in juxtaposed relationship through the printing station, said guide means being mounted on the frame for displacement toward and away from the print means, and means resiliently biasing said guide away from the print means.

Claim 25

The invention of claim 20 wherein the path of travel of the platen extends transverse to the paths of travel of the strip and the ribbon.

Claim 26

The invention of claim 22 wherein the ribbon is a carbon ribbon.

Claim 27

A hand-held label printing device for printing machine-readable indicia upon labels carried in a strip of indeterminate length, said device comprising: a frame; a printing station on the frame; print means located at said printing station, at least a portion of said print means corresponding to machine-readable indicia to be printed on the labels; label supply means on said frame for holding said strip of indeterminate length; printing medium supply means on said frame for holding a printing medium in the form of a ribbon of indeterminate length; a handle on said frame; an actuating member; means mounting the actuating member upon the frame for advancing movement from a first position to a second position and for retracting movement from the second position to the first position; a platen; means mounting the platen on the frame for movement along a path of travel extending between a first location and a second location spaced from the first location, said path of travel being so disposed relative to the print means at the printing station that the platen traverses the printing station and urges the label, the print means and the printing medium together at the printing station for printing said indicia upon a label when the platen is located between said first and second locations and as the platen moves from one to the other of said first and second locations; coupling means coupling the actuating member with the platen such that the platen moves through a traversing movement along said path of travel from either one to the other of said first and second locations only in response to movement of the actuating member during said advancing movement and remains at the other of said first and second locations during said retracting movement of the actuating member; first means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said strip along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment corresponding to the length of a label; and second means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said ribbon along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment sufficient to juxtapose suitable printing medium with each label to be printed.

Claim 28

A hand-held label printing device for printing machine-readable indicia upon labels carried in a strip of indeterminate length, said device comprising: a frame; a printing station on the frame; print means located at said printing station, at least a portion of said print means corresponding to machine-readable indicia to be printed on the labels; label supply means on said frame for holding said strip of indeterminate length; printing medium supply means on said frame for holding a printing medium in the form of a ribbon of indeterminate length; a handle on said frame; an actuating member; means mounting the actuating member upon the frame for advancing movement from a first position to a second position and for retracting movement from the second position to the first position; a platen; means mounting the platen on the frame for movement along a path of travel extending between a first location and a second location spaced from the first location, said path of travel being so disposed relative to the print means at the printing station that the platen traverses the printing station and urges the label, the print means and the printing medium together at the printing station for printing said indicia upon a label when the platen is located between said first and second locations and as the platen moves from one to the other of said first and second locations; coupling means coupling the actuating member with the platen such that the platen moves through a traversing movement along said path of travel from either one to the other of said first and second locations only in response to movement of the actuating member during said advancing movement and remains at the other of said first and second locations during said retracting movement of the actuating member; first means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said strip along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment corresponding to the length of a label; and second means responsive to the movement of the actuating member from the second position to the first position thereof for advancing said ribbon along a path of travel passing through the printing station through an increment sufficient to juxtapose suitable printing medium with each label to be printed.

Claim 29

The invention of claim 24 wherein the platen is a roller and the coupling means includes a roller carrier mounted upon the frame for movement between a first position wherEin the roller is at the first location and a second position wherein the roller is at the second location, said device including means on the frame for confining the roller to said path of travel.

Claim 30

The invention of claim 25 including a guide extending along said path of travel of the strip and of the tape for guiding the strip and the ribbon in juxtaposed relationship through the printing station, said guide being mounted on the frame for displacement toward and away from the print means, and means resiliently biasing said guide away from the print means.

Claim 31

The invention of claim 26 wherein the path of travel of the platen extends transverse to the path of travel of the strip and the ribbon.

Claim 32

The invention of claim 27 wherein the ribbon is a carbon ribbon.