US5262804A — Bar code printing

Claim 1

Independent Claim 99 words

A device suitable for printing bar codes, which comprises a hand-held housing, within which are disposed means for holding a label supply roll, printing means for applying indicia to a label, means for supplying data to determine characteristics of the indicia printed on the label and drive means operating the device, characterized in that said printing means comprises a liquid bubble ink jet unit including a conduit having at one end an aperture, a heating element disposed within the conduit proximate the conduit aperture and a positive displacement means for conveying ink from a reservoir to said print unit.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 99 words

A device suitable for printing bar codes, which comprises a hand-held housing, within which are disposed means for holding a label supply roll, printing means for applying indicia to a label, means for supplying data to determine characteristics of the indicia printed on the label and drive means operating the device, characterized in that said printing means comprises a liquid bubble ink jet unit including a conduit having at one end an aperture, a heating element disposed within the conduit proximate the conduit aperture and a positive displacement means for conveying ink from a reservoir to said print unit.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said positive displacement means is a peristaltic pump.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said positive displacement means includes tubing connected to said reservoir and having a sufficiently small diameter that capillary forces acting between liquid ink within said tube and internal surfaces of the tubing exceed weight forces of ink within the tubing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means is a battery operated stepping motor.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 187 words

A device suitable for printing bar codes, comprising a hand-held housing, within which are disposed means for holding a label supply roll, printing means for applying indicia to a label, means for supplying data to determine characteristics of the indicia printed on the label, and drive means operating the device, characterized in that the print means is a hot melt-type ink jet including: a cylinder having a first end defining a narrow aperture and second end configured to accommodate a plunger so as to form a reservoir within the cylinder for storing ink normally solid at room temperature; an annular heating element disposed within the cylinder adjacent the first end of the cylinder defining the narrow aperture; a conduit having one end forming an ink jet nozzle and another end communicating with the narrow aperture of the first end of the cylinder; and a compression spring configured to pressurize the interior of the cylinder, wherein the heating element melts a portion of the solid ink which is forced into the conduit and ejected from the ink jet nozzle of the conduit and onto a label on demand.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 187 words

A device suitable for printing bar codes, comprising a hand-held housing, within which are disposed means for holding a label supply roll, printing means for applying indicia to a label, means for supplying data to determine characteristics of the indicia printed on the label, and drive means operating the device, characterized in that the print means is a hot melt-type ink jet including: a cylinder having a first end defining a narrow aperture and second end configured to accommodate a plunger so as to form a reservoir within the cylinder for storing ink normally solid at room temperature; an annular heating element disposed within the cylinder adjacent the first end of the cylinder defining the narrow aperture; a conduit having one end forming an ink jet nozzle and another end communicating with the narrow aperture of the first end of the cylinder; and a compression spring configured to pressurize the interior of the cylinder, wherein the heating element melts a portion of the solid ink which is forced into the conduit and ejected from the ink jet nozzle of the conduit and onto a label on demand.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 147 words

A portable hand-held device for printing labels, comprising: a compact hand-held housing; means, coupled to said housing, for holding labels; data means, disposed within the housing, for determining identifying marks to be printed on the labels; printing means including a reservoir containing liquid ink, an ink ejecting conduit having one end from which ink is ejected and another end in communication with said reservoir, and a heating element disposed within the conduit adjacent the ink ejecting end of the conduit, wherein energization of the heating element causes evaporation of a portion of liquid ink within the conduit to expel a droplet from the ink ejecting end of the conduit on demand; and battery means, coupled to the housing, for providing electrical power to operate the device, wherein bar codes and other indicia may be printed on the labels near items to which the labels will be affixed.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 147 words

A portable hand-held device for printing labels, comprising: a compact hand-held housing; means, coupled to said housing, for holding labels; data means, disposed within the housing, for determining identifying marks to be printed on the labels; printing means including a reservoir containing liquid ink, an ink ejecting conduit having one end from which ink is ejected and another end in communication with said reservoir, and a heating element disposed within the conduit adjacent the ink ejecting end of the conduit, wherein energization of the heating element causes evaporation of a portion of liquid ink within the conduit to expel a droplet from the ink ejecting end of the conduit on demand; and battery means, coupled to the housing, for providing electrical power to operate the device, wherein bar codes and other indicia may be printed on the labels near items to which the labels will be affixed.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 33 words

The portable hand held device of claim 6 further comprising fluid flow means for transporting ink from the reservoir to the ink ejecting conduit irrespective of the orientation of said hand held device.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 47 words

The portable hand held device of claim 7 wherein said fluid flow means is a capillary tubing having a sufficiently small diameter that forces acting between liquid ink within said tubing and internal surfaces of said tubing exceed weight related forces acting on ink within said tubing.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 33 words

The patentable hand held device of claim 7 wherein said fluid means is a peristaltic pump delivering ink to the injecting conduit in synchronism with a demand for ink from said printing means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 52 words

The portable device of claim 6 wherein said print means further includes a tube, conducting ink from said reservoir to the conduit, having a sufficiently small diameter that capillary forces between the ink within said tube and internal surfaces of the tube exceed the weight forces of the ink within the tube.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 102 words

A portable hand held label printer, comprising: a hand held housing; a label supply coupled to said housing; data means, disposed within said housing, for determing g identifying marks to be printed on the labels; a reservoir of liquid ink; an ink jetting tube having a first end from which ink is ejected and a second end receiving ink from the reservoir; and a heating element in contact with said ink jetting tube proximate said first end, wherein activation of the heating element forms a bubble within the tube proximate said first end that expels a liquid bubble of ink on demand.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 102 words

A portable hand held label printer, comprising: a hand held housing; a label supply coupled to said housing; data means, disposed within said housing, for determing g identifying marks to be printed on the labels; a reservoir of liquid ink; an ink jetting tube having a first end from which ink is ejected and a second end receiving ink from the reservoir; and a heating element in contact with said ink jetting tube proximate said first end, wherein activation of the heating element forms a bubble within the tube proximate said first end that expels a liquid bubble of ink on demand.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 19 words

The portable hand held device of claim 11 wherein said heating element is disposed within the ink jetting tube.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

The portable hand held device of claim 11 further comprising fluid flow means for transporting ink from the reservoir to the ink ejecting conduit irrespective of the orientation of said hand held device.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 47 words

The portable hand held device of claim 11 wherein said fluid flow means is a capillary tubing having a sufficiently small diameter that forces acting between liquid ink within said tubing and internal surfaces of said tubing exceed weight related forces acting on ink within said tubing.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 34 words

The portable hand held device of claim 11 wherein said fluid means is a peristaltic pump delivering ink to the ink ejecting conduit in synchronism with a demand for ink from said printing means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 66 words

A portable hand held label printer comprising: a compact hand held housing; label supply coupled to said housing; display means, coupled to said housing, for determining identifying markings to be printed on labels; and print means, disposed within the housing, including a solid supply of hot-melt type liquefiable ink and means for liquefying a portion of said solid ink and ejecting the liquefiable ink on demand.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 66 words

A portable hand held label printer comprising: a compact hand held housing; label supply coupled to said housing; display means, coupled to said housing, for determining identifying markings to be printed on labels; and print means, disposed within the housing, including a solid supply of hot-melt type liquefiable ink and means for liquefying a portion of said solid ink and ejecting the liquefiable ink on demand.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 30 words

The portable hand held printer of claim 16 wherein said print means includes a reservoir, within which the solid ink is disposed, and an output conduit communicating with said reservoir.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 21 words

The portable hand held printer of claim 16 wherein said means for liquefying is a heating element disposed within the reservoir.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 28 words

The portable hand held printer of claim 17 wherein said print means includes a spring disposed within the reservoir and biassing the solid ink towards the output conduit.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 91 words

A portable hand held label printer comprising: a hand held housing; a label supply coupled to said housing; data means, disposed within said housing, for determining identifying marks to be printed on labels; a reservoir of liquid ink; an ink jetting tube having a first end from which ink is ejected in a second end communicating with the reservoir; a heating element in contact with said ink jetting tube proximate said first end; and a perastalic pump delivering ink to the ink jetting tube in synchronism with a demand for ink.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 91 words

A portable hand held label printer comprising: a hand held housing; a label supply coupled to said housing; data means, disposed within said housing, for determining identifying marks to be printed on labels; a reservoir of liquid ink; an ink jetting tube having a first end from which ink is ejected in a second end communicating with the reservoir; a heating element in contact with said ink jetting tube proximate said first end; and a perastalic pump delivering ink to the ink jetting tube in synchronism with a demand for ink.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 114 words

A portable hand held label printer comprising: a compact hand held housing; a label supply coupled to said housing; data means, disposed within said housing, for determining identifying marks to be printed on labels; a reservoir containing a solid mass of hot-melt type liquefiable ink; an output tube coupled said reservoir; biasing means, disposed within the reservoir, for biasing the ink toward the output tube; and heating element disposed adjacent the reservoir so as to heat and liquify a portion of said ink adjacent the output tube upon activation of said heating element, wherein a portion of the solid ink within the reservoir is melted, forced into the output tube and ejected on demand.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 114 words

A portable hand held label printer comprising: a compact hand held housing; a label supply coupled to said housing; data means, disposed within said housing, for determining identifying marks to be printed on labels; a reservoir containing a solid mass of hot-melt type liquefiable ink; an output tube coupled said reservoir; biasing means, disposed within the reservoir, for biasing the ink toward the output tube; and heating element disposed adjacent the reservoir so as to heat and liquify a portion of said ink adjacent the output tube upon activation of said heating element, wherein a portion of the solid ink within the reservoir is melted, forced into the output tube and ejected on demand.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 21 words

The portable hand held printer of claim 21 wherein said heating element is disposed within said reservoir proximate said output tube.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 15 words

The portable hand held printer of claim 21 wherein said biasing means is a spring.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-11-15	1997-05-17	1997-11-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-11-15	2001-05-17	2001-11-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-11-15	2005-05-17	2005-11-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Bar code printing

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