Label printer

Claim 2

In a printer having a housing, web positioning means mounted on said housing for supporting a web having a surface which is to be imprinted with one or more images, storage means for storing addresses of pixels forming images to be imprinted on the web, a print head operatively connected to said storage means and fixedly mounted on said housing, said print head having a plurality of spaced aligned dot printing means, each of which can imprint a dot on said web corresponding to a point on said images, the improvement which comprises, an encoder mounted on said housing, said encoder having web engaging means fixedly mounted thereon for positively engaging said web, said printer being motorless, and said web positioning means supporting said web while permitting longitudinal movement thereof whereby said web can be manually grasped and translated in a direction parallel to its axis, the motion of said web being imparted to said web engaging means to cause movement thereof, said encoder generating pulses in response to movement of said web from a reference position, and, counter means operatively connected to said storage means for counting said pulses and producing print enabling signals corresponding to said pulse count and said stored addresses, said dot printing means being operatively connected to said counter means and responsive to said enabling signals for printing dots corresponding to said image unaffected by variations in the velocity of movement of said web.

Claim 3

A printer according to claim 1 wherein said web engaging means is rotatably mounted with respect to said housing and movement of said web causes said encoder to rotate.

Claim 4

A printer according to claim 2 wherein said web engaging means comprises a wheel having sprockets adapted to engage apertures in said web for positive engagement during movement of said web relative to said housing.

Claim 5

A printer according to claim 1 further comprising index sensing means responsive to the position of said web for providing a reference signal when said web is at a reference position, said print head being operatively connected to said sensing means and responsive to said sensing means reference signal for printing a dot corresponding to said image only when the area of said web on which the point is to be imprinted is a predetermined distance from the reference position.

Claim 6

A printer according to claim 4 wherein said sensing means comprises a source of electromagnetic energy mounted on said housing for projecting said energy across the path of said web and a sensor mounted on said housing to receive the energy transmitted through said web.

Claim 7

A printer according to claim 4 further comprising spooling means for supporting a length of said web in wound configuration and means mounted on said housing.

Claim 8

A printer according to claim 1 wherein said print head is an ink jet print head and said dot printing means are ink jets, each adapted to spray droplets of ink.

Claim 9

A printer according to claim 4 further comprising label separation means mounted on said housing, whereby an end of said web can be grasped for moving said web through said separating means whereat one end of said label is peeled away from said web.

Claim 10

A motorless label printer comprising, a housing, a web including an elongated substrate and a plurality of labels releasably affixed to said substrate in spaced relationship, each label having a surface which is to be imprinted with one or more images, web positioning means mounted on said housing for supporting said web while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, whereby said web can be manually grasped and translated in a direction parallel to its axis, storage means for storing addresses of pixels forming images to be imprinted on each label, a print head operatively connected to said storage means and fixedly mounted on said housing, said print head having a plurality of spaced aligned dot printing means, each of which can imprint a dot on a label corresponding to a point on the image, an encoder mounted on said housing for movement with respect thereto, web engaging means fixedly mounted on said encoder for positively engaging said web whereby motion of said web is imparted to said web engaging means to cause movement thereof, said encoder generating pulses in response to movement of said web from a reference position, and counter means operatively connected to said storage means for counting said pulses and producing print enabling signals corresponding to said pulse count and said stored addresses said print head being responsive to said enabling signals for printing dots corresponding to said image unaffected by variations in the velocity of movement of said web.

Claim 11

A motorless label printer comprising, a housing, a web including an elongated substrate and a plurality of labels releasably affixed to said substrate in spaced relationship, each label having a surface which is to be imprinted with one or more images, web positioning means mounted on said housing for supporting said web while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, whereby said web can be manually grasped and translated in a direction parallel to its axis, storage means for storing addresses of pixels forming images to be imprinted on each label, a print head operatively connected to said storage means and fixedly mounted on said housing, said print head having a plurality of spaced aligned dot printing means, each of which can imprint a dot on a label corresponding to a point on the image, an encoder mounted on said housing for movement with respect thereto, web engaging means fixedly mounted on said encoder for positively engaging said web whereby motion of said web is imparted to said web engaging means to cause movement thereof, said encoder generating pulses in response to movement of said web from a reference position, and counter means operatively connected to said storage means for counting said pulses and producing print enabling signals corresponding to said pulse count and said stored addresses said print head being responsive to said enabling signals for printing dots corresponding to said image unaffected by variations in the velocity of movement of said web.

Claim 12

A printer according to claim 9 wherein said encoder is rotatably mounted with respect to said housing and movement of said web causes said encoder to rotate.

Claim 13

A printer according to claim 10 wherein said web substrate has spaced apertures along one of its edges and said engaging means comprises a wheel having sprockets adapted to be received in the apertures in said web for positive engagement during movement of said web relative to said housing.

Claim 14

A printer according to claim 9 wherein said substrate has an index for each label, and further comprising index sensing means responsive to the position of said web for providing a reference signal when said web is at a reference position, said print head being operatively connected to said sensing means and responsive to said sensing means reference signal for printing a dot corresponding to said image only when the area of said web on which the point is to be imprinted is a predetermined distance from the reference position.

Claim 15

A printer according to claim 12 wherein said sensing means comprises a source of electromagnetic energy mounted on said housing for projecting said energy across the path of said web and a sensor mounted on said housing to receive the energy transmitted through said web.

Claim 16

A printer according to claim 12 where in said index is an edge of said label, areas of said substrate between said labels transmitting more energy than areas of said substrate covered by said labels, said sensing means being responsive to the change in energy transmission as the edge of each label traverses said sensing means.

Claim 17

A printer according to claim 12 wherein said index is an aperture in said substrate, the aperture transmitting more energy than said substrate, said sensing means being responsive to the change in energy transmission as each index aperture traverses said sensing means.