PRINTER FOR PRINTING MARKER CARDS WITH MARKERS FOR MARKING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

Abstract

A printer for printing plate-like media made of plastic and/or metal such as printing marker cards with markers for marking electrical appliances has various functional devices and an apparatus for handling the printable plate-like media. The marker cards are conveyed in the printer between the functional devices. The handling apparatus has several stations which are formed as receiving and fixing devices for a marker card to be printed. One or more of the stations is configured so as to be pivotable, such that it can be pivoted out of a first pivot position into a second pivot position against a resilient stop.

Claims

1-34. (canceled)

35. A printer for printing marker cards with markers for marking electrical appliances, comprising a handling apparatus including a conveyor assembly which transfers the marker cards between a plurality of functional devices, said handling apparatus including a plurality of receiving and holding stations for the marker cards during printing, at least one of said receiving and holding stations being pivotable between first and second pivot positions against a corresponding resilient stop.

36. The printer as defined in claim 35, wherein said handling apparatus includes at least a first station, a second station and a third station.

37. The printer as defined in claim 36, wherein said second and third stations are in alignment in said first pivot position and are not in alignment in another pivot position.

38. The printer as defined in claim 35, wherein each station is configured as a shell having a U-shaped cross-section.

39. The printer as defined in claim 36, wherein each station includes a conveyor which conveys each marker card within the station and from station to station.

40. The printer as defined in claim 39, wherein each station conveyor comprises one of a conveyor belt, a belt conveyor, and a roller conveyor.

41. The printer as defined in claim 35, wherein a path of said conveyor assembly which transfers the marker cards is other than a straight line and includes at least one change of direction.

42. The printer as defined in claim 41, wherein when said conveyor path includes one change of direction, said conveyor path has an L-shape and when said conveyor path includes two changes of direction, said conveyor path has a U-shape.

43. The printer as defined in claim 41, wherein said conveyor path includes more than two changes of direction.

44. The printer as defined in claim 41, wherein said conveyor path is contained in a single plane.

45. The printer as defined in claim 42, wherein said conveyor path is contained two planes, a second plane being vertically offset from said first plane by less than 20 mm.

46. The printer as defined in claim 36, wherein said handling apparatus includes a pivot plate positioned between said second and third stations.

47. The printer as defined in claim 46, wherein said pivot plate includes a stop portion which extends at an angle between the stations which are oriented in parallel in a first pivot position.

48. The printer as defined in claim 47 wherein said stop portion includes at least one stop which extends from said pivot plate.

49. The printer as defined in claim 48, wherein said at least one stop is resilient.

50. The printer as defined in claim 47, wherein said pivot plate further includes at least one bearing portion.

51. The printer as defined in claim 47, wherein said stop portion includes a web containing a borehole which is engaged by a grommet of a first spring.

52. The printer as defined in claim 50, wherein said bearing portion receives a stationary bearing pin of a second pivot bearing of said third station and includes a retention plate coaxial with said second pivot bearing, said retention plate being mounted in a rotatable manner coaxial with said second pivot bearing.

53. The printer as defined in claim 52, wherein said handling apparatus further comprises a first drive motor attached to said retention plate in a non-rotatable manner.

54. The printer as defined in claim 53, wherein said first drive motor is configured to initiate pivotal movement of the third station via a gear mechanism

55. The printer as defined in claim 54, wherein said retention plate includes a second spring which serves as a restoring spring for said first drive motor.

56. The printer as defined in claim 54, wherein said first drive motor drives a pinion which meshes with a gearwheel connected with said third station in a non-rotatable manner.

57. The printer as defined in claim 46, wherein said handling apparatus further comprises a guide strip on which a guide carriage is guided in a movable manner, said guide carriage having a stationary bearing pin of a first pivot bearing for mounting said second station in a pivotable manner on said guide carriage.

58. The printer as defined in claim 57, wherein said second station includes a web containing a borehole engaged by a grommet of a third spring.

59. The printer as defined in claim 58, wherein said third spring is connected with said guide carriage.

60. The printer as defined in claim 59, wherein a vertical movement of said second station along said guide strip and a pivot movement of said second station counter-clockwise about a central axis of said first pivot bearing are actuated by a single second drive.

61. The printer as defined in claim 60, wherein said second station and said pivot plate each have a resilient end stop, whereby after a pivot movement of said second station, said second station and said pivot plate are aligned parallel to one another, including when said second station is displaced vertically upwards along said guide strip.

62. The printer as defined in claim 56, wherein said third station driven by said first drive motor performs a pivot movement via said pinion and said gearwheel, wherein a counter-torque relative to a torque of said first drive motor is applied by said second spring produces a clockwise pivot movement about a central axis of said second pivot bearing until said third station contacts a third stop.

63. The printer as defined in claim 62, wherein said second station and said third station are aligned with one another in a repeatable manner after the respective stops have been reached.

64. The printer as defined in claim 62, wherein said first drive motor provides a first drive of said second and third stations to engage respective stops and a second drive which continuing further into corresponding springs and stopping as a result.

65. The printer as defined in claim 64, wherein said first drive motor remains switched on for a certain additional period of time after pivot movement of said third station is interrupted at a third stop and said second spring is deflected, said third station contacting said third stop in a spring-loaded manner.

66. The printer as defined in claim 65, wherein said spring-loaded second and third stations during respective pivot movement and contacting of respective stops in a respective pivot-out position compensates tolerances with respect to mechanical and control-related influences.

67. The printer as defined in claim 35, wherein said functional devices include at least one of a separation device, a printing device, and a fixing device.

68. The printer as defined in claim 35, wherein said handling apparatus includes at least one cooling area for cooling the marker cards following printing.

69. A method for conveying, a plate-shaped medium on a conveying path through a printer as defined in claim 35, wherein a conveying path of a respective plate-like medium includes at least one change of direction which deviates from a straight line, and further wherein at least one of said stations is configured in a pivotable manner and during operation is pivoted out of a first pivot position into a second pivot position against a resilient stop.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0035] The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a printer for printing marker cards with markers for marking electrical appliances, connectors, cables or the like according to the prior art;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an apparatus for handling printable marker cards with markers for marking electrical appliances, connectors, cables or the like in a printing process;

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus from FIG. 1 with the first marker card to be printed, separated from a cartridge or stack, being situated in a receiving station on a cartridge;

[0039] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, with the marker card to be printed being situated in a receiving station on the cartridge;

[0040] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the marker card or the like is being printed;

[0041] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the marker card or the like is being printed;

[0042] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the marker card or the like is printed;

[0043] FIG. 8 a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the marker card is being removed from the printing region into a transfer station;

[0044] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the marker card is brought out of the printing region into a transfer station;

[0045] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the marker card in the transfer station is ready to be conveyed in a direction other than the conveying direction out of the receiving station on the cartridge to the printing region;

[0046] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the first marker card is situated in the transfer station and a further marker card has been separated and is situated in the receiving station on the cartridge;

[0047] FIG. 12 is a plan view of the apparatus from FIG. 1, wherein the first marker card is being conveyed in a direction opposite to the conveying direction out of the cartridge to the printing region into the fixing unit and subsequently a removal position and the further marker card is being conveyed out of the receiving station on the cartridge into the printing region; and

[0048] FIG. 13 is a spatial view of a station with a conveying means and a marker card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The term “handle” or “handling” is to be understood, within the meaning of the present invention, as a change in the spatial position and orientation of a body with a specific geometric shape, for example by rotating or turning or retaining with a technical device, but without changing anything on the body itself such as in the case of processing. “Handling” further includes movement operations of the body, such as saving, separating, dividing, combining, or moving or conveying of the body, and also securing and inspecting of the body, which are performed by technical devices.

[0050] The term “conveying device” or “conveying” is to be understood, within the meaning of the present invention, as apparatus or devices for the forward movement of goods in delimited operational areas, or the forward movement of goods in delimited operational areas.

[0051] As regards the detailed construction of a marker card 2 with markers 3 for marking electrical appliances, connectors, cables or the like, at this point reference is made to DE 20 2006 005 458 U1.

[0052] A printer for printing marker cards 2 with markers 3 for marking electrical appliances, connectors, cables or the like according to the prior art is depicted in FIG. 1. In the printer according to the prior art, the handling of the marker card 2 takes place in one line, that is to say without a change of direction of the marker card during handling. The printer has various devices I, II, III, IV, each device being assigned a defined function.

[0053] The first device I is a separation device with a cartridge. In the second device II—a printing device—in each case a previously separated marker card 2 is printed. In the third device III—a fixing device, the print image is fixed on the printed marker card 2. In the fourth device IV—an output device—the fully printed marker card 2 is output. Where appropriate, a cooling area (not shown) is integrated into the output device.

[0054] An example of an apparatus according to the invention for handling printable marker cards 2 with markers 3 for marking electrical appliances, connectors, cables or the like in a printing process of a printer is depicted in FIG. 2.

[0055] In this case, the handling, in particular conveying or the transportation, of the marker card 2 does not take place in a straight line but rather with a change of direction or several changes of direction of the marker cards during handling. Overall therefore, this results in a non-straight conveying path when conveying the respective plate-like medium through the printer.

[0056] The apparatus has several, in this example four, receiving and fixing apparatuses, which are referred to hereinafter as stations 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, for one or more marker cards 2 to be printed, which lie behind one another. The stations 4a to 4d have a conveying device 23 depicted in FIG. 13, with which the respective marker card 2 can be conveyed in a translational manner from a station 4a to 4c to another station 4b to 4d.

[0057] The conveying device 23 is designed as a round belt conveyor with two round belts 24 which are guided in parallel and driven synchronously. Alternatively, other conveying devices 23 are also possible, such as a conveyor belt or a roller conveyor, for example.

[0058] The stations 4a to 4d can be designed as a type of shell 25 with a U-shaped cross-section (see also FIG. 13). One functional device I, II, III, IV can be assigned to each of these, i.e. a printing device or a fixing device.

[0059] In the example in FIG. 13, the marker card 2a has laterally arranged, integrally formed U profiles 26 which are at a tangent to the respective round belts 24 of the conveying device 23 on three sides and are supported on the respective round belt 24.

[0060] The stations 4a to 4d have sliding plates 27. The sliding plates 27 serve to guide the marker cards 2 in a vertical direction, “vertical” being in relation to the drawing plane in FIG. 13. In this way, secure guiding of the marker card 2 in one plane is achieved during conveying.

[0061] The first station 4a can be presented in a stationary manner and can be formed as a cartridge with a separation device as a functional device. It can therefore also form part of the separation device.

[0062] The second station 4b can be provided as a clamping and advancing device for the printing device and can thus form part of a printing device as a functional device. This can also form a type of deflector.

[0063] The second station 4b is pivotably borne by a first pivot bearing 5. The first station 4a and the second station 4b are arranged in a line behind one another, the second station 4b leaving this line by being displaced parallel in the subsequent printing process, in order to orientate the marker card 2a appropriately relative to a printing head. After the printing has been completed, a pivot movement can also be provoked via the same drive.

[0064] The third station 4c can also be provided as a deflector and is therefore, analogous to the second station 4b, pivotably borne by a second pivot bearing 6. The fourth station 4d is stationary. It can form part of a fixing device as a functional device, in which the printed print image is fixed onto the markers 3 by applying heat, for example.

[0065] The third station 4c and the fourth station 4d are arranged in a straight line behind one another, the third station 4c being pivotable, via the second pivot bearing 6, out of this line at an oblique angle thereto out of a first pivot position into a second pivot position oblique thereto.

[0066] The second station 4b and the third station 4c can be brought to lie in a line as required, via the respective first pivot bearing 5 and the second pivot bearing 6 and a drive.

[0067] With the apparatus, a U-shaped conveying direction is produced for the marker card 2 to be printed or for the printed marker card 2 in the printing process—therefore, by way of example, providing a conveying direction with two changes of direction. This results in an advantageous, installation-space-saving arrangement of the individual stations 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d in the printing process of the marker card 2.

[0068] The apparatus can also be configured in such a way that a single change of direction is produced such as an angular or L-shaped conveying direction. However, alternatively it is also conceivable that the conveying device 23 is configured in such a way that a conveying direction with more than two changes of direction—e.g. an S-shaped conveying direction is produced.

[0069] The conveying direction with at least one change of direction results in a higher printing performance of the overall printing process of the printer.

[0070] The apparatus can have a pivot plate 7 that is positioned between the second station 4b and the third station 4c. The pivot plate 7 has an elongated stop section 7a which extends diagonally in relation to the drawing plane in FIG. 2 at an angle between the second station 4b and the third station 4c. The stop section 7a can have several stops 8a, 8b, 8c, which protrude out of the pivot plate 7 perpendicular to the drawing plane in FIG. 2. The stops 8a, 8b, 8c can be firmly connected to the stop section 7a of the pivot plate 7 and can also engage through the stop section 7a.

[0071] The stop section 7a has a web 9 which is provided with a borehole which is engaged by a grommet of a first spring 10. A grommet at another end of the first spring 10 is suspended in a solid part that is not depicted in more detail here. The first spring 10 is designed as a helical tension spring. The stop section 7a has a further stop 16 which is positioned laterally on the stop section 7a.

[0072] The pivot plate 7 can also have a bearing section 7b. The bearing section 7b receives a stationary bearing pin of the second pivot bearing 6 of the third station 4c. The bearing section 7b has a retention plate 11 coaxial with the second pivot bearing 6.

[0073] A first drive such as a motor 12 is fitted on the retention plate 11 in a non-rotatable manner. The motor 12 initiates a pivot movement of the third station 4c via a gearwheel mechanism. The retention plate 11 has a second spring 17 which serves as a restoring spring for the motor 12. The second spring 17 is designed as a spiral tension spring. Alternatively, the spring can also be designed differently, as a spiral compression spring for example, to perform a resilient restoring function. The retention plate 11 is mounted in a rotatable manner coaxial with the second pivot bearing 6.

[0074] For this purpose, a gearwheel 13 is connected in a non-rotatable manner to the station 4c which meshes with a pinion 14 that can be driven by the motor 12, and thus the gearwheel mechanism is formed. The design of the gear mechanism as a gearwheel mechanism is advantageous, but not required. The gear mechanism can also be designed differently, for example as a flexible drive mechanism or a coupling mechanism. A direct drive of the pivot movement of the station 4c by the motor 12 is also possible. The motor 12 can also be formed as a gear mechanism motor.

[0075] Furthermore, a guide strip 15 serves as a straight guide for the translational displacement of the second station 4b vertically upwards, with “vertically upwards” being in relation to the drawing plane in FIG. 2. For this purpose, the guide strip 15 has a guide carriage 18. The guide carriage 18 is guided in a movable manner on the guide strip 15 and has a stationary bearing pin of the first pivot bearing 5 by which the second station 4b is mounted in a pivotable manner on the guide carriage 18. The second station 4b has a web 19. The web 19 has a borehole that is engaged by a grommet of a third spring 20. The third spring 20 is designed as a spiral tension spring. A grommet at another end of the third spring 20 is connected to the guide carriage 18. The third spring 20 serves as a restoring spring of the second station 4b when this is pivoted out about the first pivot bearing 5. This is one possible design for a restoring mechanism with a stop. Other structural designs or other geometric arrangements are also possible.

[0076] The third station 4c has a stop 21 which is supported on the outer side of the fourth station 4d and is positioned in such a way that a counter-clockwise pivot of the third station 4c is prevented. This is one possible design for the stop. Other structural designs or other geometric arrangements are also possible.

[0077] Furthermore, the third station 4c has a recess 22 by which the third station 4c can adopt a position in a line with the fourth station 4d despite the stop 8c which is positioned on the stop section 7a of the pivot plate 7 in the region of a free end of the third station 4c which is situated in a line with the fourth station 4d in such a way that it would prevent this without the recess 22.

[0078] The apparatus 1 is depicted in a perspective view in FIG. 3. The stops 8a, 8b, 8c on the stop section 7a of the pivot plate 7 are clearly shown as are webs 9 and 19 and the stop 22 and the recess 22.

[0079] The depiction in FIG. 3 shows that a first marker card 2a has been separated from a cartridge into the first station 4a of the apparatus 1 with the separation apparatus. The marker card 2 lies in a flat-horizontal orientation in the first station 4a. The same situation is also depicted in FIG. 4.

[0080] In FIG. 5, the first marker card 2a has been conveyed by the respective conveying device 23 of the first station 4a and the second station 4b centrally and symmetrically to the second station 2b and thus delivered to the printing region of the printer (not shown), so that the first marker card 2a can be printed.

[0081] In FIG. 6, the first marker card 2a is situated in the printing position and is being printed. For this purpose, it may be necessary to move the second station 4b stepwise vertically downwards in relation to the drawing plane in FIG. 6 along the guide strip 15 and the guide carriage 18 if the printing width is less than the width of the first marker card 2a.

[0082] In FIG. 7, the printing operation is completed and the second station 4b with the first printed marker card 2a is moved with the guide carriage 18 along the guide strip 15 vertically upwards in the direction of the pivot plate 7 in relation to the drawing plane in FIG. 7 until the second station 4b contacts the first stop 8a of the pivot plate 7.

[0083] In FIG. 8, the second station 4b is moved with the guide carriage 18 along the guide strip 15 further vertically upwards in the direction of the pivot plate 7, in relation to the drawing plane in FIG. 8 such that the second station 4b also contacts the second stop 8b of the pivot plate 7.

[0084] In this case, the station 4b performs a counter-clockwise pivot movement about a central axis of the first pivot bearing 5 since as a result of the direction of movement of the guide carriage 18 and of the first stop 8a, a force couple is formed which produces a torque which rotates around an instantaneous pole which coincides with a periphery of the first stop 8a and acts upon the second station 4b.

[0085] Both movements—namely the vertical movement of the station 4b along the guide strip 15 and the pivot movement of the station 4b about the central axis of the first pivot bearing 5 counter-clockwise—can be actuated in this case by a single second drive.

[0086] With regard to the pivot movement, since the second station 4b, by way of the third spring 20, and also the pivot plate 7, by way of the first spring 10, each have a resilient end stop, after the pivot movement of the second station 4b has taken place, from then onwards both the second station 4b and the pivot plate 7 are necessarily aligned parallel to one another, even when the second station 4b is displaced further vertically upwards along the guide strip 15, in order to compensate for potential tolerances between the components.

[0087] The third station 4c, driven by the motor 12, also performs a pivot movement via the pinion 14 and the gearwheel 13. A counter-torque in relation to the torque of the motor 12 is applied by the second spring 17. In this case, a clockwise pivot movement about a central axis of the second pivot bearing 6 is performed until the third station 4c contacts the third stop 8c.

[0088] Since the stops 8a, 8b, 8c are arranged in a line and the pivot plate can only move about the central axis of the second pivot bearing 6, which is also the pivot axis of the station 4c, the first station 4b and the second station 4c are aligned with one another after the respective stops 8a, 8b and 8c, respectively, have been reached. Any tolerances present are compensated by the drives continuing a little, after the stops of the stations have been reached. As a result, both drives continue (while both stations lie in the stops) into the corresponding springs and stop “gently” although the stations have undergone a stop.

[0089] If the pivot movement of the third station 4c comes to a standstill at the third stop pin 8c, the motor 12 remains switched on for a certain additional period of time and in the process deflects the second spring 17 out, since the third station 4c cannot be pivoted any further. Since the motor 12 is configured in such a way that its holding torque in the de-energised state is greater than the counter-torque that is applied by the second spring 17, the station 4c contacts the third stop 4c in a spring-loaded manner. The motor 12 can also be a motor with an active holding torque, such as a stepper motor for example.

[0090] As a result of the spring-loaded second station 4b and third station 4c during the respective pivot movement and during contacting of the stops 8a and 8b or 8c in the respective pivoted-out position of the respective station 4b or 4c, the pivot-and-stop system of the two stations 4b and 4c compensates tolerance with respect to mechanical and control-related influences.

[0091] As a result, the two stations 4b and 4c come to rest precisely at the stops 8a and 8b or 8c, although the drives stop gently in each case.

[0092] The depiction in FIG. 9 shows that the first marker card 2a has been transferred from the second station 4b to the third station 4c, which is aligned therewith, by the conveying device 23 shown in FIG. 13.

[0093] In FIG. 10, the situation is depicted in which the third station 4c has been pivoted back again into its initial position—therefore aligned or in a line with the fourth station 4d. For this purpose, the motor 12 has been placed into a reversing direction until the third station 4c has again contacted the stop 21.

[0094] The first marker card 2a can now be conveyed further into the fixing region or into the fourth station 4d, while a second marker card 2b has already been separated into the first station 4a as can be seen in FIG. 11.

[0095] The depiction in FIG. 12 shows how after the first marker card 2a has been transferred to the third station 4c and has been pivoted with the third station 4c, the first marker card 2a is conveyed into the fourth station 4d, the output station, and the second marker card 2b is simultaneously conveyed out of the first station 4a into the second station 4b and therefore into the printing position.

[0096] As a result of the synthesis of the two operations, higher printing performance of the overall printing process of the printer is produced.