LABEL PRINTER

Abstract

Disclosed is a label printer for printing labels wound onto a roll that are applied to a carrier tape or that are linerless endless tape labels, having a housing in which a cartridge compartment is formed; a tape cartridge which at least comprises an unwinding mandrel, in which a label roll can be received, and which can be manually inserted into and removed from the cartridge compartment; and a printhead and a driven print roller, wherein the label tape of the label roll can be led between the printhead and the print roller. A spring device and a movable latching holder, which is preloaded into a latching position by a spring force of the spring device, allows the tape cartridge to be latched into the latching holder against the spring force on the insertion and to be unlatched from the latching holder against the spring force on the removal.

Claims

1. A label printer for printing labels wound onto a roll that are applied to a carrier tape or that are linerless endless tape labels, said label printer comprising a housing in which a cartridge compartment is formed; a tape cartridge which at least comprises an unwinding mandrel, in which a label roll can be received, and which can be manually inserted into the cartridge compartment and removed from the cartridge compartment; and a printhead and a driven print roller, wherein the label tape of the label roll can be led between the printhead and the print roller, wherein a spring device and a movable latching holder, which is preloaded into a latching position by a spring force of the spring device, for the tape cartridge are associated with the cartridge compartment, with the tape cartridge being able to be latched into the latching holder against the spring force on the insertion and being able to be unlatched from the latching holder against the spring force on the removal.

2. The label printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein, on the insertion and on the removal, the tape cartridge in each case presses against the latching holder such that the latching holder is temporarily urged out of the latching position against the spring force in order to allow a latching in and an unlatching.

3. The label printer in accordance with claim 2, wherein the latching holder has a contact section having two run-on slopes, with the tape cartridge pressing against the one run-on slope on the insertion and pressing against the other run-on slope on the removal.

4. The label printer in accordance with claim 3, wherein the two run-on slopes together form a V shape in a plane that is defined by the direction of a movement of the latching holder out of the latching position and the direction of movement of the tape cartridge on the insertion and removal.

5. The label printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable latching holder is configured as a latching holder pivotable about a pivot axis, in particular as a pivotable latching arm.

6. The label printer in accordance with claim 5, wherein the spring device is a torsion spring that preloads the pivotable latching holder into the latching position.

7. The label printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in the inserted position of the tape cartridge, such a spring device and such a latching holder are in each case provided at two mutually oppositely disposed sides of the tape cartridge.

8. The label printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the print roller is part of the tape cartridge.

9. The label printer in accordance with claim 8, wherein the print roller is replaceable without tools.

10. The label printer in accordance with claim 8, wherein the tape cartridge, with a respective axial end of an axle of the print roller, latches into the respective latching holder and unlatches from the respective latching holder.

11. The label printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein a housing element foldable about an axis of rotation between a closed position and an open position, in particular a door, is attached to the housing and releases access to the cartridge compartment for inserting and removing the tape cartridge in the open position and prevents said access in the closed position.

12. The label printer in accordance with claim 11, wherein a holding device is provided to hold the housing element at the housing in the closed position.

13. The label printer in accordance with claim 12, wherein only a magnetic holder is provided to hold the housing element at the housing in the closed position.

14. The label printer in accordance with claim 11, wherein the housing element is provided with a securing means that blocks a movement of the latching holder out of the latching position in the closed position of the housing element.

15. The label printer in accordance with claim 14, wherein the securing means automatically becomes active due to the mere closing of the housing element.

16. The label printer in accordance with claim 14, wherein the securing means has a blocking element that is provided at an inner side of the housing element, that projects with a free end in the direction of the latching holder in the closed position of the housing element, and that acts in a blocking manner on the latching holder in the closed position of the housing element.

17. The label printer in accordance with claim 16, wherein the blocking element directly contacts the latching holder in the closed position of the housing element.

18. The label printer in accordance with claim 16, wherein, in the closed position of the housing element, a force acting on the latching holder in the direction of a movement out of the latching position acts on the blocking element such that no torque is exerted onto the foldable housing element.

19. The label printer in accordance with claim 18, wherein the direction of the movement of the latching holder out of the latching position is oriented in parallel with a radial extent of the foldable housing element in the closed position of the housing element and/or is oriented perpendicular to the free end of the blocking element in the closed position of the housing element.

20. The label printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the axis of the unwinding mandrel runs in the vertical in the operating position of the label printer.

21. A scale, in particular a store scale, comprising a label printer in accordance with claim 1.

Description

[0025] The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawing. There are shown

[0026] FIG. 1 a scale with a label printer in accordance with the invention in a perspective view;

[0027] FIG. 2 the label printer of FIG. 1 with a cartridge compartment, without a tape cartridge, and with an open door in a plan view;

[0028] FIG. 3 the label printer in accordance with FIG. 2, wherein a tape cartridge is partly inserted into the cartridge compartment;

[0029] FIG. 4 the label printer in accordance with FIG. 3, with the tape cartridge being completely inserted into the cartridge compartment;

[0030] FIG. 5 the label printer in accordance with FIG. 4, with the door being closed;

[0031] FIG. 6 a latching holder of the label printer in accordance with FIGS. 2 to 5 in an enlarged individual representation; and

[0032] FIG. 7 a securing means of the label printer in accordance with FIGS. 2 to 5 in an enlarged individual representation.

[0033] The exemplary scale, in particular a store scale, shown in FIG. 1 comprises a load plate 13 that determines the weight of an article disposed on it, with the weight being displayed both on a display 15 for the customer and on a display 17 for the salesperson. The display 17 is configured as a touch screen such that the scale 11 can also be operated via it. An identification number (PLU) associated with the respective article can be input via the touch screen 17 such that a price for the article can be calculated while adding the weight, said price then likewise being displayed on the two displays 15, 17. Furthermore, the store scale comprises a label printer 19 to print the weight, the name of the article, and the calculated price on the label.

[0034] The label printer 19 is shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 in an individual representation and in a plan view respectively. The label printer 19 comprises a housing 21 in which a cartridge compartment 23 is formed into which a tape cartridge 25 (cf. FIGS. 3 to 5) is insertable. Furthermore, a housing element 27 attached to the housing 21 in a manner foldable about an axis of rotation is provided in the form of a door and is adjustable between an open position shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and a closed position shown in FIG. 5. In the open position of the housing element 27, access to the cartridge compartment 23 is unobstructed, i.e. the tape cartridge 25 can be manually inserted into the cartridge compartment 23 or manually removed from the cartridge compartment 23. In the closed position of the housing element 27, in contrast, this is not the case since the access is then closed.

[0035] The label printer 19 can be operated with labels that are applied to a carrier tape, that are wound onto a roll, and that are thus received as a label roll in the tape cartridge 25. In this respect, the label roll is placed onto an unwinding mandrel 29 of the tape cartridge 25 which is oriented vertically in the operating position of the label printer 19 and from which the label tape is unwound in the operation of the label printer 19. In addition, the tape cartridge 25 has a driven winding mandrel 31 for the unwound carrier tape.

[0036] Furthermore, a printhead 33 and a driven print roller 35 cooperating with the printhead 33 are provided. The printhead 33 is arranged in the housing 21. The print roller 35, in contrast, is part of the tape cartridge 25. At its two axial ends, the print roller 35 is in each case supported in a separate rotary bearing, said rotary bearings being pressed in a form-fitted and force-fitted, yet releasable manner into corresponding recesses of the tape cartridge 25 such that the print roller 35 can be replaced without tools.

[0037] The print roller 35 and the winding mandrel 31 are driven by an electric motor 39 of the label printer 19 via a gear transmission of which a toothed wheel 37 can be recognized in FIG. 3. The tape cartridge 25 thus does not have its own electric motor. The carrier tape 41 with the labels is in this respect led between the printhead 33 and the print roller 35 in order to print the labels, as is schematically indicated in FIG. 5. After the printing region, the carrier tape 41 is sharply deflected around a dispensing edge 43 (cf. FIG. 3) such that the labels can peel off and can be output from the label printer 19, as is illustrated by an arrow 45 in FIG. 5.

[0038] Alternatively to an operation with a carrier tape 41, the label printer 19 may also be operated with linerless endless tape labels that are also called linerless labels. A winding mandrel is not necessary for linerless endless tape labels. However, a cutter which is arranged behind the printhead 33 and the print roller 35 and by which the labels are cut off from the endless tape is required for this purpose. Such a cutter is then located in the region of the bottom right corner of the housing 21 of the label printer 19 in FIGS. 2 to 5, wherein the housing corner section 61 shown in FIG. 1 is then replaced with a corresponding housing corner section having the cutter.

[0039] To securely hold the tape cartridge 25 in the cartridge compartment 23, a latching mechanism is provided in which the tape cartridge 25 can be latched into the inserted position against a spring force on the insertion and can be unlatched from the inserted position against the spring force on the removal. For this purpose, the cartridge compartment 23 has associated with it at least one latching holder 47 in the form of a latching arm which is pivotable about a pivot axis and which is preloaded by an associated spring device 49 in the form of a torsion spring into a latching position, counterclockwise in FIGS. 2 to 5. In this respect, the latching holder 47 cooperates with one of the two axial ends of the print roller 35 or of the axle of the print roller 35 via a contact section 51 (cf. in particular FIG. 6) provided at the free end of the latching holder 47.

[0040] The contact section 51, which is preloaded by means of the spring device 49 in the direction of the path along which the tape cartridge 25 is inserted into the cartridge compartment 23 or removed from the cartridge compartment 23, has two run-on slopes 53 that converge in a V shape in the pivot plane of the latching holder 47. In

[0041] FIGS. 2 and 3, i.e. when the tape cartridge 25 is not yet or only partly inserted into the cartridge compartment 23, the contact section 51 projects with the tip formed by the two run-on slopes 53 into the aforementioned path.

[0042] On the further insertion, the axial end of the axle of the print roller 35 presses against the run-on slope 53 of the contact section 51 at the right in FIGS. 2 to 5 such that the latching holder 47 is temporarily urged out of the latching position against the spring force of the spring device 49, clockwise in FIGS. 2 to 5. As soon as the axial end of the axle of the print roller 35 has passed the tip of the contact section 51, the latching holder 47 and thus the contact section 51 are urged back into the latching position again and the axial end of the axle of the print roller 35 latches in behind the contact section 51 (cf. FIGS. 4 and 5). The removal of the tape cartridge 25 takes place analogously in the reverse direction, wherein the axial end of the axle of the print roller 35 then presses against the run-on slope 53 of the contact section 51 that is at the left in FIGS. 2 to 5.

[0043] An arrangement as described above preferably engages with the latching holder 47 and the spring device 49 not only at the axial end of the axle of the print roller 35 visible in FIGS. 2 to 5, but at both axial ends, i.e. a total of two such latching holders 47 and two such spring devices 49 are provided. The two latching holders 47 can be rigidly coupled to one another or can be independently movable of one another.

[0044] A securing means 55 is further provided by which a pivot movement of the latching holder 47 out of the latching position can be blocked in the closed position of the housing element 27. The securing means 55 comprises a blocking element 57 which, in the closed position of the housing element 27, projects with a free end 63 (cf. in particular FIG. 7) in the direction of the latching holding 47 and in this respect directly contacts the latching holder 27 such that the latching holder 47 can no longer pivot out of the latching position. The blocking element 57 is formed as a stamped bent part that is screwed to the inner side of the housing element 27 via a fastening section 65. No securing means of this type is provided for the second latching holder.

[0045] The securing means 55 is therefore advantageous since, in the case of linerless labels, when a label is cut off, the next label has already partly run through between the printhead 33 and the print roller 35 and the endless tape therefore has to be retracted up to the label start of the next label. On this so-called reversing, during which the print roller 35 briefly does not rotate in the forward direction, but rather in the reverse direction, forces can arise that act on the inserted tape cartridge 25 in the direction of a movement into the unlatched position. In the case of small spring stiffnesses of the spring devices 49, as is preferred for a particularly comfortable insertion and removal of the tape cartridge 25, there is then the risk that the inserted tape cartridge 25 unlatches in an unwanted and automatic manner. Such an unlatching can be prevented by the securing means 55. Since the securing means 55 is provided at the inner side of the housing element 27, the securing means 55 automatically becomes active due to the mere closing of the housing element 27.

[0046] An arrangement that is particularly secure with respect to the prevention of an unwanted unlatching is achieved in that no torque is exerted onto the foldable housing element 27 by a force that attempts to urge the latching holder 47 out of the latching position when the tape cartridge 25 is inserted and in the closed position of the housing element 27. It is thereby ensured that, in the closed position of the housing element 27, the radial extent of the housing element 27 is aligned in parallel with and the free end 63 of the blocking element 57 is oriented perpendicular to the direction of the movement of the latching holder 47 out of the latching position.

[0047] Finally, a holding device 59 for the housing element 27 is also provided in the housing 21 in the form of a magnetic holder having a magnet that attracts the free end of the at least partly metallic housing element 27 and that thus holds the housing element 27 in the closed position. In this respect, it is sufficient for the magnet to generate only a weak magnetic field in order to enable an opening of the housing element 27 for an operator that is as force free as possible and that is thus comfortable.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0048] 11 scale

[0049] 13 load plate

[0050] 15 customer display

[0051] 17 operator touch screen

[0052] 19 label printer

[0053] 21 housing

[0054] 23 cartridge compartment

[0055] 25 tape cartridge

[0056] 27 housing element

[0057] 29 unwinding mandrel

[0058] 31 winding mandrel

[0059] 33 printhead

[0060] 35′ print roller

[0061] 37 toothed wheel

[0062] 39 electric motor

[0063] 41 carrier tape

[0064] 43 dispensing edge

[0065] 45 arrow

[0066] 47 latching holder

[0067] 49 spring device

[0068] 51 contact section

[0069] 53 run-on slope

[0070] 55 securing means

[0071] 57 blocking element

[0072] 59 holding device

[0073] 61 housing corner section

[0074] 63 free end

[0075] 65 fastening section