Label roll and machine having a label roll

Abstract

The invention describes, and illustrates, a label roll having a roll core and having a label tape, which is wound up onto the roll core. In order that the amount of time and effort required for changing over the label rolls can be reduced without a disproportionately large amount of space having to be provided for the label compartment, provision is made for the roll core to have a plurality of rollers distributed over its circumference, around which the label tape is wound.

Claims

1. A label roll comprising: a roll core; and a label tape, which is wound up onto the roll core; wherein the roll core has a plurality of rollers distributed over its circumference, around which the label tape is wound; and wherein the roll core has an elongate cross section which is provided with rounded corners and around which the label tape is wound.

2. The label roll according to claim 1, wherein the longate cross section of the roll core is at least essentially oval or at least essentially rectangular.

3. The label roll according to claim 1, wherein the rollers are provided at fixed locations along the circumference of the roll core, and/or wherein the rollers are rubber-coated rollers, and/or wherein the rollers, in particular the roller spindles, are retained in a roll-core housing.

4. The label roll according to claim 1, wherein the roll core has at least one brake lining, and wherein the at least one brake lining is adjustable from a braking position, in which it butts in a force-fitting manner against at least one roller, into a release position, in which it is spaced apart from the at least one roller, and back, and wherein, preferably, in the braking position, the at least one brake lining butts in a force-fitting manner against the at least one roller on a side of the at least one roller which in each case is directed at least essentially away from the label tape.

5. The label roll according to claim 4, wherein the at least one brake lining is assigned at least one spring means such that the restoring force causes, or at least assists, the adjustment of the at least one spring means into the braking position and/or the release position.

6. The label roll according to claim 4, wherein the at least one brake lining is formed at least to some extent from a magnetic material, and wherein the at least one brake lining is assigned at least one electromagnet such that the at least one electromagnet can retain the brake lining in the release position and/or the braking position as a result of the magnetic force of the electromagnet, in particular counter to the restoring force of the at least one spring means.

7. The label roll according to claim 6, wherein the at least one electromagnet is assigned at least one control device for actuating the at least one electromagnet.

8. The label roll according to claim 1, wherein the roll-core housing has lateral mounts, in particular grooves, for accommodating a holder for retaining the label roll in a machine, and/or wherein the roll-core housing has lateral protrusions, in particular tongues and/or ribs, for engagement in a mount of a holder for retaining the label roll in a machine, and/or wherein the roll-core housing has lateral feet for positioning the roll-core housing on an underlying surface such that the label tape is arranged in its entirety above a planar underlying surface.

9. The label roll according to claim 1, wherein the label tape is formed at least essentially from paper or plastic, and/or wherein the label tape is perforated at regular intervals in order for individual segments of the label tape to be severed, and/or wherein the label tape bears at least one label strip, which is adhesively bonded to the label tape in a detachable manner, or bears a plurality of labels which are arranged one behind the other and are adhesively bonded to the label tape in a detachable manner.

10. A machine, in particular shipment locker, for accommodating and/or discharging shipments, in particular items, packaged items and/or parcels, comprising: at least one label roll which is accommodated in a label compartment and has a label tape, and a dispensing device for at least partially dispensing the label tape to a user and/or for at least partially dispensing to a user a label strip which is borne by the label tape and/or for dispensing to a user labels which are borne by the label tape, wherein the label roll is designed according to claim 1.

11. The machine according to claim 10, wherein a printer, in particular thermal printer, is provided for printing the label tape, the label strip and/or the labels, and wherein, preferably, the printer draws off the label tape from the roll core for printing purposes, and/or wherein the printer, in particular thermal printer, is provided for dispensing the label tape, the label strip and/or the labels.

12. The machine according to claim 10, wherein an operating terminal for operation by the user is provided for interaction with the control device such that, in dependence on the operation of the operating terminal, the control device of the roll core is actuatable for activation and/or deactivation of the at least one electromagnet and/or the printer is actuable for drawing off label tape from the label roll, for printing the label tape, the label strip and/or the labels and/or for dispensing the label tape, the label strip and/or the labels.

13. The machine according to claim 12, wherein the operating terminal, for operation by the user, has a keypad, a touchscreen, reading devices for reading barcodes, in particular two-dimensional barcodes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and/or Near Field Communication (NFC) tags and/or receiving devices for receiving signals via a local wireless network or a cellular network, for example Bluetooth, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and/or Long-Term Evolution (LTE).

14. The machine according to claim 10, wherein the shipment locker is an automated parcel locker, in particular a packstation, which allows the operator himself to pick up and/or post parcels.

15. The machine according to claim 10, wherein the machine is designed for printing and dispensing labels, in particular in the form of customer receipts and/or return labels, in particular with reference to information predetermined via the operating terminal.

16. The label roll according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the label tape contacts the plurality of rollers when the label tape is wound onto the roll core.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to a drawing, which illustrates merely an exemplary embodiment and in which:

(2) FIGS. 1A-B show a schematic side view of a label roll according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic front view of the label roll,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic front view of a machine according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of the operating terminal of the machine from FIG. 3, and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of a customer receipt or return label dispensed by the machine from FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIGS. 1A-B and 2 illustrate a schematic side view and a schematic sectional view of a label roll 1. The label roll 1 has a roll core 2, around the circumference of which a label tape 3 is wound, to be precise with a plurality of windings. The roll core 2 here comprises a roll-core housing 4, which, for reasons of clarity, is illustrated in a transparent state and by dashed lines, to allow an unobstructed view into the interior of the roll-core housing 4.

(8) A plurality of rollers 5, which form part of the circumference of the roll core 2, are provided around the circumference of the roll core 2, as seen in cross section. The label tape 3 is wound around the rollers 5 and butts against the rollers 5 on the outer sides of the rollers 5. The rollers 5 are retained at fixed locations in the roll-core housing 4, to be precise via the spindles 6 of the rollers. When the label tape 3 is drawn off, the label tape 3 slides on the rollers 5 of the roll core 2, along the circumference of the roll core 2. The roll core 2 here, however, does not itself rotate or, at most, rotates only to an insignificant extent. The fact that the rollers 5 are rubber-coated, that is to say have rubber or a similar plastic, along the circumference of the rollers 5 is not illustrated specifically.

(9) The inner sides of some rollers 5, that is to say those sides which are assigned to the interior of the roll-core housing 4, are assigned brake linings 7, which in FIG. 1A are illustrated in the braking position, in which they arrest the associated rollers 5, and in FIG. 1B are illustrated in the release position, in which they release the associated rollers 5. Adjacent to the rollers 5, the brake linings 7 illustrated, and to that extent preferred, have a rubber coating or a plastic 8. On the side which is directed away from the rollers 5, the brake linings 7 are produced from a magnetic metal 9. These sides are additionally assigned spring means 10 which, as a result of their spring forces, push the brake linings 7 outward, and against the rollers 5, in order thus to arrest the rollers 5 in the braking position and to prevent accidental unrolling of the label tape 3. In order to move the brake linings 7 into the release positions, in which said brake linings are separated from the rollers 5 and are arranged further inside the roll-core housing 4, so that the rollers 5 can rotate freely, electromagnets 11 are provided. If the latter are energized, the electromagnets 11 generate a magnetic field, which attracts the brake linings 7 and retains them in the release position, to be precise counter to the restoring forces of the spring means 10. In the release position, in the case of the roll core 2 illustrated, and to that extent preferred, the brake linings 7 butt against the electromagnets 11.

(10) The electromagnets 11 are controlled by a control device 12. The control device 12 predetermines when the electromagnets 111 are energized and when not. The control device 12 therefore determines when the rollers 5 of the roll core 2 can rotate freely and when not. It is only when the rollers 5 can rotate freely that a section of the label tape 3 can be drawn off from the label roll 1. The operation of drawing off the label tape 3 here is caused by a printer 13, in particular thermal printer, which draws part of the label tape 3, for printing purposes, through the printer 13 and therefore, to that extent, draws it off from the label roll 1.

(11) In order that this space in an elongate label compartment can be utilized effectively, it is also the case that the cross section of the roll core 2, around which the label tape 3 is wound, is of elongate design. This is illustrated in FIG. 1. The corners of the roll core 2 here are of rounded design, in order to ensure unrolling without damage to the label tape 3 or without accidental detachment of labels, or adhesive labels, from the label tape 3 at the corners of the roll core 2. It can be gathered from FIG. 2 that the label roll 1 has feet 14, in order to position the label roll 1 in a label compartment of a machine. The feet 14 here project downward to such an extent that the label tape 3 does not come into contact with the floor of the label compartment, which would obstruct the unwinding operation of the label tape 3. In addition, the roll-core housing 4 has lateral ribs 15, which can be introduced into mounts of the label compartment 17 in order to retain the label roll 1 1 in the desired position in the label compartment 17.

(12) FIG. 3 illustrates a machine 16, in particular a shipment locker, for accommodating and/or discharging shipments, in particular items, packaged items and/or parcels, having a label compartment 17 for accommodating label rolls. The machine 16 is designed, in particular, in the form of an automated parcel locker, in particular packstation, which allows the operator himself to pick up and/or post parcels. For this purpose, the machine illustrated, and to that extent preferred, has a plurality of compartments 18 for accommodating parcels. The compartments 18 can be opened by a user, to be precise by means of an operating terminal 19. Additionally provided is a dispensing device 20, which is designed for at least partially dispensing the label tape 3 to a user and/or for at least partially dispensing to a user a label strip and/or labels which are borne by the label tape 3.

(13) The operating terminal 19 is illustrated in a detail-specific view in FIG. 4. The operating terminal 19 illustrated, and to that extent preferred, has a touchscreen 21 and a keypad 22, via which the operator can input information. However, the operating terminal 19 also has reading devices 23, which are capable of reading out barcodes, in particular two-dimensional barcodes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and/or Near Field Communication (NFC) tags. Also provided are receiving devices 24 for receiving signals via a local wireless network or a cellular network, for example Bluetooth, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and/or Long-Term Evolution (LTE). These are all ways in which the operator can transmit signals which contain, or constitute, control commands for the machine 16.

(14) The operating terminal 19 for operation by the user is connected for interaction with the control device 12 such that, in dependence of the control commands input at the operating terminal 19, or transmitted to the operating terminal 19, the control device 12 of the roll core 2 is activated or deactivated. If the control device 12 is activated, the electromagnets 11 are energized, and this generates a magnetic field for adjusting the brake linings 7 into the release position. If the control device 12 is deactivated, the voltage supply to the electromagnets 11 is interrupted, and so the brake linings 7 pass into the braking position as a result of the restoring forces of the spring means 10. It is also possible, however, for the control device 12 and/or the operating terminal 19 to activate the printer 13, and so the latter draws off label tape 3 from the roll core 2, prints labels and passes the printed labels onwards to the dispensing device 20. The labels pass out of the machine 16 at the dispensing device 20 and can therefore be received by the user at the dispensing device 20.

(15) The printer 13 is, in particular, a thermal printer which can print optionally the label tape 3, a label strip, which is borne by the label tape 3, or individual labels. The label strip and/or the labels here can be adhesively bonded to the label tape 3 in a detachable manner by a self-adhesive layer. The label strip or the labels is or are dispensed either with the label tape 3 or without the label tape 3. In the latter case, the used-up label tape 3 is collected in the machine 16 until being disposed of.

(16) The machine 16 illustrated is designed for printing and dispensing labels, in particular in the form of customer receipts, stickers and/or return labels, in particular with reference to information predetermined via the operating terminal 19. A corresponding label 25, for example in the form of a customer receipt, of a corresponding sticker and/or of a corresponding return label, is illustrated schematically in FIG. 5, wherein the label 25 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, and to that extent preferred, already has pre-printed pieces of information in regions 26, it being possible for said information to be supplemented in other regions 27 by individual pieces of information which can be printed specifically by the printer 13 of the machine 16. However, it is also possible, in particular if very different labels 25 are to be dispensed, for any information to be printed in the first instance by the printer 13 in the machine 16.

(17) All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

(18) The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

(19) Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.