Printer for printing a cable marker strip, and cable marker strip for the same

Abstract

A cable marker strip includes two rows of cable markers which are arranged behind one another in a cable direction. The cable marker strip includes a labeling track which has one labeling surface for each cable marker, wherein one fastening structure is provided for each cable marker on a fastening surface of the labeling track. The fastening surface lies opposite the labeling surface and has a connecting track and two holding limbs which are connected to the connecting track, which lie opposite one another, and together define a cable receptacle. Starting from the connecting track, spacing the holding limbs from one another decreases in the region of the cable receptacle so that the cable receptacle tapers. A printer for printing the cable marker strip and a method for printing the cable marker strip by way of the printer are also provided. The printer includes a print head which is arranged above pressure bars for the rows of cable markers.

Claims

1. A printer for printing on a cable marker strip including at least one row of cable markers, comprising (a) a transport roller; (b) a plurality of drive wheels arranged in spaced relation on said transport roller for driving the cable marker strip in a transport direction upon rotation of said transport roller; and (c) a pressure bar arranged between a pair of drive wheels, said pressure bar having a smooth contact surface for engaging the cable markers of a row.

2. A printer as defined in claim 1, wherein said contact surface is arranged to engage a cable receptacle of each of the cable markers.

3. A printer as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a printer head for printing on a labeling surface of each cable marker, said contact surface of said pressure bar pressing the labeling surface of each of the cable markers in a pressure direction against said printer head via a spring force counter to a force of said printer head.

4. A printer as defined in claim 3, wherein said printer head is arranged above said pressure bar, and further comprising a printing ribbon arranged between said printer head and said pressure bar for printing on the cable markers.

5. A printer as defined in claim 3, wherein said pressure bar pivots about a pivot axis relative to said printer head and includes a carrier which extends transversely of said contact surface, and wherein said contact surface extends concentrically around said transport roller and includes a tapered portion which faces the at least one row of cable markers.

6. A printer as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive wheels have a contoured transport surface for engaging the cable markers.

7. A method for printing a cable marker of a strip of cable markers with a printer, comprising the steps of (a) inserting a pressure bar into a cable receptacle of a cable marker; (b) pressing a printing ribbon with a printer head onto a cable marker labeling surface opposite the cable receptacle of the cable marker, said pressure bar countering a pressing force of the printer head; and (c) printing the cable marker labeling surface with the printing ribbon.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will become apparent from a study of the following description when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1a, b, and c are perspective, front and side views, respectively, of a cable marker strip with two rows of cable markers;

(3) FIGS. 2a, b, and c are front, side and perspective views, respectively, of a cable marker according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 2d is a perspective view of the cable marker of FIGS. 2a-c mounted on an electrical conductor;

(5) FIG. 3a is a perspective partial sectional view of a printer for printing the cable marker strip from FIG. 1 with the cable marker strip inserted in the printer;

(6) FIG. 3b is a sectional of the printer of FIG. 3a without the cable marker strip and without the print head;

(7) FIGS. 3c and 3d are end and side views, respectively, of the printer of FIG. 3a without a print head; and

(8) FIGS. 4a and 4b are side and perspective views, respectively, of the printer from FIG. 3 with a collecting roller for the cable marker strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 1a shows a cable marker strip 1, which includes two rows I, II of cable markers 2 next to one another in arranged in the direction Z. FIG. 1b shows a front side of the cable marker strip 1 and FIG. 1c is a side view of such a cable marker strip 1 with two cable markers.

(10) The cable marker strip 1 has a labeling track 3 which can be labeled and printed. The cable marker strip 1 extends in the cable direction X and has two rows I, II of cable markers 2 in the arranging direction Z transverse to the cable direction X. However, the invention also includes cable marker strips 1 with only one row of cable markers 2 and cable marker strips 1 with more than two rows I, II of cable markers 2.

(11) Each cable marker 2 is associated with a labeling surface 31 on the labeling track 3, which labeling surface 31 is defined in the arranging direction z by notches 34. In addition, perforations 35 may be provided which are arranged one after another in the direction X, to separate the cable markers 2 from one another and completely penetrate the cable marker strip 1 in the arranging direction Z. The notches 34 and/or perforations 35 simplify the release of a cable marker 2 from the cable marker strip 1 after printing.

(12) The labeling track 3 is widened on both sides of each row I, II of cable markers 2 by respective support surfaces 33. Between the two rows I, II, the support surface 33 is about twice as wide as outside of them. The support surface 33 is used for the transport of the cable marker strip 1 during printing and can also be used as a project labeling area or the like, if necessary.

(13) FIGS. 2a-c show a cable marker 2 detached from the cable marker strip 1 of FIG. 1a. FIG. 2d shows a cable marker 2 arranged on an electrical conductor 5. The cable marker 2 and the cable marker strip 1 are further described on the basis of these drawings.

(14) The labeling track 3 of the cable marker strip 1 at its side facing away from the labeling surface 31 has a fastening surface 32 on which respective fastening structures 4 are arranged for each cable marker 2. The fastening structures 4 are made of one piece integral with the labeling track 3, in particular in a two-component co-extrusion method.

(15) Each of the fastening structures 4 has a connecting track 42 with which two holding limbs 41 are connected on sides opposite to one another as seen in the arranging direction Z. Between the holding limbs 41 and the connecting track 42, a cable receptacle 40 is formed for accommodating the electrical conductor 5. The electrical conductor 5 can be inserted into the cable receptacle 40 in a pressure direction Y transverse to the cable direction X and transverse to the arranging direction Z. The cable marker 2 is formed symmetrically relative to a center plane M, which extends centrally between the holding limbs 41 and in a pressure direction Y, as well as transverse to the labeling track 3. The center plane M halves the labeling surface 31 in the arranging direction Z.

(16) Each of the fastening structures 4 is therefore approximately U-shaped. However, a spacing A between the holding limbs 41 and the connecting track 42 decreases starting in the region of the cable receptacle 40, such that it tapers. Preferably, the cable receptacle 40 is designed for a smallest possible cable 5. Due to the greater spacing A of the holding limbs 41 near the connecting track 42, the cable marker 1 can also be used for cables with larger cross-sections. For this purpose, the holding limbs 41 are bent apart when pushing the cable marker 2 onto the electrical conductor 5, and then do not spring back completely.

(17) Due to the tapered cable receptacle 40, the holding limbs 41, when the electrical conductor 5 is arranged in the cable receptacle 40, push against the conductor 5 with their spring force and hold the cable marker 2 in its position. The symmetrical design of the cable marker 2 causes a uniform pressure of both holding limbs 41.

(18) The respective holding limbs 41 have a bend 411 at an end of the cable receptacle 40 spaced from the connecting track 42 at which bend 411 they are spaced from one another by a gap 43. The insertion of the electrical conductor 5 into the cable receptacle 40 is preferably performed through the gap 43, wherein the bend 411 of the holding limbs 41 serves as a sliding surface. In order for the cable marker 2 not to be damaged by the holding limbs 41, the bend 411 points outward. Thus, lower ends 412 of the holding limbs 41, which connect to the bend 411, are bent away from one another.

(19) FIGS. 2b-d also show that the holding limbs 41 of the cable marker 2 are narrower in the cable direction X. Therein, the cable markers 2 are also formed symmetrically relative to a second center plane (not shown), which halves the holding limbs 41 in the cable direction X. The holding limbs 41 therefore taper toward the lower end 412. This makes it easier to push the cable marker 2 onto the electrical conductor 5. In addition, a considerable amount of production material can be saved this way.

(20) Overall, the cable marker 2 can be easily and quickly pressed onto an electrical conductor 5 against the pressure direction Y, or the electrical conductor 5 can be inserted easily and quickly into the cable receptacle 40 in the pressure direction Y. The cable marker 2 is also securely held in the cable receptacle 40 due to its tapered shape and due to the spring effect of the holding limbs 41.

(21) FIGS. 3a-3d_show a printer 6 for printing the cable marker strip 1. Therein, FIG. 3a shows a schematic, perspective view of the printer 6 with a cable marker strip 1 inserted in the printer 6; FIG. 3b shows the perspective view from FIG. 3a without the cable marker strip 1 and without a print head 71; FIG. 3c shows an end face of the printer 6 from FIG. 3a without a print head 71; and FIG. 3d shows a side view of-the printer of FIG. 3b.

(22) The printer 6 is provided for printing the cable marker strip 1. For this purpose, it has a transport roller 90 on which drive wheels 821, 822, 823 are arranged in a rotationally fixed manner for transporting the cable marker strip 1 in a transport direction 12. The drive wheels 821, 822, 823 interact with the support surfaces 33 of the transport strip 3 which are provided on both sides of the rows I, II of the cable markers 2, respectively, on the transport strip 3.

(23) For each row I, II of the cable marker 2, the printer 6 has respective pressure bars 811, 812, which are arranged between two of the drive wheels 821, 822, 823, respectively.

(24) The pressure bars 811, 812 are each supported such that they can pivot about a pivot axis 93, which is formed by a pivot bolt supported in an opening 903 in a housing 8. The pressure bars 811, 812 have a smooth contact surface 84 as shown for example in FIGS. 3b and 3c which extends approximately concentrically around the transport roller 90 as well as a carrier 83 which extends transversely to the contact surface 84 and centered onto the same. The pressure bars 811, 812 are therefore designed approximately T-shaped in cross-section. In the embodiment shown, they are connected to each other by a cross member.

(25) The contact surface 84 serves as a counter surface when printing the labeling surface 31 of a cable marker 2 of the cable marker strip 1. It is arranged in the cable receptacle 40 of the cable marker 2 when printing and is pressed against the connecting strip 42 of its fastening structure 4. This pushes the labeling surface 31 of the cable marker 2 against a print head 71 of the printer 6 in the pressure direction Y with the force of the spring. This contact/counter surface 84 could also be coated with Teflon or a similar material to obtain a better coefficient of friction.

(26) The print head 71 is arranged above the pressure bar 811, 812 wherein a printing ribbon 72 for printing the cable marker strip 1 is arranged between the print head 71 and the pressure bar 811, 812. The printing ribbon 72 is therefore pressed against the labeling surface 31.

(27) In order to insert the pressure bar 811, 812 into the cable receptacle 40, the contact surface 84 has a tapered area 87 at the front as seen in the transport direction 12. Thus, the pressure bar 811, 812 can be driven through the gap 43 between the holding limbs 41 into the cable receptacle 40. The carrier 83 is sufficiently narrow such that it penetrates the gap 43 at the contact surface 84 located in the cable receptacle 40. It extends along the center plane M, that is, in the direction X and in the pressure direction Y.

(28) In order to print the entire area of the contact surface 84, the carrier 83 has a bar 85 which penetrates a spring 86 which pushes the pressure bar 811, 812 in the direction of the print head 71 with its spring force. The spring 86 is supported in the housing 8. The pressure bar 811, 812 is also rotatably supported about the pivot axis 93 such that it can pivot up and down.

(29) In order to be able to securely transport the cable marker strip 1, the drive wheels 821, 822, 823 have respective transport surfaces 8211, 8221, which are provided for bearing against the support surface 33 of the labeling strip 3. The transport surfaces 8211, 8221 are contoured and have a ribbed, jagged or splined structure. This allows the cable marker strip to be transported effectively and evenly.

(30) The printing of the cable marker strip 1 is shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b. FIG. 4a shows a side view and FIG. 4bb is a perspective view of the printer 6 from FIG. 3 with a collecting roller 10 for the cable marker strip 1. The collecting roller can be rotated about a rotary shaft 11.

(31) For printing, the cable marker strip 1 is transported in the transport direction 12 by the drive wheels 821, 822, 823. For this purpose, the transport roller 90, on which the drive wheels 821, 822, 823 are arranged in a rotationally fixed manner, is rotated in a rotational direction 92 about a rotational axis 9 along which the transport roller 90 extends. Therein, the pressure bars 84 are inserted into the cable receptacle 40 of the fastening structure 4 of the respective cable marker 2 to be printed, starting from their tapered area 87 and in the transport direction 12.

(32) At the same time, the printing ribbon 72 is pressed on the labeling strip 3 with the print head 71. The contact surfaces 84 of the pressure bars 811, 821 serve as counter surfaces for the print head 71.

(33) Thus, multiple cable markers 2 can be printed simultaneously in a cable marker strip 1 with cable markers 2 arranged side by side in rows I, II. The cable markers 2 can then be detached from the cable marker strip 1 along the notches 34 and/or perforations 35.

(34) The method allows for printing the labeling surface 31 of the cable marker 2 in a manner that is easily legible and visible for a long time.