Label peeling, universal printheads and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11001084-B2
Application number	US-201815957129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2018
Priority date	Apr 12, 2010
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

An example thermal printhead apparatus includes a top end; a bottom end located opposite the top end; an electrical interface positioned proximate to the bottom end; a first distal end; a second distal end located opposite the first distal end; a printing face defined by the top end, the bottom end, the first distal end and the second distal end, the printing face includes a thermal element; a mounting face that is opposite the printing face, the mounting face defined by the top end, the bottom end, the first distal end and the second distal end, the mounting face including at least two mounting components, comprising: one or more holes configured to mount the printhead apparatus to a printer; and one or more grooves configured to mount the printhead apparatus to a printer, the one or more grooves extending substantially parallel to the top end and the bottom end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal printhead apparatus, comprising:
a top end;
a bottom end located opposite the top end;
an electrical interface positioned proximate to the bottom end;
a first distal end;
a second distal end located opposite the first distal end;
a printing face defined by the top end, the bottom end, the first distal end and the second distal end, the printing face including a thermal element; and
a mounting face that is opposite the printing face, the mounting face defined by the top end, the bottom end, the first distal end and the second distal end, the mounting face including:
a mounting surface extending from the mounting face, the mounting surface is adjacent to a side of the mounting surface, the side of the mounting surface is between the mounting surface and the mounting face; and
at least two mounting components, comprising:
one or more holes in the mounting surface, the one or more holes configured to mount the printhead apparatus to a printer; and
a first groove configured to mount the printhead apparatus to the printer, the first groove extending substantially parallel to the top end and the bottom end, the first groove extending from the first distal end to the second distal end, the first groove having a first groove opening extending from the first distal end to the second distal end, and the first groove opening positioned on the side of the mounting surface.

2. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermal element extends at least substantially from the first distal end to the second distal end parallel to the top end and the bottom end.

3. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical interface is coupled to the thermal element.

4. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermal element is configured to conduct thermal energy to generate indicia on print media.

5. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical interface is configured to couple with a connector component to receive data from control circuitry of the printer.

6. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more holes includes at least two holes, the at least two holes including a threaded hole and an unthreaded hole.

7. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink.

8. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional groove, wherein the first groove is positioned opposite one of the at least one additional groove.

9. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one of the at least one additional groove has a second groove opening, the second groove opening is positioned between the mounting face and the printing face.

10. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more holes are positioned between the first groove opening and second groove opening.

11. The thermal printhead apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermal printhead apparatus is mounted within a thermal printer, the thermal printer having a processor configured to change a printing temperature of the thermal printhead apparatus.

Assignees

• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Preliasco Richard J
• Lyman Roy P
• Beck David F
• Horrocks Craig A
• Hegarty Patrick J

Classifications

• B41J3/36 Primary

  for portability {, i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers (B41J3/4075 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B41J29/393

  Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns} · CPC title

• B41J2/335

  Structure of thermal heads · CPC title

• B41J29/13

  Cases or covers · CPC title

• B41J3/4075

  Tape printers; Label printers · CPC title