Cutter integrated with tamping mechanism for enhanced linerless processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12337592-B2
Application number	US-202218073696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2022
Priority date	Dec 2, 2022
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed is a label application device for applying a label to an object. The label application device comprises a media roll holder configured to secure a media roll, a tamp arm configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position, and a print head located between the media roll holder and the tamp arm. The print head is configured to receive the media roll, feed the media roll into the print head, and eject the media roll. The tamp arm comprises a tamp pad attached to an end of the tamp arm. The tamp pad comprises a vacuum port configured to suction the media roll against the tamp pad. The tamp arm further comprises a blade attached to the tamp arm. The blade is configured to cut the media roll as the tamp arm moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A label application device for applying a label to an object, the label application device comprising:
a media roll holder configured to secure a media roll;

a tamp arm configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position; and
a print head located between the media roll holder and the tamp arm, wherein the print head is configured to receive the media roll on an upstream end of the print head, feed the media roll into the print head, and eject the media roll out of a downstream end of the print head, and wherein the tamp arm comprises:
a tamp pad attached to an end of the tamp arm, wherein the tamp pad comprises a vacuum port on a surface of the tamp pad, and wherein the vacuum port is configured to suction the media roll against the surface of the tamp pad; and
a blade attached to an upstream side of the tamp arm, wherein the blade is configured to cut the media roll as the tamp arm moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

2. The label application device of claim 1 , wherein the blade is replaceable.

3. The label application device of claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit configured to:
receive label data to be printed;
cause the print head to print a label onto the media roll based on the label data, wherein the printed label on the media roll is ejected out of the downstream end of the print head;
cause the vacuum port to couple to the printed label;
cause the tamp arm to move from the retracted position to the extended position, wherein the printed label is cut from the media roll as the tamp arm moves from the retracted position to the extended position; and
cause the tamp arm to apply the label to the object at the extended position.

4. The label application device of claim 3 , wherein the label application device further comprises an air nozzle configured to direct air toward the surface of the tamp pad.

5. The label application device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause air to begin blowing out of the air nozzle toward the tamp pad in response to the print head ejecting a printed label.

6. The label application device of claim 5 , wherein the air pushes the printed label toward the surface of the tamp pad.

7. The label application device of claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the vacuum port to blow air out of the vacuum port to decouple the printed label from the surface of the tamp pad.

8. The label application device of claim 1 , wherein the label application device further comprises a biasing member configured to apply tension to the media roll.

9. The label application device of claim 8 , wherein the positioning system is a robotic arm.

10. The label application device of claim 1 , wherein the label application device is attached to a positioning system, and wherein the positioning system is configured to position the label application device relative to the object.

11. The label application device of claim 1 , further comprising a fixed cutting surface extending downstream from the downstream end of the print head to the blade, wherein the media roll rests against the fixed cutting surface, and wherein the blade moves past the fixed cutting surface to cut the media roll.

Assignees

• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Beck David F
• Preliasco Richard J

Classifications

• B41J3/4075 Primary

  Tape printers; Label printers · CPC title

• B41J15/04

  Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles · CPC title

• B65C9/36

  Wipers; Pressers · CPC title

• B65C9/28

  Air-blast devices · CPC title

• B65C9/1826

  the suction means being a movable vacuum arm or pad · CPC title